Plant Manager

You must have a combination of operational expertise with leadership and adaptability to handle the unique demands of small batch, high variety manufacturing.

We process up to 200 jobs a month with many outside processes and many SKU's involved. A Hands-on leader who spends time on the production floor and understands the day to day operations is ideal.

Desired Characteristics:

• Decisive Decision Making; a plant manager makes quick, data informed decisions scheduling, resource allocation and problem solving
• Strategic Thinking; plan ahead for custom orders anticipate bottlenecks and balance multiple projects
• Effective Communication; clear , consistent communication is vital between customers, engineers, production staff and suppliers.
• Leadership & Accountability; leading a small, often cross trained team requires clear direction, motivation and the ability to hold themselves and other accountable for quality and on-time delivery.
• Adaptability ; job shops face frequent changes in product design, materials, and customer requirements. A successful plant manager adapts workflows, schedules, and processes quickly to meet these changes.
• Conflict Management ; the plant manager must identify root causes and find collaborative solutions. They must also work with HR to ensure all appropriate laws are followed.
• Negotiation Skills ; the plant manager often negotiates with vendors for materials, sub contractors for specialized work, and customers for delivery terms design changes.
• Financial Management; managing budgets for customers projects, tracking material costs, and ensuring profitability in a low-volume environment is critical
• Resilience Under Pressure; meet tight deadlines for custom jobs can be stressful, a resilient plant manager stays calm, prioritizes tasks, and maintains focus.
• Forward - Thinking; anticipate market trends, technology adoption, and process improvements helps the job shop remain competitive and efficient. The plant manager drives continuous improvement through standard work training, KPI management, and process optimization.