Dart Container is seeking an experienced Plant Manager to lead our Conyers manufacturing operation and drive its next level of performance. This is an opportunity for a hands-on leader who wants to do more than maintain the status quo. You'll step into an established operation with a strong foundation and a clear opportunity to shape what comes next.
We're looking for a leader who can quickly assess the operation, identify opportunities, strengthen and develop the team, establish clear priorities, and move with urgency from strategy to execution. You'll have the opportunity to tackle meaningful operational challenges, accelerate improvements, and see the results of your leadership firsthand.
If you're a manufacturing leader who develops people, drives change, solves complex challenges, and turns plans into sustainable, measurable results, we'd like to hear from you!
What You'll Do... - Lead the overall performance and direction of the manufacturing facility.
- Develop and execute a clear turnaround and continuous-improvement plan with measurable goals, owners, and timelines.
- ImproveOEE and operational performance, particularly within thermoforming.
- Strengthen predictive and preventive maintenance practices and ensure effective execution.
- Use strong business and financial acumen, including an understanding of P&L, to guide decisions and improve plant performance.
- Build, develop, and motivate a high-performing leadership team.
- Spend time on the manufacturing floor to understand challenges firsthand and build trust with employees.
- Identify operational gaps quickly, prioritize solutions, and drive change with urgency.
- Strengthen employee engagement while creating accountability throughout the organization.
- Lead change in a way that brings employees along and builds confidence in the direction of the plant.
- Establish clear KPIs and use them to measure progress and drive continuous improvement.
- Facilitate regular improvement planning sessions to identify key strategic opportunities to achieve manufacturing strategic goals and develop related action plans with measurable outcomes.
- Support and reinforce the effective application of the Daily Management System to validate that actions lead to desired performance improvements.
- Lead by example to promote and encourage employees to strongly commit to safety and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices)
- Understand, support and follow management expectations in alignment with company values
What We're Looking For... - Our ideal candidate brings:
- Proven plant leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.
- Demonstrated success improving or turning around manufacturing operations.
- Strong knowledge of predictive and preventive maintenance and how to effectively implement maintenance programs.
- Strong business acumen with an understanding of financial performance and P&L.
- The ability to assess an operation quickly, identify gaps, and turn priorities into an actionable plan.
- A track record of developing and leading high-performing teams.
- Strong communication and motivational leadership skills.
- The ability to build trust at all levels of an organization, especially with employees on the manufacturing floor.
- A leadership style that combines urgency, accountability, integrity, and respect for people.
- Thermoforming experience is a plus.
What You'll Bring...- Bachelor's degree in engineering, Business or related field with seven (7) years of manufacturing operations management or leadership assignments demonstrating a progression of increased scope and responsibility
- An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
- Five (5) years of experience managing employees with supervisory responsibilities
- Prior Plant Manager experience
- Experience managing multi-shift or continuous operations
- Thermoforming experience
- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in planning, resource allocation, cost analysis and budgeting, people management, and leadership guidance
- Displays strong interpersonal skills and is accessible and approachable
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills necessary in order to persuade and influence decision making of individuals, groups, or work teams
- Ability to utilize business sense and creativity to develop new ideas, approaches and solutions
- Ability to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems
- Experience using Microsoft Office, including the ability to create basic reports, documents, presentations and spreadsheets in MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint
- Demonstrated project management experience
- Ability to be on-call 24/7
- Work is split between an office environment, production facility, and/or warehouse
- Exposure to extreme heat, loud noise, dirt, dust, odors, and fumes is probable
- Required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) in required areas
Preferred
- Paper converting, chemical or plastics processing, or packaging industrial experience
- Lean manufacturing experience
Benefits: Dart Container full-time employees enjoy great benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k) with company matching contributions, paid vacation, paid holidays, short-term disability, tuition assistance, product discounts and more.
