What You’ll Do

As the Plant General Manager, you will serve as the on-site executive leader for AP Emissions Technologies' new 208,000-square-foot facility in Apex, North Carolina. You will lead the site's start-up, production ramp-up, and long-term operational performance across manufacturing, engineering, maintenance, automation, supply chain, quality, logistics, EHS, and people development.

This is a high-impact leadership role with end-to-end accountability for site performance, from facility commissioning and team development through customer-ready production and shipment. You will establish the operating foundation for a new manufacturing facility while building a high-performing team and delivering on safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and financial objectives.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• Lead and develop cross-functional teams across production, engineering, maintenance, automation, supply chain, quality, logistics, and EHS

• Establish organizational structure, clear accountability, performance expectations, and site governance

• Build manufacturing career paths, succession plans, mentoring programs, and performance management practices

• Establish a safety-first, continuous-improvement culture across all shifts

• Lead manufacturing operations for cordierite ceramic substrate production, automated DPF/DOC/TWC catalyst coating, and automated substrate encapsulation

• Develop and execute production, staffing, resource allocation, capacity, and ramp-up plans to meet customer demand

• Own site performance across key metrics including output, OEE, on-time delivery, scrap, yield, conversion cost, inventory, and quality

• Apply Lean and continuous-improvement methodologies to eliminate bottlenecks, reduce waste, and improve throughput

• Partner with R&D and technical teams to transition products from laboratory and pilot stages into stable, scalable mass production

• Lead engineering and maintenance strategy, including equipment lifecycle management, commissioning, capital projects, retrofits, and process improvements

• Improve equipment reliability and reduce unplanned downtime across production assets and plant utilities

• Partner with automation and process teams to stabilize manufacturing systems and establish standard work

• Own site environmental, health, and safety performance and compliance with OSHA, North Carolina requirements, and corporate standards

• Lead supply chain, inventory control, warehousing, material receipt, and finished-goods logistics

• Mitigate supply risks associated with ceramics, washcoat materials, and precious-metal-related inputs

• Own the site operating budget and financial performance across labor, energy, materials, overhead, and conversion costs

• Lead cost-reduction, value engineering, yield improvement, and waste-reduction initiatives

• Monitor performance against budget, identify variances, and communicate results, risks, and mitigation plans to the Division President

• Serve as the primary site contact for regulators, authorities, key suppliers, and visiting OEM and industrial customers

• Partner with division and technical leadership on capital projects, process scale-up, new product readiness, customer delivery, and quality initiatives

Cross-Functional Partners

• Division and corporate leadership

• Production, engineering, maintenance, automation, and technical teams

• Supply chain, logistics, and quality teams

• R&D and product development

• EHS and human resources

• OEM and industrial customers

• Key suppliers, regulators, and external partners

Ownership

• End-to-end operational and financial performance of the Apex facility

• Plant start-up, production ramp-up, and long-term manufacturing performance

• Safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost performance

• Organizational development, talent management, and succession planning

• Manufacturing capacity, equipment reliability, and operational readiness

• Regulatory, environmental, and corporate compliance

Project Work

• Lead the commissioning and start-up of the new 208,000-square-foot manufacturing facility

• Develop and execute production ramp-up and capacity expansion plans

• Lead equipment commissioning, capital projects, retrofits, and process improvements

• Support new product launches and transition products from pilot production to full-scale manufacturing

• Implement Lean and continuous-improvement initiatives to improve yield, throughput, and cost

• Develop and implement systems, processes, and standard work to support scalable plant operations

What You’ll Need

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline required; MBA preferred

• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience in U.S.-based heavy or advanced manufacturing

• At least 5 years of experience as a Plant Manager or equivalent senior site leader

• Demonstrated experience leading a greenfield or brownfield plant start-up and production ramp-up

• Experience in chemical manufacturing, automotive components, emissions manufacturing, or a closely related industry

• Experience leading large, cross-functional organizations spanning production, maintenance, quality, supply chain, and EHS

• Proven accountability for multimillion-dollar operating and capital budgets

• Demonstrated success delivering improvements in cost, yield, productivity, and operational performance

• Experience with automotive quality systems such as IATF 16949 and OEM manufacturing expectations preferred

• Lean or Six Sigma certification, PMP, or other formal project-management credential preferred

Technical Knowledge

• Strong knowledge of Lean manufacturing and continuous-improvement methodologies

• Deep understanding of high-volume, automated manufacturing environments

• Working knowledge of manufacturing quality systems and automotive OEM expectations

• Understanding of U.S. manufacturing regulations, OSHA requirements, and North Carolina environmental and safety requirements

• Experience with ERP/MES systems, operational reporting, budgeting, and data analysis

• Strong understanding of manufacturing engineering, automation, equipment reliability, and plant maintenance

Hard Skills

• Plant operations and manufacturing leadership

• Greenfield/brownfield facility start-up and production ramp-up

• Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement

• Budget and P&L management

• Capital planning and project execution

• Manufacturing engineering and automation

• Supply chain and inventory management

• Quality systems and regulatory compliance

• Operational KPI management and data analysis

• Talent development and organizational design

Soft Skills

• Strong business acumen and results-oriented mindset

• Ability to build, develop, and inspire large, diverse manufacturing teams

• Data-driven decision-making and sound operational judgment

• Ability to balance safety, quality, delivery, and cost priorities

• Strong communication, presentation, and stakeholder-management skills

• Hands-on leadership style with a strong presence on the shop floor

• Ability to make effective decisions in a fast-paced, ambiguous start-up environment

• Strong collaboration skills across technical, operational, a