Plant Manager, WI Cast Iron

Plant Manager, WI Cast Iron

Work Mode: Onsite

Location: Onsite - Kohler, WI

Opportunity

This is a unique opportunity to lead one of Kohler's most complex manufacturing operations, overseeing all aspects of the Cast Iron plant including production, quality, engineering, maintenance, materials, and support functions. The Plant Manager III will play a critical role in translating business strategy into operational excellence, driving safety, quality, delivery, cost performance, and continuous improvement while developing a high-performing leadership team. This role offers significant visibility and influence across the organization, with responsibility for shaping plant strategy, advancing operational capabilities, strengthening labor and employee relations, and delivering results that directly impact customer satisfaction, profitability, and long-term business success.

Responsibilities:

• Leadership and Direction: Communicate the plant strategy and its connection to the company mission, vision and values. Establish clear priorities, align leaders and associates around expected outcomes, and create a climate of engagement, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Operations Management: Develop and deliver integrated operating plans for a large, complex manufacturing operation. Coordinate production, materials, quality, engineering, EHS, finance and supply chain activities to achieve business commitments.
• Business Planning: Develop and recommend annual and longer-range plant plans aligned with Division, Group and Corporate strategies. Recommend financial and headcount budgets, operating targets, key performance indicators, capital priorities and project schedules.
• Health, Safety, Environment and Compliance: Ensure employees, contractors and visitors follow applicable policies, procedures and mandatory requirements. Maintain compliance with DNR, EPA, OSHA and other applicable regulations, safeguard individual wellbeing, reduce environmental impact and minimize business risk.
• Production Planning and Delivery: Establish monthly and annual production plans for a complex production process, including dependencies across manufacturing units and support functions. Deliver schedule attainment, inventory, service and shipping requirements consistent with customer and sales commitments.
• Manufacturing Methods and Continuous Improvement: Initiate, formulate and implement new manufacturing methods and processes. Lead the plant improvement portfolio, including lean production, standard work, equipment optimization, workflow management, total productive maintenance and manufacturing execution systems.
• Quality and Customer Focus: Establish systems and accountability to achieve internal quality, warranty and customer experience objectives. Ensure products are produced to specification, on time and at the required quality standards; use customer feedback and operating data to address gaps and improve performance.
• Financial and Resource Management: Own plant financial performance and manage operating, capital and administrative budgets. Apply financial acumen to forecasts, expenditures and investment decisions; deploy people, material, equipment and financial resources effectively and efficiently.
• Performance and Capability Building: Set performance objectives for direct reports, monitor and report results, and take appropriate corrective action. Evaluate organizational capability, identify gaps, build succession depth, and coach and mentor leaders to strengthen the talent pipeline.
• Communications and Stakeholder Management: Maintain clear internal communications and coordinate external communications with appropriate guidance. Build strong relationships across the company and with vendors, agencies and professional organizations needed to achieve plant results.
• Develop and recommend short- and long-range plant goals for approval.
• Establish and approve manufacturing methods, standards, techniques and operating plans that optimize cost, quality, quantity, service and delivery.
• Coordinate production schedules, inventory levels and control procedures with Operations, Supply Chain, Finance and S&OP leaders to meet demand forecasts and customer commitments.
• Partner with engineering, tooling, quality and new product development leaders to improve processes, materials and designs and to support product launches and design changes.
• In partnership with Human Resources, administer approved labor and employee relations policies, employment practices, wage and salary programs, workforce planning, training, health and safety programs, and fair employment practices.
• Develop and maintain effective engineering, maintenance, sanitation and technical service organizations that provide dependable, safe and cost-effective support to production.
• Prepare and administer annual operating, administrative and capital budgets. Approve expense accounts and purchase requisitions within delegated authority and recommend expenditures above authorized limits.
• Establish performance reporting and operating reviews that compare results with approved objectives, budgets, schedules and key performance indicators. Escalate risks and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Ensure policies and procedures are understood, consistently applied and aligned with organizational strategy and work objectives. Recommend changes when business needs or risks warrant revision.
• Represent the plant in relevant trade meetings, professional associations and vendor discussions to remain current on manufacturing practices, technologies and operating methods.
• Other duties as assigned by Kohler Leadership

Skills/Requirements

• Expert-level policy and procedure interpretation, action planning, multi-line operations coordination, workflow management, work scheduling, planning and organizing, and production resource management.
• Advanced review and reporting, production practice, business management, manufacturing execution systems and equipment utilization.
• Working knowledge of lean production methods, production controls, KPI monitoring, standard work, total productive maintenance, labor management, process mapping, project milestone tracking and manufacturing digitalization.
• Strong verbal communication and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate clear plans, policies, decisions and performance expectations.
• Master's degree or equivalent level of education and experience is typical for this role; a degree in business, engineering or a related technical field is preferred.
• More than 15 years of progressive experience in manufacturing or operations, with broad knowledge of complex production systems, business processes and operating challenges.
• 10 or more years of managerial experience interpreting strategy and policy, setting objectives and delivering results over medium- to long-term time frames, including leadership of multiple front-line managers.
• Demonstrated success leading a plant or a large manufacturing or support organization.
• Experience with lean manufacturing, modern quality systems, inventory controls, labor efficiency, capital and material asset management, and profit-and-loss accountability is strongly preferred.
• Experience in a union-represented manufacturing environment and with labor and employee relations is preferred.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the US without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.

We believe in supporting you from the moment you join us, which is why Kohler offers day 1 benefits. This means you'll have access to your applicable benefit programs from your first day on the job, with no waiting period. The salary range for this position is $166,700 - $267,700. The specific salary offered to a candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors including the candidate's experience, their education, and the work location. In addition, this position is eligible for a performance bonus/variable incentive compensation.