General Manager - Manufacturing Business Unit

About the role

Recruitmark is partnering with an Australian engineering and manufacturing business to appoint a General Manager who will lead a key business unit and own its commercial and operational performance. This is a senior leadership role with broad accountability, offering the chance to shape how the operation runs, strengthen its capabilities and build the foundations for a more scalable, high-performing manufacturing environment.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the business unit as a profit centre, accountable for P&L performance, revenue, cost, margin and working capital.
• Drive operational performance across production planning, manufacturing, delivery and continuous improvement.
• Build a high-performing workforce, focusing on attracting, developing and retaining skilled tradespeople to meet growing demand.
• Establish the manufacturing capability, facilities and systems needed to scale the operation.
• Strengthen quality, compliance and traceability systems, including implementing an ISO-certified quality framework.
• Develop supply chain capability, commercial systems and job costing processes to improve supply continuity, cost control and visibility of true project margins.

Required profile

• Experience in modular, offsite or engineered construction environments, with a track record of delivering manufacturing programmes aligned to customer requirements and project timelines.
• Proven experience leading metal fabrication teams, ideally in steel or stainless-steel manufacturing.
• A strong engineering and technical understanding, able to engage with designers, engineers, certifiers and other technical stakeholders.
• A trade or engineering qualification is viewed favourably but is not essential.
• Demonstrated experience establishing or relocating manufacturing facilities, including procurement, installation and commissioning of automated production equipment.
• Commercially practical approach to supply chain, workforce planning and quality, embedded in day-to-day decisions.
• Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency is required.