Plant Manager

Do you thrive or get excited about stepping into a stable operation to help it evolve? Or love getting to understand processes, people, and work culture before having the urge to make improvements?

We are partnering with a global leader in advanced transportation and industrial technology solutions to identify a Plant Manager for a highly strategic manufacturing facility located in Germantown, MD.

This site produces electronic subsystems and assembled components that support mission-critical applications across a broader network of manufacturing operations. Although modest in size, the facility supports larger downstream production sites, making this a highly visible and impactful leadership role

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This is an excellent opportunity for a people-focused operations leader to step into a plant leadership role and make a meaningful impact on both performance and culture.

The Opportunity

The Plant Manager will lead the site, drive operational performance, and develop the team in a collaborative, stable, high-performing environment.

The site is well-established and productive, with a tenured workforce and strong foundation. The focus of this role is to evolve and elevate the operation by driving improvements in continuous improvement maturity, proactive problem-solving, and overall operational excellence, while preserving and strengthening the existing culture.

This role is ideal for a leader who:

• Leads through influence, not authority
• Takes a thoughtful, measured approach to change
• Prioritizes people development and engagement
• Understands how to build trust before driving transformation

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership for plant operations, including safety, quality, delivery, cost, and inventory performance
• Champion a safety-first culture, ensuring compliance with all regulatory and internal standards
• Assess the current state of operations and implement continuous improvement initiatives using Lean methodologies (Gemba walks, 5S, Kaizen, daily management, etc.)
• Strengthen and sustain a culture of accountability, collaboration, and proactive problem-solving
• Lead and develop a diverse workforce, including both hourly and salaried employees
• Partner cross-functionally with engineering, supply chain, and other manufacturing sites to ensure on-time delivery and operational alignment
• Drive improvements in:
• Operational discipline
• Manufacturing efficiency
• Product cost
• Inventory and materials management
• Establish strong communication rhythms across the organization and build trust at all levels of the plant
• Balance time effectively between the production floor (hands-on engagement) and broader leadership responsibilities

What We’re Looking For

Experience & Background

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 5 years of experience in: Plant leadership, OR Operations leadership within a manufacturing environment
• Experience in assembly-based manufacturing environments (electronics, aerospace, industrial, or similar preferred)
• Familiarity with Lean/Continuous improvement methodologies and demonstrated application in a production setting

Leadership Profile (Critical Success Factors)

We are seeking a leader who brings a strong balance of operational capability and emotional intelligence, including:

• Coaching mindset – develops people and builds capability within the team
• Strong listener – seeks to understand before acting
• Influential leadership style – drives change through engagement, not force
• Cultural sensitivity – able to lead within a diverse, collaborative workforce
• Sound judgment – able to assess organizational readiness and pace change effectively
• Hands-on leadership – comfortable spending time on the floor building relationships and understanding processes

Why This Role?

• Lead a highly influential plant that directly supports broader enterprise operations
• Step into a stable, collaborative environment with strong foundational performance
• Opportunity to shape the next level of operational maturity and team capability
• Ideal platform for a first-time Plant Manager or a leader seeking increased scope and impact

Location & Work Environment

• Based in Germantown, MD, within commuting distance of the Washington, D.C. metro area
• Single-shift operation with a hands-on leadership presence required on-site
• Relocation support available for qualified candidates

Compensation is competitive and flexible, with the ability to exceed the posted range for candidates who bring the right experience and leadership profile.