Plant ManagerLocation: Rural Kentucky
Industry: Metals Manufacturing
Reports To: CMO
Facility: Multi-shift (3 shifts) manufacturing plant
Position SummaryThe Plant Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, performance, and operational success of a growing metals manufacturing facility operating across three shifts. This role drives safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance while building a strong culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.
The Plant Manager provides strategic and hands-on leadership to ensure efficient plant operations, workforce development, and sustainable growth while meeting customer expectations and business objectives.
Key ResponsibilitiesOperational Leadership- Lead all plant operations including production, maintenance, quality, shipping, and safety.
- Ensure effective management of a three-shift operation, maintaining consistent standards across all shifts.
- Develop and implement operational strategies to support growth, productivity, and efficiency.
- Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) including safety, scrap, downtime, labor efficiency, and on-time delivery.
Safety & Compliance- Champion a strong safety-first culture across the facility.
- Ensure compliance with OSHA regulations and company safety policies.
- Lead safety initiatives and continuous improvement efforts to reduce workplace incidents.
People Leadership- Lead, coach, and develop supervisors, managers, and hourly employees.
- Build a culture of accountability, engagement, and teamwork.
- Partner with Human Resources on hiring, workforce planning, employee relations, and training initiatives.
- Ensure strong leadership coverage and communication across all shifts.
Continuous Improvement- Drive Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives to reduce waste and improve efficiency.
- Identify opportunities to improve production processes, quality systems, and workflow.
- Lead problem-solving initiatives to address operational challenges.
Quality & Customer Satisfaction- Ensure products meet quality standards and customer specifications.
- Work closely with quality teams to address defects, implement corrective actions, and drive quality improvements.
Financial Performance- Manage plant budgets, labor costs, and operational expenses.
- Identify cost-saving opportunities while maintaining product quality and delivery performance.
- Support capital planning and equipment investments to support growth.
Cross-Functional Collaboration- Work closely with engineering, supply chain, and leadership teams to meet production goals and customer demands.
- Support new product launches, process improvements, and operational scalability.
QualificationsEducation- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, or related field preferred.
Experience- 8-10+ years of manufacturing leadership experience.
- 5+ years in plant or senior operations leadership role preferred.
- Experience in metals manufacturing, machining, fabrication, or heavy industrial environments strongly preferred.
- Experience managing multi-shift manufacturing operations.
Skills & Competencies- Strong leadership and team development skills.
- Ability to lead in a hands-on, fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
- Excellent communication and leadership presence.
What Success Looks Like in This Role- A strong safety culture with proactive hazard identification.
- Consistent production performance across all shifts.
- Engaged workforce with strong frontline leadership.
- Improved efficiency, reduced scrap, and operational cost control.
- Scalable processes supporting the plant's continued growth.
Why Join Us- Opportunity to lead a growing manufacturing facility.
- Ability to make a visible impact on operations and culture.
- Collaborative leadership team and strong business momentum
