Plant Manager

Position Summary

The Plant Manager is responsible for the overall performance of the Wellford manufacturing facility, with full accountability for safety, production, quality, inventory, purchasing, and cost control. This role ensures the plant consistently meets customer commitments while optimizing throughput, working capital, and operational efficiency in a high‑mix, low‑volume manufacturing environment.

As the senior leader on site, the Plant Manager translates company strategy into disciplined daily execution. This position establishes scalable processes, drives accountability across all plant functions, and leads continuous improvement initiatives to support profitable growth. Success requires a hands‑on leader who can balance responsiveness and flexibility with structure, process discipline, and financial rigor.

The ideal candidate has proven experience leading plant operations in a growing manufacturing organization and is comfortable managing complexity, setting priorities, and building teams capable of executing reliably as the business scales.

Key Responsibilities

Plant Operations, Production & Quality

• Lead all day‑to‑day plant operations to ensure a safe work environment, high product quality, on‑time delivery, and cost-effective production.
• Develop and maintain production schedules aligned with customer demand, capacity constraints, and changing priorities.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to increase throughput, improve flow, and reduce waste across multiple product lines.
• Monitor and improve key operational metrics, including labor efficiency, OEE, scrap, rework, lead times, and on‑time delivery.
• Partner closely with Engineering to improve manufacturability, standardize processes where appropriate, and successfully execute new product introductions.

Inventory Control & Planning

• Own inventory accuracy and optimization across raw materials, WIP, and finished goods.
• Implement and manage cycle counting, reconciliation processes, and inventory control disciplines.
• Improve inventory turns while maintaining service levels in a variable-demand, high‑SKU environment.
• Establish and manage demand planning and inventory forecasting processes appropriate for production complexity.
• Lead efforts to reduce obsolete, excess, and slow‑moving inventory.

Purchasing & Supply Chain

• Lead sourcing strategy and supplier management to support a diverse and evolving product mix.
• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, and long-term supply agreements aligned with cost and cash objectives.
• Ensure material availability while balancing working capital and inventory targets.
• Establish and track supplier performance metrics related to cost, quality, delivery, and responsiveness.
• Develop contingency plans and risk mitigation strategies for critical materials and long‑lead components.

Leadership & People Development

• Lead, coach, and develop supervisors and managers across Production, Inventory, and Purchasing.
• Build a strong culture of accountability, ownership, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Establish clear KPIs, operating rhythms, and performance expectations at all levels of the plant.
• Partner with HR to attract, develop, and retain high-performing team members.
• Foster a safe, disciplined, and engaged work environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; engineering, operations, or supply chain preferred.
• 7 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, including plant or operations management.
• Demonstrated success in a high‑mix, low‑volume manufacturing environment.
• Experience leading production scheduling, inventory control, and purchasing in complex, variable-demand operations.
• Proven ability to scale plant operations within a small‑to‑midsize, high‑growth manufacturing organization.
• Strong financial acumen, including cost accounting, budgeting, and working capital management.
• ERP experience required.
• Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement experience strongly preferred.