General Manager France & Italy

Knauf stands for opportunity. We know that opportunity looks different to each person and we are proud that we see opportunity in everyone.

As a Group we are a global manufacturer of construction materials and our 41,500 team members in 90 countries across 300 sites provide a huge opportunity for anyone with ambition and energy. We value everyone's contribution equally and we ask that you bring your whole self to work, to enrich the business further, as together we achieve more in a safe and inclusive environment.

Knauf Industries is a division of the Knauf Group, specialized in the design and manufacture of packaging products, insulation and technical parts. We are present in 8 countries, with 38 sites and around 2,000 employees. We are experts in foam molding, plastic injection, extrusion and thermoforming.
We serve the agri-food, automotive, industrial and building markets.
Our Corporate Social Responsibility policy is at the heart of our strategy, confirming our commitment to human values and sustainable development.
With shared visions and goals, we live and work at Knauf worldwide according to clear values: Menschlichkeit (humanity), partnership, commitment, and entrepreneurship. If these values resonate with you, this challenge may be of interest.

Knauf Industries is seeking a General Manager France & Italy to lead its French and Italian organisations and drive the next phase of business performance, growth and transformation.

What you will be doing

Reporting to the Division leadership and part of the leadership team, this role has full responsibility for the overall performance of the business across France and Italy. The General Manager will lead all key functions, including commercial activities, operations, finance, human resources and the manufacturing sites in scope.

This is a broad leadership role for a senior executive able to combine strategic vision, operational rigour and strong people leadership in a demanding industrial environment.

Key Responsibilities

The General Manager will define and execute the strategy for France and Italy in line with Group and Division priorities, with a clear focus on profitable growth, operational excellence and long-term value creation.

The successful candidate will actively drive and support the continuous improvement of the safety culture, ensuring the highest standards of health and safety across all sites.

The General Manager will oversee the full financial performance of both countries, including P&L, cash generation and budget management.

They will also lead the industrial footprint across France and Italy, driving performance across production, supply chain, engineering and maintenance, with a strong focus on competitiveness, quality and continuous improvement.

On the commercial side, the General Manager will ensure that customer needs remain central to decision-making, strengthen relationships with key clients and partners, and support business development in both markets.

As leader of the French and Italian organisations, the General Manager will foster an engaged, high-performing and collaborative culture, while ensuring talent development, succession planning and constructive social dialogue across both countries.

Externally, the General Manager will represent Knauf Industries in France and Italy and build trusted relationships with customers, suppliers, public authorities, employee representatives and other key stakeholders.

What we would love for you to have

• Significant leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.

• At least 5 years' experience in a General Manager or equivalent senior leadership role.

• Proven responsibility for a multi-functional organisation, ideally across several sites and countries.

• Strong financial, analytical and negotiation skills.

• The ability to drive business transformation and operational improvement.

• Inspiring leadership style, with the ability to engage and develop teams.

• Experience in the plastics processing industry, as well as knowledge of customers and market dynamics would be a clear advantage, but is not essential.

• Fluency in French and English; Italian language skills would be an advantage.

A postgraduate degree such as an MBA or MSc would be an advantage.

Our Values

At Knauf, leadership is expected to reflect our four core values:

• Menschlichkeit: Putting people first and treating everyone with respect.

• Partnership: Building trust and achieving success together.

• Entrepreneurship: Taking initiative, embracing opportunities and driving innovation.

• Commitment: Taking ownership and delivering on our promises.

We are looking for a leader who embodies these values and is ready to make a lasting impact on our business and our people across France and Italy.

What happens next?

We appreciate that your time is precious and applying for a new job can be a lengthy process, therefore, we are committed to responding to all applications within a few days.

To learn more about our business and culture : https://www.knauf-industries.com/en/

Knauf Industries is committed to fostering a non-discriminatory work environment that emphasizes diversity and inclusion