Company

• Natara is a leading producer of natural and synthetic base aroma ingredients, as key inputs into the global flavour and fragrance industry. Its customers combine these base aroma products with other ingredients to create flavour and fragrance solutions.
• With annual sales of c. $100m, and 375 employees, the company has four dedicated production and distribution sites located in the UK (Hartlepool and Teesside), the US (Cincinnati) and China (Pucheng), as well as additional distribution sites in Mexico, Hong Kong and Brazil.
• Previously part of the IFF corporation, through its acquisition of Frutarom in 2010, and known as Flavour Speciality Ingredients (FSI), the business was acquired by the private equity firm, Exponent, in 2023.

Role

• Natara is looking to appoint a new Manufacturing leader to join its leadership team as a Site Director, with the goal of modernising, transforming and improving the performance of their Hartlepool plant. A multi-stage batch process chemical synthesis facility, producing synthetic aroma chemicals, using reaction and distillation processes, the site has 100 employees and currently generates c.$30m in turnover.
• You will be responsible for leading and transforming the Hartlepool site’s manufacturing performance, through the effective leadership and development of your management team. Your primary goal is to ensure the site’s batch processes continue to run consistently, whilst delivering its improvement programme.
• The successful candidate will inherit an experienced management team, with direct reports responsible for H&S, Engineering (Maintenance & Projects), Production, Warehouse, QA and QC. It will be essential to win the hearts and minds of this collective team, to be able to influence change and transformation across the plant. Promoting a culture of accountability and agility – you will be tasked with creating a more sustainable and forward-thinking site.

Person

• You will be a proven Manufacturing leader, with a track record of success within the chemicals, ingredients, paints, polymers, or a related ‘batch production’ process industry manufacturing sector, with experience of leading a COMAH registered plant.
• Degree educated in chemical engineering, chemistry, or mechanical engineering, you will know how to lead a team through a process of change and improvement. Comfortable being hands-on, you will need strong communication and leadership skills, with the ability to inspire, and to lead from the front.
• A true people developer, you will have successfully led a programme of investment and modernisation to improve a site’s production, safety and commercial performance. Driving OTIF performance will be a particular feature of the role and will require a strong appreciation of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement processes.

Should you wish to speak about the role confidentially before applying, please contact:

Jonathan Burke

Partner & Practice Head – Manufacturing & Engineering

Berwick Partners

T: 0113 386 8525 / 07718 601322

E: jonathan.burke@berwickpartners.co.uk