Plant Manager

Plant Manager

The Plant Manager is responsible for leading all aspects of end-to-end manufacturing operations for the Elizabethtown, KY plant. This role drives operational excellence through a disciplined Daily Management System and the Toyota Production System model, ensuring performance across SQDCI (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Inventory) while achieving financial targets, including absorption and cost control. The Plant Manager establishes a culture of accountability, data-driven decision-making, and continuous improvement, ensuring rigorous execution through structured standard work and visual management.

Location: Elizabethtown, KY

Relocation Assistance: $15,000 lump sum for renters, $35,000 for homeowners

Compensation: $185,000 - $200,000 base salary 20% bonus

Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, STD, LTD, 3 weeks of paid vacation, with all vacation days accrued. Tuition Reimbursement. 401(k) with 6% match. Benefits begin the first day of the month following hire.

Key Responsibilities:

Operations Leadership & Daily Management System

Lead all plant operations, including production, maintenance, engineering, quality, logistics, and supply chain, delivering against the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis.

Implement and sustain a robust Daily Management System (DMS), including:

Tiered accountability meetings (Tier 1–Tier 4).

Daily KPI review and escalation process.

Visual management boards across all functions.

Ensure consistent execution of standard work across leadership levels.

Drive rapid problem identification, escalation, and resolution.

SQDCI Performance Management

Own plant performance through structured management of SQDCI metrics:

Safety (S): Zero-incident culture, proactive hazard identification, audit execution.

Quality (Q): First-pass yield, scrap reduction, customer PPM, systemic problem solving.

Delivery (D): On-time delivery, schedule attainment, lead-time reduction.

Cost (C): Conversion cost control, productivity, overhead management.

Inventory (I): Working capital optimization, inventory turns, obsolescence reduction.

Establish clear targets, visual dashboards, and accountability for each metric.

Drive root-cause countermeasures using structured problem-solving tools such as A3 and 8D.

Financial Performance, Cost, and Absorption

Own the full plant P&L, including:

Absorption performance (labor and overhead).

Cost variance management.

Productivity improvement.

Drive initiatives to improve labor efficiency, machine utilization, and fixed cost leverage.

Ensure alignment between production output and financial absorption targets.

Lead budgeting, forecasting, and cost-out roadmap execution.

Continuous Improvement & PD Backlog Management

Lead and sustain Lean Manufacturing and CI initiatives.

Own and prioritize the Plant PD (Problem/Project) Backlog:

Ensure all major losses are captured, prioritized, and actively addressed.

Align the backlog to SQDCI gaps and financial impact

Ensure every major issue has a defined owner, timeline, and measurable outcome.

Drive a culture of daily incremental improvement and waste elimination

Accountability & Leader Standard Work

Establish and enforce Leader Standard Work (LSW), including:

Daily Gemba walks.

KPI review routines.

Coaching and follow-up discipline.

Drive a culture of clear ownership and consequence management.

Ensure leaders at all levels own their metrics, escalate issues appropriately, and close actions on time.

Safety & Compliance

Champion a zero-incident safety culture through daily safety accountability, layered audits, compliance checks, and risk mitigation actions.

Ensure compliance with OSHA, environmental, and corporate standards.

Quality & Customer Focus

Ensure adherence to internal and customer quality requirements.

Drive the systemic elimination of defects through root-cause problem solving.

Partner with commercial teams to ensure customer satisfaction and responsiveness.

People Leadership & Culture

Build and develop a high-performance leadership team.

Foster accountability, engagement, and an ownership mindset.

Develop talent pipeline and succession plans.

Reinforce disciplined execution of standard work at all levels.

9. Strategic Execution

Align plant goals with business and operational strategy.

Support new product introductions, capacity expansions, and footprint optimization.

Deploy best practices across operations and benchmark performance.

Qualifications & Experience Seeking:

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or a related field; MBA preferred.

10 years of manufacturing experience, including 5 years in plant leadership.

Strong experience with Daily Management Systems, Lean Manufacturing / Continuous Improvement, and financial management with P&L ownership.

Demonstrated success driving SQDCI performance improvements, cost and absorption targets, and culture transformation.

Operational Excellence & Execution Discipline.

Daily Management System Leadership.

Financial & Absorption Acumen.

Data-Driven Decision Making.

Accountability & Ownership Mindset.

Continuous Improvement Leadership.

Talent Development & Coaching.

Customer Focus.

Critical Success Drivers

Consistent execution of Daily Management and Tiered Accountability.

Visibility and ownership of SQDCI performance.

Strong control of cost and absorption.

Active, prioritized PD backlog management.

Relentless focus on accountability and follow-through.