Compensation: $115K - $130K, actual salary the successful candidate is offered will be dependent on several factors related to the specified position and experience.
Vacancy status: this is an open vacancy within Swegon North America that is based in Ajax, ON.
Job Summary:Lead the Swegon North America Ajax plant as a visible, accountable, people-focused and improvement-oriented manufacturing leader. Own safe, reliable daily execution across delivery, quality, labour, equipment, cost and continuous improvement while building capable frontline leadership, disciplined operating systems and a culture of engagement, learning and operational excellence.
Core Accountabilities- Safety, Environment and Workplace Standards
- Own plant health and safety performance, housekeeping, hazard control, incident follow-up, and compliance with established company rules and applicable provincial requirements.
- Maintain a visible leadership presence on the plant floor and reinforce safe behaviours through daily coaching, proactive risk identification and timely corrective action.
Daily Operations and Customer Delivery- Direct day-to-day manufacturing activities to achieve production, delivery, quality, cost, and service commitments
- Turn demand into clear daily plans for labour, equipment, materials, sequencing and workflow; lead recovery when performance falls behind and use structured problem-solving to prevent recurrence.
- Coordinate with planning, logistics, purchasing, quality, and engineering to resolve constraints and protect customer commitments
People Leadership and Labour Relations- Lead frontline leaders and unionized hourly employees with clarity, consistency, fairness, and respect
- Set expectations, assign ownership, coach performance, recognize contribution, and address conduct or attendance issues promptly with Human Resources
- Build frontline leadership, succession, and cross-training plans; communicate priorities and results in practical language
Quality and Standard Work- Ensure employees are trained and competent in required standard operating procedures
- Build quality into the process by identifying issues early and leading containment, corrective action, and sustained follow-up
- Stop or control nonconforming work or product until requirements are met
Continuous Improvement, Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence- Build and lead a practical continuous improvement system focused on safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, throughput, employee involvement and waste reduction.
- Apply lean manufacturing principles such as standard work, visual management, 5S, value stream thinking, root cause analysis, daily management and kaizen to improve flow and remove constraints.
- Use plant data, direct observation and employee input to identify improvement opportunities, establish priorities and confirm whether changes deliver measurable and sustainable results.
- Create an environment where employees are encouraged to surface problems, test ideas, challenge legacy practices and participate in practical improvements that strengthen performance and engagement.
Equipment, Facilities and Capital Planning- Ensure production equipment, tooling, and facilities are maintained to support safe and reliable operations
- Work with manufacturing engineering, Supervisors, and design engineering to assess equipment upgrades, layout changes, capacity needs, and capital requests
Inventory and Financial Discipline- Maintain effective controls for raw materials, work in process, finished goods, scrap, plant assets, and supplies
- Manage labour and plant resources with cost discipline while protecting safety, quality, delivery and long-term capability.
- Contribute to budgeting, resource planning, and performance reviews with clear facts, risks, and corrective actions
Management Communication and Governance- Provide concise, accurate updates on performance, risks, recovery plans, and decisions required
- Lead a consistent daily, weekly, and monthly operating rhythm that connects plant execution with business priorities
Decision Rights- Adjust labour, workflow, sequencing, and daily priorities to protect safety, quality, and delivery
- Stop unsafe work or hold nonconforming products when established requirements are not met
- Escalate material, equipment, capacity, labour, or quality risks before customer commitments are affected
- Recommend staffing, training, equipment, facility, and capital actions supported by evidence and business need.
Experience and Qualifications- Post-secondary education in Operations Management, Engineering, Business Administration, Industrial Technology or a related field is preferred; an equivalent combination of education, technical training and progressive manufacturing leadership experience may be considered.
- Formal training or certification in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, Six Sigma, project management, health and safety, or people leadership is considered an asset.
- Five to seven years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, including plant-level or equivalent operational accountability.
- Demonstrated experience in a unionized sheet metal fabrication environment with hands-on knowledge of processes such as shearing, press brakes, spot welding, MIG welding, light assembly, and general sheet metal fabrication
- Strong working knowledge of manufacturing safety, quality systems, production planning, maintenance, inventory control, labour management, lean manufacturing and continuous improvement.
- Proven ability to build accountability, lead through frontline supervisors or team leaders, and work effectively across all organizational levels
- Business and financial understanding, including budgeting, resource allocation, capital planning, and operational trade-offs
- Clear written and verbal communication skills, sound judgement, digital confidence and effective use of Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook and standard manufacturing information systems to support data-informed decisions.
Work Environment and Schedule- Combination of plant-floor and office work, with a deliberate expectation that the Plant Manager be highly visible on shop floor, spending most of the time on the manufacturing floor leading people, verifying standards, and addressing issues in real time
- Frequent exposure to manufacturing noise, moving equipment, and forklift traffic; required personal protective equipment and site rules apply
- Full-time leadership role with coverage aligned to plant needs. Current schedule is Monday through Thursday, 5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. when required
Want to work with skilled people at the top of their game and play a part in developing state-of-the-art solutions? Picture yourself at Swegon North America, a workplace that celebrates diversity, encourages collaboration, and listens to your ideas. Join us and discover how work can be both fulfilling and fun.
Apply now to be a part of our dynamic team.Locations Swegon North American Headquarters
