Plant General Manager – Battery Pack / Cell Manufacturing

About the role

The Plant General Manager will lead the establishment, launch and operation of Gotion’s battery manufacturing footprint in the Middle East, initially focusing on battery pack production with the potential to expand into cell manufacturing.

Key responsibilities

• Lead plant planning, construction, equipment installation, commissioning, production launch and ramp‑up.
• Own annual operating objectives, production plans, cost targets, organisational planning and overall plant performance.
• Build and continuously improve manufacturing systems covering production, engineering, quality, equipment, process, supply chain, IT and EHS.
• Drive capacity planning, OEE, yield, productivity, delivery performance, lean manufacturing, automation and digital manufacturing.
• Establish and maintain robust quality systems for incoming, process, finished‑product and customer quality.
• Develop local supply chains and increase localisation of materials, components, equipment and services.
• Manage manufacturing costs including material, labour, Capex and Opex and lead operational improvement initiatives.
• Execute localisation and Saudisation plans, recruiting and developing local technical and management talent.
• Ensure compliance with local EHS, fire protection, environmental, occupational health and industrial regulations.
• Build and lead the plant management team across Production, Engineering, Process, Equipment, Quality, Supply Chain, EHS, HR and Administration.
• Engage with government authorities, industrial zones, investment organisations and strategic local partners.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Mechanical, Electrical, Automation, Materials, Chemical, Industrial Engineering or related fields.
• 10+ years of manufacturing experience, including at least 5 years in comprehensive plant operations leadership.
• Experience in battery cell, battery pack, lithium‑ion or EV advanced manufacturing is strongly preferred.
• Proven track record in greenfield plant set‑up, production launch, ramp‑up and operational improvement.
• Strong business and cost‑management capabilities (P&L, Capex, Opex, annual operating plans).
• International experience with ability to lead cross‑cultural organisations.
• Fluent English; Arabic is a plus.
• Willingness to be permanently based in the Middle East.

Required skills

• Lean manufacturing
• Automation
• Digital manufacturing
• Capacity planning
• OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness)
• Yield improvement
• Manufacturing cost management