Plant Manager

Job TitlePlant ManagerLocationNorfolk VASalary$160-180kAbout Company / OpportunityWe are seeking a Plant Manager to lead a manufacturing operation through its next phase of performance improvement. This role requires a hands-on, decisive leader who can diagnose systemic issues, reset expectations, and drive sustained operational and cultural change. The Plant Manager will be accountable for safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people development, with a clear mandate to improve efficiency, reliability, and profitability.This is not a maintenance role. Successful candidates will have a track record of turning around underperforming operations, building accountability, and creating clarity where processes, ownership, or discipline have eroded over time.Key ResponsibilitiesOperational Leadership & Performance:Take full ownership of plant performance across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.Identify and correct root-cause issues impacting throughput, yield, uptime, and margin.Establish clear production standards, daily management routines, and performance metrics.Drive improvements in labor efficiency, material flow, scheduling, and asset utilization.Lead cross-functional problem solving to resolve chronic issues rather than treating symptoms.Culture & Change Leadership:Act as a visible, consistent leader on the plant floor, setting expectations through actions as well as words.Shift plant culture toward accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.Address resistance to change directly and constructively.Build trust with hourly and salaried teams while holding firm performance standards.Develop frontline leaders who can sustain improvements beyond initial changes.Systems & Process Improvement:Evaluate current systems, processes, and controls; eliminate waste and unnecessary complexity.Implement or strengthen structured management systems (daily tier meetings, KPIs, escalation paths).Introduce disciplined problem-solving, continuous improvement, and standard work practices.Improve safety and quality systems to reduce incidents, rework, and variability.Ensure consistent execution of operating procedures across shifts and departments.Financial & Business Impact:Own the plant P&L in partnership with senior leadership.Translate operational improvements into measurable cost reduction and margin improvement.Manage labor, overtime, scrap, rework, and indirect costs with a data-driven approach.Support capital planning and justify investments based on return and operational impact.People Development & Talent Management:Assess leadership and workforce capability; make tough calls where roles or skill sets are misaligned.Coach and develop supervisors and managers to think beyond firefighting.Build bench strength and succession plans for critical roles.Instill clear expectations around performance, behavior, and accountability.Qualifications:Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or a related discipline.8-15+ years of progressive leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.Demonstrated success leading operational change, turnarounds, or performance improvement initiatives.Strong understanding of manufacturing workflows, plant metrics, and industrial operations.Experience leading multi-shift, hourly production environments.Proven ability to influence, challenge, and align teams at all levels of the organization.Key Traits for Success in This Role:Change agent mindset: Comfortable challenging legacy processes and entrenched behaviors.Systems thinker who can see how people, process, and equipment interact.Decisive and accountable; takes ownership instead of deflecting blame.Data-driven but practical"”able to translate metrics into action on the shop floor.Resilient under pressure and effective in imperfect or ambiguous environments.Success Looks LikePlant performance stabilizes, then measurably improves across safety, quality, delivery, and cost.Chronic issues are resolved through systems, not heroics.Leaders and operators understand expectations and execute consistently.The plant operates with greater discipline, transparency, and engagement.Profitability improves as a direct result of operational and cultural changes.

Created: 2026-05-15