Plant Manager

Key Accountabilities

• Leadership & Talent Development
  • Set clear expectations for division Production Managers and hold them accountable for results through the Assistant Plant Manager.
  • Develop, coach, and mentor production leadership to strengthen decision-making, communication, accountability, and problem-solving capabilities.
  • Build a strong bench of production leaders who can independently manage their teams, address challenges, and deliver consistent results.
  • Ensure production leaders have the tools, information, and support necessary to manage daily operations effectively.
  • Foster a culture of ownership, discipline, teamwork, and continuous improvement throughout EMIT’s manufacturing operations.
  • Champion EMIT’s values and reinforce the leadership behaviors expected across the production organization.
  • Maintain a consistent presence on the production floor and remain connected to employees, priorities, and operational challenges.
  • Address performance concerns directly and ensure expectations are applied consistently across divisions.
• Daily Plant Operations & Performance
  • Lead the execution of daily production across all manufacturing divisions to achieve safety, quality, delivery, efficiency, and cost targets.
  • Translate the manufacturing strategy and priorities established by the Director of Manufacturing into clear daily and weekly expectations.
  • Ensure Production Managers and frontline teams are aligned on schedules, staffing, priorities, and shift expectations.
  • Monitor production performance throughout the day and respond quickly to bottlenecks, equipment issues, labor constraints, and resource conflicts.
  • Maintain accountability for meeting production schedules, delivery commitments, and established operational KPIs.
  • Coordinate labor and resources across divisions to support changing production requirements and customer priorities.
  • Escalate significant risks, recurring constraints, and resource needs to the Director of Manufacturing with clear recommendations and recovery plans.
  • Ensure the production floor operates with clarity, urgency, consistency, and accountability across every shift.
• Problem-Solving & Continuous Improvement
  • Apply structured problem-solving methods to address operational challenges across EMIT’s manufacturing operations.
  • Identify and implement improvements that reduce waste, increase efficiency, improve production flow, and strengthen labor utilization.
  • Ensure operational challenges are resolved through sustainable corrective actions rather than temporary workarounds.
  • Use production data, performance trends, and frontline employee input to identify and prioritize improvement opportunities.
  • Partner with the Operational Excellence Manager to implement standard work, improve processes, and establish repeatable operating practices.
  • Hold production leaders accountable for following through on corrective actions and preventing recurring issues.
  • Support capacity, workflow, layout, equipment, and staffing improvements that enable EMIT to scale effectively.
• Customer-Focused Manufacturing
  • Align daily production execution with EMIT’s customer delivery, quality, and cost commitments.
  • Reinforce how production decisions, workmanship, and schedule performance directly affect EMIT’s customers.
  • Anticipate and address production risks that could jeopardize on-time delivery, product quality, or customer expectations.
  • Partner with Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, and Project Management to support smooth order execution and resolve production constraints.
  • Ensure changes in customer priorities are communicated clearly and translated into appropriate production actions.
  • Maintain visibility into recovery plans when production performance or delivery commitments are at risk.
• Operational & Data Discipline
  • Ensure Production Managers consistently track and communicate performance against established safety, quality, delivery, labor, and cost expectations.
  • Use operational data and KPIs to identify trends, diagnose problems, and establish priorities for the production team.
  • Reinforce accurate and timely use of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (D365 F&O) across manufacturing operations.
  • Hold production teams accountable for accurate labor reporting, material consumption, production orders, and other required manufacturing transactions.
  • Partner with the Director of Manufacturing to understand performance gaps and implement corrective actions at the plant level.
  • Provide clear, timely updates regarding production results, constraints, staffing needs, and recovery efforts.
• Cross-Functional Operations
  • Partner with Supply Chain to address material shortages and ensure production requirements are understood and prioritized.
  • Work with Engineering and Quality to resolve design, manufacturability, workmanship, and quality issues affecting production.
  • Coordinate with Maintenance and other support functions to minimize equipment downtime and operational disruptions.
  • Communicate production risks and needs clearly across EMIT’s operational leadership team.
  • Support the Director of Manufacturing in executing broader manufacturing initiatives and operational priorities.
  • Serve as the primary connection between EMIT’s manufacturing strategy and its daily execution on the production floor.
• Safety
  • Enforce compliance with all applicable safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements throughout EMIT’s manufacturing operations.
  • Promote a proactive safety culture built on clear expectations, personal ownership, and consistent accountability.
  • Ensure Production Managers and frontline leaders address unsafe conditions and behaviors immediately.
  • Partner with EMIT’s safety team to support required training, incident investigations, corrective actions, and safety initiatives.
  • Reinforce that safety expectations are part of daily production execution and are not separate from operational performance.
  • Lead by example and maintain a visible commitment to safe, compliant, and responsible manufacturing practices.
  • Ensure quality systems and operational processes protect EMIT employees, customers, and products.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, Manufacturing, Engineering, Business, or a related field preferred.
• 5+ years of progressive manufacturing or production leadership experience, including responsibility for multiple production teams or departments.
• 3+ years of experience directly leading, coaching, and holding managers or supervisors accountable for performance.
• Demonstrated success managing daily production execution, labor resources, schedule performance, and operational priorities.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, including safety, quality, delivery, productivity, labor efficiency, and cost control.
• Demonstrated ability to develop frontline leaders and build accountability throughout a production organization.
• Experience identifying bottlenecks, resolving operational issues, and implementing sustainable process improvements.
• Ability to use operational data and KPIs to evaluate performance, establish priorities, and drive corrective action.
• Experience working in an ERP/MRP environment; Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of OSHA requirements and manufacturing safety practices.
• Experience with Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, root-cause analysis, or structured problem-solving methodologies preferred.
• Ability to maintain a strong presence on the production floor while effectively communicating with frontline employees, production leaders, support departments, and EMIT’s senior leadership.
• Experience in a fast-paced, high-growth, or rapidly changing manufacturing environment strongly preferred.