The Plant Manager is responsible for providing strategic and hands-on leadership for all plant operations. This role oversees production, safety, quality, maintenance, and workforce management to ensure that operational objectives are achieved safely, efficiently, and in alignment with company standards. The Plant Manager cultivates a high-performance culture focused on continuous improvement, teamwork, and operational excellence.
Essential Job Functions:
Safety & Compliance
- Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of plant health and safety programs, policies, and procedures.
- Ensure full compliance with company, local, state, and federal safety regulations.
- Partner with HR/EHS to address safety concerns, incident investigations, and corrective actions, including coaching or disciplinary measures when appropriate.
- Support ongoing safety training and reinforce a positive, proactive safety culture.
Operations & Production Management
- Plan, organize, direct, and evaluate all production activities to meet customer, quality, and operational targets.
- Optimize the use of labor, materials, and equipment to achieve efficiency, productivity, and cost objectives;
- Promptly address problems / issues to achieve Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) goals, such Safety, Quality, Delivery and Cost / Productivity (SQDC)
- Develop and manage plant budgets, monitor operational costs, and drive cost-control initiatives; Develop and execute strategies to achieve company goals
- Oversee the creation and execution of production schedules while maintaining proper inventory levels of raw materials and finished goods.
- Lead and implement changes to equipment, processes, and workflows to improve capability, throughput, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) including development and justification of Capital Equipment Expenditures (CAPEX)
- Ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of the plant’s quality control systems and production reporting methods.
- Champion continuous improvement initiatives such as Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, 5S, and SMED.
Leadership & Workforce Development
- Develop and maintain a positive team-based performance culture that cultivates trust, respect and embraces continuous improvement
- Maintain strong and consistent communication across all operational departments.
- Hire, train, supervise, and develop plant personnel, fostering a culture of accountability, engagement, and collaboration.
- Provide leadership and direction to Production Supervisors and cross-functional teams (Quality, Maintenance, Inventory, etc.).
- Develop teams and employees to improve performance; address infractions in a professional and timely manner; document and maintain employee personnel files as needed.
- Ensure employees receive adequate training on equipment, safety practices, and new production techniques.
- Be available on weekends to support shift supervisors with production-critical issues and implement cross-training / shift coverage schedules that manages overtime and the need for temporary labor.
- Maintain a secure facility to minimize risk and ensure that both employees and production assets are kept safe.
- Other duties and responsibilities related to the nature of the job may be assigned on a temporary or permanent basis as needed
Qualifications:
Experience & Technical Skills
- Proven experience in a Plant Manager, Production Manager, or similar senior manufacturing leadership role.
- Strong knowledge of operational processes, production planning, and performance management.
- Proficiency with computer skills (Excel, Word, Powerpoint, Outlook, TEAMS) and manufacturing systems such as ERP/MRP/MES systems such as Netsuite, SAP, BEAS/BEAR, or comparable production management tools.
- Ability to analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) and implement actions to improve operational results.
- Experience with Lean Manufacturing principles (Kaizen, SMED, 5S, etc.).
- Six Sigma Green or Black Belt certification preferred.
- Strong understanding of quality systems, safety standards, and regulatory compliance.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Industrial Technology, or a related field preferred.
Language
- Bilingual English/Spanish required; French is an asset.
Core Competencies
- Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively under pressure.
- Solid decision-making skills with the ability to act quickly and appropriately in a fast-paced environment.
- Commitment to continuous improvement and operational efficiency.
- Ability to collaborate effectively across departments and levels.
Decision-Making Authority
- The Plant Manager has the authority to:
- Adjust staffing, workflows, and production processes to meet operational demands.
- Approve supply requisitions and operational purchases within defined budget parameters.
- Approve updates to work instructions and procedures in partnership with Quality.
- Direct and coordinate communication between departments to ensure efficient plant operations.
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