What are the responsibilities and job description for the Plant Manager position at ThermoSafe?
Location: Putnam, CT
Compensation: Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits
Position SummaryAs Plant Manager at ThermoSafe’s Putnam, CT facility, you will lead all aspects of plant operations in a safety-first manufacturing environment that supports temperature-controlled packaging solutions for life sciences, healthcare, and other critical markets. Reporting directly to the VP of Manufacturing, you will drive operational excellence, financial performance, team engagement, quality, and continuous improvement while championing ThermoSafe’s core competencies: Business Knowledge, Communications, Customer Focus, Leadership/Teamwork/Collaboration, People Selection & Development, Innovation, and Execution/Accountability. This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for a results-driven manufacturing professional who is energized by building strong teams, improving performance, and helping protect products that matter.Key Responsibilities
Safety, operational excellence, and people leadership are key priorities at all times
- Champion a proactive, zero-incident safety culture and ensure every team member returns home safely each day.
- Lead all daily manufacturing operations to consistently meet production, quality, safety, cost, and on-time delivery targets.
- Develop and manage the plant’s annual operating budget, drive cost discipline, identify savings opportunities, and deliver strong financial performance.
- Prepare and justify capital authorization requests that support growth, modernization, operational reliability, and long-term competitiveness.
- Build and sustain a world-class maintenance program that maximizes equipment reliability, minimizes unplanned downtime, and supports continuous improvement.
- Cultivate positive, productive employee relationships, drive high engagement, and create an environment where team members feel valued, developed, and empowered to succeed.
- Identify and implement lean, continuous improvement, and innovative solutions that increase efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance product quality.
- Ensure full compliance with all applicable safety, quality, environmental, and industry regulations, including FDA and GMP requirements critical to pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors.
- Attract, develop, and retain top talent through effective selection, coaching, performance management, and succession planning.
- Partner cross-functionally with Quality, Supply Chain, Sales, and Corporate teams to deliver exceptional customer experiences and support business growth.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Sciences, Operations Management, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
- 10 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
- Proven ability to lead teams through problem-solving, decisive execution, and accountability.
- Demonstrated success with budget ownership, capital project justification, and measurable operational improvements.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and collaborate at all organizational levels.
- Experience fostering high-performing, engaged teams in a manufacturing environment.
Preferred
- Manufacturing leadership experience in cold chain, temperature-controlled packaging, pharmaceutical, or life sciences industries.
- Experience leading in a safety-first manufacturing culture with FDA, GMP, quality, and environmental compliance expectations.
- Background implementing lean, continuous improvement, maintenance excellence, and operational reliability initiatives.
Physical & Work Environment Requirements
This position requires regular standing and walking throughout the workday and involves repetitious duties in a manufacturing environment. Employees frequently use their hands and arms to perform job duties and may occasionally stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, speak, and hear. The role requires the ability to lift, carry, and move materials weighing up to 50 pounds as needed.
Work is performed in a manufacturing environment that is not temperature controlled. Employees may be exposed to varying indoor temperatures and seasonal conditions typical of an industrial production setting. The work environment may also involve exposure to moving mechanical equipment, chemicals, fumes, airborne particles, and elevated noise levels. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including respiratory and hearing protection, may be required based on job assignments and work area conditions.