Sustainable Operations Manager, Rubber Reinforcement

Purpose and Mission

The position is responsible for driving energy performance improvement across all Bekaert plants worldwide, with a strong focus on China’s evolving regulatory framework. The role combines deep regulatory expertise, global project coordination, technical guidance, and the stewardship of company-wide energy management tools. The manager will translate best practices into scalable global standards and support plants in implementing impactful energy-saving solutions.

Key Activities and Responsibilities

1. Global Energy Regulation & Market Intelligence (with China as a Key Focus Area)
•    Monitor global energy regulations with an emphasis on China’s national and provincial policy landscape.
•    Build and maintain a global energy intelligence system that consolidates regulatory updates, compliance risks, opportunities, and implications for all Bekaert plants.
•    Provide regular reports and actionable insights to GAMM, management teams, purchasing, and operations, ensuring global teams benefit from lessons and trends originating in China and other key regions.
•    Follow up on government incentives and subsidies (China and other countries), working closely with the Marketing Intelligence team to maximize benefits globally.                        
2. Global Coordination of Energy Projects
•    Track implementation progress of energy related projects across all Bekaert locations, ensuring alignment with the global energy strategy.
•    Work proactively with the Sustainability Team, providing structured updates on China plants while also coordinating with rest of regions.
•    Lead the bi weekly China Energy Team and serve as the liaison who brings best practices, learnings, and performance insights to the global network.
•    Support preparation for Monthly Sustainability SteerCo                    
3. Global Operations Utility Manager & Energy Project Manager
•    Identify improvement opportunities across regions and coordinate cross site energy optimization projects.
•    Support plants worldwide in adopting new energy concepts, technologies, and global standards.
•    Lead and technically support strategic energy projects such as solar PV, wind turbines, heat recovery, compressed air optimization, HVAC upgrades, and battery storage systems.
•    Develop and maintain global tools, methodologies, and energy monitoring frameworks (GPS, SFB, digital dashboards, SOPs…).
•    Train internal trainers, SPO experts, and plant managers to ensure consistent deployment of global energy practices.
•    Capture, document, and globally disseminate best practices, ensuring innovations developed in any region become global standards.                        
4. Global Operational Energy Performance (RRaise & Other Savings Programs)
•    Support plants globally in delivering the annual operational energy savings targets (e.g., RRaise).
•    Benchmark energy performance across plants to identify best in class practices and technologies.
•    Lead the transfer of high performing practices to underperforming sites to raise energy efficiency standards globally.
•    Provide regular reports, dashboards, and performance insights to the Head of Sustainability and the global leadership team."                        
5. Energy Culture & Awareness Across All Regions
•    Develop global training materials, communication content, and awareness campaigns to strengthen the energy-conscious culture across all Bekaert plants.
•    Drive global awareness programs while tailoring specific initiatives to key regions such as China.
•    Support corporate sustainability events and regional engagement programs, with China as a recurring priority geography.                        
6. Global Technology Pipeline & Long Term Roadmap
•    Maintain a global pipeline of energy reduction technologies and projects, identifying scalable solutions relevant for all Bekaert regions.
•    Use MES/monitoring data to support global data driven operational improvements, providing plants with analytical guidance.
•    Collaborate with BTEC/BTC, R&D, and Engineering teams worldwide to embed energy saving technologies into future equipment or infrastructure (GTS)         

Skills

•    Strong understanding of energy infrastructure, industrial operations, and local standards.
•    Excellent organizational, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
•    Strong proficiency in written and spoken English & Chinese
•    Solid command of tools such as MS Office, Project.
•    Willingness to travel frequently, primarily within China/Asia

Previous Experience

•    Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in energy management, sustainability, or industrial engineering.

Qualifications and Education

•    Master’s degree or above in Engineering Management, Environmental Engineering, Chemistry, Environmental Protection, or related fields.