Plant Manager

Plant Manager

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana

Compensation: $160,000–$190,000 base salary

Employment Type: Direct Hire

The Opportunity

We're seeking a dynamic, accomplished Plant Manager to lead a high-tech manufacturing facility specializing in advanced vibration monitoring technology.

This senior site leadership role is accountable for all aspects of plant performance, including safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and financial results. The Plant Manager will lead a cross-functional team across production, manufacturing engineering, supply chain, quality, and EHS, with full responsibility for plant P&L, resource optimization, and achieving key operating metrics.

As part of the Senior Leadership Team, this leader will shape business planning, drive operational strategy, foster organizational development, and champion initiatives that fuel ongoing business growth.

Key Responsibilities

Operations Leadership

• Lead day-to-day plant operations and achieve or exceed performance objectives related to safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.
• Ensure consistent execution of manufacturing processes, operating standards, and best practices.
• Improve operational efficiency, throughput, productivity, and on-time delivery performance.
• Establish clear operating expectations and accountability across plant functions.
• Identify and address barriers affecting manufacturing execution and customer performance.

Strategy & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and execute operational strategies to support business growth, meet capacity requirements, improve productivity, and optimize costs.
• Champion Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Establish, monitor, and improve plant KPIs.
• Use operating and financial data to identify opportunities, prioritize actions, and improve decision-making.
• Provide insight regarding labor, productivity, capacity, and other operating trends affecting the business.

Financial & Business Management

• Maintain accountability for plant financial performance, including P&L results.
• Develop and manage operating budgets, forecasts, cost-control initiatives, and capital investments.
• Optimize resources while balancing customer requirements, operational performance, and financial objectives.
• Support long-term strategic planning and business performance initiatives.
• Evaluate capital requirements and projects based on operational and business priorities.

People Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing, multi-functional organization.
• Build a culture of accountability, engagement, operational discipline, and continuous improvement.
• Develop organizational capability through talent development and succession planning.
• Establish clear expectations and provide consistent leadership across the organization.
• Promote a coaching-oriented management approach that develops both people and performance.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner closely with Sales, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Finance, and Human Resources.
• Ensure manufacturing capabilities and priorities remain aligned with customer and business requirements.
• Collaborate with Sales to support customer expectations, service levels, and delivery commitments.
• Serve as a key connection between plant operations and executive leadership.
• Help resolve cross-functional issues that affect execution, customer performance, or business results.

Quality, Compliance & Safety

• Maintain compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, company policies, and quality standards, including ISO 9001 and ISO 13485.
• Provide leadership oversight for quality systems, audits, corrective actions, and continuous improvement activities.
• Promote and sustain a strong safety culture throughout the facility.
• Ensure operating practices support consistent quality, compliance, and customer performance.

Candidate Profile

We're looking for a candidate with a proven blend of manufacturing leadership, strong financial acumen, operational rigor, and exceptional people development skills.

Ideal experience includes:

• 10–15 years of progressive experience within manufacturing or production environments.
• 5–8 years of manufacturing leadership experience, such as Plant Manager, Operations Manager, or a comparable senior operations role.
• Demonstrated success leading operations within a complex manufacturing environment.
• Experience improving safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost performance.
• Strong experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience managing plant-level financial performance, budgets, forecasts, and capital investments.
• Strong cross-functional leadership experience involving Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Finance, Sales, and Human Resources.
• Experience developing teams, building accountability, and strengthening organizational capability.
• Knowledge of ERP/MRP environments; experience with IFS or Made2Manage is advantageous.
• Strong analytical skills and a data-driven approach to operational decision-making.

Experience within sensor technology, instrumentation, vibration monitoring, condition monitoring, industrial electronics, or other technically sophisticated manufacturing environments would be particularly relevant.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a related discipline.
• MBA preferred.

Additional Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen with the ability to obtain a U.S. Government Security Clearance.
• Ability to travel up to approximately 25% as required.
• Comfortable operating in both office and manufacturing environments.

Why This Role

This role is a great fit for a manufacturing leader who thrives on broad responsibility and wants to make a significant impact beyond production.

The Plant Manager will have meaningful influence over:

Operations → People → Financial Performance → Continuous Improvement → Customer Execution → Business Growth

The successful individual will combine the hands-on operational discipline required to run a high-performing manufacturing facility with the broader business perspective needed to contribute effectively as a member of the senior leadership team.