Plant Manager in Wednesbury

The Plant Manager is a hands-on leadership role at the heart of Quatra UK’s UCO processing plant in WS10. You will lead the plant from the ground up — driving output, quality, and a strong team culture while keeping things practical and moving fast. This is not a desk job. We’re looking for someone who is as comfortable on the plant floor as they are in a planning meeting — someone who leads by example, makes smart decisions quickly, and gets the best out of the people around them.

A key part of this role is providing clear, active leadership to the Production Manager and Process Technician, both of whom are currently on the project and need a strong, hands-on leader to help them grow and perform at their best.

Your responsibilities as Plant Manager:

• Production & Operations
  • Run daily UCO processing operations with a focus on quality, efficiency & cleanliness.
  • Take a hands-on role in plant commissioning, troubleshooting, and process improvement.
  • Drive practical continuous improvement improving flow, cutting downtime.
  • Manage production planning, budgets, and KPIs.
• People Leadership — Production Manager & Process Technician
  • Provide clear, structured, day-to-day leadership to the production.
  • Set priorities, define expectations, and hold people accountable in a supportive way.
  • Coach and develop.
  • Run regular check-ins and honest performance conversations.
  • Build a culture where people feel engaged, valued, and motivated to do great work.
• Project Management & Site Start-Up
  • This role is central to the ongoing engineering and commissioning phase of Quatra UK.
  • Lead and coordinate site start-up activities in WS10.
  • Manage project timelines, milestones, and deliverables for production.
  • Work closely with engineers from Quatra’s head office to align on technical requirements and implementation.
  • Act as the key operational point of contact during the engineering phase, bridging the gap between technical teams and day-to-day plant operations.
  • Proactively identify and resolve blockers to keep projects on track and on budget.
  • Ensure smooth handover from project/commissioning phase to stable production operations.
• Strategic
  • Contribute to team development and long-term capability building.
  • Help shape the way Quatra UK operates as the business grows.

What do we expect from you?

• Proven experience leading a production or processing plant in a hands-on senior role.
• A natural leader who can provide active guidance and structure — not just oversight.
• Strong technical ability and comfortable working alongside the team on the floor.
• Experience in UCO, oils, liquid processing, or a related manufacturing environment (preferred).
• Strong problem-solving and communication skills.
• Results-driven, pragmatic, and able to make things happen in a fast-moving environment.
• Experience managing projects in a commissioning, start-up, or engineering environment — able to coordinate across technical and operational teams.
• Comfortable working with engineers from head office and translating technical plans into practical on-site execution.

Why choose Quatra?

• A dynamic team within a family-owned company undergoing international expansion.
• A stimulating work environment with varied tasks.
• An opportunity to work for a company that actively contributes to environmental goals.
• A permanent contract with fair compensation and immediate start.
• An attractive package of fringe benefits, including a company phone and laptop, pension plan, and no less than 20 days of paid leave (+ bank holidays).

Don’t hesitate — send your CV and motivation letter to jobs.uk@quatra.com. We’re already excited to have you on board!