Assistant Plant Manager - Future Plant Manager Development Program

At Ball, integrity and trust are the foundation of who we are. Guided by our core values—"We Care. We Work. We Win.”—we create a culture where every voice matters, and every idea drives progress. Together with our global employees, customers, and partners, we’re turning bold sustainability goals into reality and shaping a future we can all be proud of.

About the role

This Assistant Plant Manager role is part of Ball's Future Plant Manager Development Program. It is designed as a strategic leadership development position for high-performing operations leaders who aspire to become Plant Managers within 18-24 months. Candidates will gain direct exposure to all aspects of plant leadership and build a career pathway within Ball's manufacturing network.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, and support teams through a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement.
• Drive plant performance across safety, quality, productivity, cost, customer service, and employee development metrics.
• Build leadership capability by coaching managers, supervisors, and future leaders throughout the organization.
• Support plant strategy, workforce planning, succession planning, and organizational development initiatives.
• Partner in financial planning, budgeting, capital planning, and operational decision-making.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives that improve operational performance, efficiency, and employee engagement.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of plant leadership in preparation for future Plant Manager opportunities.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Operations Manager
• Production Manager
• Manufacturing Manager
• Plant Superintendent
• Operations Superintendent
• Department Manager with multi-functional leadership responsibility

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred; equivalent manufacturing leadership experience will be considered.
• 5+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Experience leading supervisors, managers, or functional leaders.
• Demonstrated ownership of safety, quality, productivity, cost, delivery, and workforce performance.
• Experience leading large manufacturing teams through multiple layers of leadership.
• Proven track record of developing talent, building leadership capability, and creating succession pipelines.
• Strong business acumen with exposure to budgets, labor planning, workforce development, and operational performance metrics.

Preferred Qualifications

• High-speed manufacturing, packaging, metals, consumer products, food & beverage, chemical, glass, plastics, paper, or other process manufacturing experience.
• Experience supporting plant budgeting, capital planning, labor planning, and workforce development initiatives.
• Lean Manufacturing, TPM, Operational Excellence, Continuous Improvement, or similar manufacturing system experience.
• Union and/or non-union manufacturing leadership experience.

Mobility & Career Advancement

This position is part of Ball's long-term Plant Manager succession strategy. Candidates must be willing and able to relocate for future Plant Manager opportunities across Ball's manufacturing network. Geographic mobility is a required component of career progression within this program.

Why Ball?

Ball is a global leader in sustainable aluminum packaging and one of the world’s most respected manufacturing organizations. Leaders have the opportunity to influence large-scale operations, develop high-performing teams, and build meaningful careers in an organization committed to operational excellence, innovation, sustainability, and people development.

Pay

Expected Hiring Salary Range: $115,000 - $164,300 (Salary to be determined by the applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.) This role will be eligible to participate in the annual incentive compensation plan.

Benefits

Please visit our "Total Rewards" page to learn more about Ball’s comprehensive benefits structure. Relocation Assistance is available.

Schedule

This position is based onsite in the Plant and requires regular in-person engagement by working on-site. Travel and local commute between Ball locations and other possible non-Ball locations may be required.