Plant Manager

Balfour Beatty US is an industry-leading provider of general contracting, at-risk construction management, and design-build services for public and private sector clients. Performing heavy civil and vertical construction, teams build unique structures and infrastructure that play a key role in communities. The Total Power Group (TPG), headquartered in Goldsboro, North Carolina, is a specialized business unit dedicated to the design, engineering, manufacturing, testing, commissioning, and lifecycle support of traction power and critical electrical power systems for rail, transit, aviation, industrial, and mission-critical infrastructure markets.

About the role

The Plant Manager leads all aspects of plant operations to ensure safe, efficient, and cost-effective production while maintaining high standards of quality and customer satisfaction. This role oversees production, maintenance, engineering, quality, safety, inventory, and personnel to achieve operational excellence and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Direct and oversee daily manufacturing operations to meet production schedules and customer requirements.
• Develop and implement strategies to improve productivity, efficiency, and operational performance.
• Establish and monitor production metrics and implement corrective actions when necessary.
• Ensure effective utilization of labor, equipment, and materials; manage plant capacity planning and workflow optimization.
• Develop, implement, and oversee the master production schedule to ensure customer delivery requirements and business objectives are met.
• Coordinate production schedules with Estimating, Project Management, Supply Chain, Purchasing, and Inventory Control to balance demand, material availability, and manufacturing capacity.
• Optimize production sequencing to maximize equipment utilization, minimize changeover time, and improve plant efficiency.
• Monitor production progress daily, identify scheduling conflicts or bottlenecks, and adjust schedules as needed.
• Lead, coach, and develop supervisors, managers, and production personnel; establish performance expectations and conduct evaluations.
• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Champion workplace safety and ensure compliance with OSHA, environmental, and company safety regulations.
• Partner with Safety in incident investigations and implement corrective actions; participate in safety inspections and audits.
• Ensure products consistently meet customer specifications and quality standards; drive initiatives to reduce defects and waste.
• Maintain compliance with ISO, customer, and industry quality standards.
• Develop and manage annual plant operating budgets; monitor financial performance including labor, material, and overhead costs.
• Identify opportunities for cost reduction without compromising safety or quality.
• Lead Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or other continuous improvement initiatives; drive improvements in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
• Ensure preventive and predictive maintenance programs are effectively executed; maximize equipment uptime and reliability.
• Coordinate with purchasing, planning, and logistics teams to ensure material availability; optimize inventory levels and warehouse operations.
• Ensure customer expectations for quality, delivery, and service are consistently achieved; support customer audits and corrective actions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Business, Operations Management, or verifiable experience in lieu of degree.
• 7–10 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
• Minimum 5 years managing manufacturing operations in a supervisory or management capacity.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles.
• Experience managing budgets and financial performance.
• Knowledge of OSHA and environmental regulations.
• Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Office applications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
• Experience with ISO 9001, IATF 16949, or other quality management systems.
• Experience leading multi-shift manufacturing operations.
• Project management experience.

Skills

• Strong leadership and people management.
• Strategic planning and execution.
• Financial and business acumen.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Problem-solving and decision-making.
• Conflict resolution and coaching.
• Continuous improvement methodologies.
• Production planning and scheduling.
• Change management.
• Data analysis and KPI management.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Safety Incident Rate
• Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
• Production Throughput
• On-Time Delivery
• First Pass Yield
• Scrap and Waste Reduction
• Labor Productivity
• Manufacturing Cost per Unit
• Inventory Accuracy
• Employee Turnover and Retention
• Customer Quality Complaints
• Budget Performance

Working Conditions

• Primarily based in a manufacturing environment.
• Frequent exposure to machinery, noise, and varying temperatures.
• Ability to walk the production floor for extended periods.
• Occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds.
• May require evenings, weekends, or on-call availability to support production.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
• Health Savings Account
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off
• Tuition Assistance
• Employee Referral Bonus

Success Factors

The ideal candidate demonstrates:

• A commitment to safety and operational excellence.
• Strong leadership with the ability to motivate diverse teams.
• A leadership style focused on respect, collaboration, and teamwork.
• A data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Exceptional organizational and planning skills.
• A continuous improvement mindset focused on quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
• The ability to balance strategic objectives with day-to-day operational execution.