General Manager

Shape your future

Element Six, part of De Beers Group, is a global leader in the design, development and production of synthetic diamond and tungsten carbide supermaterials.

With research and development facilities and manufacturing sites in the UK, Ireland, Germany, South Africa and the US, we have been pushing the boundaries of synthetic diamond innovation for more than 60 years. We utilise the extreme properties of synthetic diamond to open up new possibilities in exciting areas such as quantum optics, acoustics and thermal conductivity.  

Our success comes from building strong, collaborative relationships, both internally in our extraordinary teams, and externally with our customers. We strive to deliver extreme performance and we seek talented, ambitious people who will thrive in an environment that fosters individuality, inclusivity, innovation and creativity.

We offer an exciting and varied career, with opportunities to work in various locations and teams, and across different functions and projects.

If you like the idea of an exciting variety of work in a diverse global team, then we want you to get in touch.

An exciting opportunity has arisen within E6 for a General Manager who will lead the Management Team responsible for the operation of a state-of-the-art laboratory-grown diamond manufacturing facility based in Portland, Oregon.  

The General Manager is ultimately responsible for the facility delivering on operational targets and objectives associated with employee wellbeing, production output, cost efficiency and capital projects. Building on a culture developed to ensure everyone can Thrive, you will role model a continued drive for simplicity and accountability for “Zero Harm” while upholding the Element Six values.   

Key Stakeholders 

• Site Management Team & a team of circa 70 Engineers, Technicians, Operators and Site Support Staff 

• Element Six Executive Team 

• Element Six Head of CVD Operations 

• Key suppliers 

• Local authorities 

Duties and tasks 

• Accountable for all Health & Safety performance and reporting on the Gresham Site 

• Responsible for achieving annual production & cost targets as per budget 

• Responsible for executing the long-term vision and objectives for the Gresham operation, including determination of short and medium-term Goals towards the long-term vision 

• Responsible for the line management of the Operations and Engineering teams; setting Key Objectives and KPI’s, and holding Senior Departmental Managers accountable for results 

• Decision maker as it pertains to Supply Chain management processes e.g. Demand & Supply balancing, and setting out Inventory and/or Stocking philosophy, decisions on Make / Buy  

• Steward of Legal Contractual relationships with Suppliers / Customers 

• Steward of the site Business Continuity Plans  

• Responsible for long-term Capital Expenditure plans for Business Continuity, New Capabilities, Repair & Maintenance, and Capacity Growth  

• Responsible for all staffing decisions related to senior staff in the Operations and Engineering functions, as per the agreed budget 

• Senior level interaction with various internal & external stakeholders, including local authorities, customers, and Group colleagues.  

• Formal performance reporting.  

• Education. Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in Science or Engineering. 

• Experience.  A minimum of 10 years in progressively complex manufacturing leadership roles. 

• Adaptability. Ability to work in a fast-moving work environment. Comfortable with leading change. 

• Presence. Ability to typically spend 5 days per week on site. 

• Flexibility. Ability to travel internationally & to work across time zones. 

• Decision Making.  Makes clear, timely decisions and gives explicit and clear guidance.  Decisions are focused on increasing or improving the company’s options and are owned. 

• Development. Comfortable working to develop the behaviour and performance of the team. 

• Simplifies. Avoids Complexity - does not over-engineer solutions and stays focused on the problem being solved. Considers the implications of local decisions across the whole organisation. 

• Accountability. Looks beyond what is good for the business.  Holds self and others to account. Understands that no-one sees the complete picture and values perspectives from across the business. 

• Leadership. Self-motivated and comfortable taking on responsibility. Demonstrable experience of mentoring and coaching. 

• Collaboration. Understands the importance of and communicates effectively. 

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.