What are the responsibilities and job description for the Plant Manager position at NEXT LEVEL Partners®, LLC?
Next Level Partners is partnering with a leading manufacturer in the adhesives industry to identify a hands-on Plant Manager to lead a high-value, small-batch manufacturing site in Cranston, RI.
This is not a maintenance role. This is an opportunity to take full ownership of a site, stabilize operations, and build the systems needed to support continued growth.
Why This Role Stands Out
- Full site ownership (safety, quality, delivery, cost, culture)
- High-visibility role within a growing, PE-backed organization
- Opportunity to build structure from the ground up (SOPs, standard work, Lean)
- Direct impact on customer relationships and business performance
- Ideal for a leader ready to step into or expand within a Plant Manager role
The Environment
- ~20 employee site (14–15 in operations)
- Small-batch, high-mix / engineered-to-order manufacturing
- Manual / semi-manual processes (not highly automated)
- Currently in a transformation phase:
- Stabilizing workforce
- Improving quality performance
- Building a Lean operating system
What You’ll Do
- Lead daily operations across safety, quality, production, and delivery
- Build and implement standard work and SOPs
- Establish a Lean operating system (daily management, problem-solving, CI)
- Improve quality (reduce rework, rejects, and customer complaints)
- Develop and coach a small team of operators and frontline leaders
- Serve as a primary point of contact for key customers
- Partner cross-functionally with R&D, commercial, and technical teams
What We’re Looking For
- Experience in small-batch / high-mix manufacturing environments
- Hands-on leadership style—comfortable leading from the floor
- Experience building structure in low-maturity or turnaround environments
- Working knowledge of Lean principles (Kaizen, CI, problem-solving)
- Strong people leadership and ability to stabilize and develop teams
Preferred Background
- Chemical, adhesives, coatings, or specialty materials manufacturing
- Experience in custom, batch-based, or engineered-to-order production
- Prior experience implementing or improving a Lean operating system