Plant Manager

What We Offer

At Fenner, you’re more than just an employee, you’re part of a global team that values your voice, supports your growth, and celebrates your contributions. We offer:

• Competitive pay with annual bonus potential
• Day-one Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
• 401(k) match immediately vested with the company
• 100% Paid Parental Leave
• Michelin Stock Purchase Program
• Michelin Tire Rebate Program
• Career Development in a Global Organization
• Personal Development and Career Progression
• A Culture Built on Trust, Respect, and Empowerment

What You’ll Be Doing

Own the overall performance, culture, and evolution of our high-tech coated fabrics manufacturing site—building a safe, disciplined, engaged, and high-performing operation that supports growth, innovation, and world-class customer service.

Principal Accountabilities

• Health, Safety & Environmental Accountabilities:
• Serve as the visible champion of safety and environmental stewardship for the site, ensuring Environmental, Health & Safety behaviors are embedded as a core value and the first priority in every decision, process, and operation.
• Build and sustain a proactive culture where associates are empowered, engaged, and accountable—actively participating in EHS programs, hazard identification, and continuous risk reduction.
• Ensure timely, thoughtful follow-up on associate safety concerns and recommendations, reinforcing trust and demonstrating that every voice matters.
• Continuously evolve EHS policies, rules, and work instructions to support changing business needs while strengthening risk awareness, discipline, and operational resilience.
• Lead by example through visible presence on the floor—conducting safety walks, engaging in meaningful safety conversations, and reinforcing housekeeping, safe behaviors, and standards.
• Create an environment where safety is understood as a shared responsibility and a critical enabler of operational excellence, employee well-being, and long-term business success.
• Production Operations:
• Collaborate effectively with the supply chain team in support of SI&OP processes.
• Execute the production schedule ensuring on time performance and schedule adherence to the plan.
• Determine and manage direct labor staffing levels and lead indirect organizational design in collaboration with the supply chain team to ensure efficient production execution, minimize downtime, and achieve operational targets.
• Take ownership of site P&L results by establishing budgets, tracking financial performance, and implementing strategies to achieve profitability targets.
• Manage physical assets by scheduling maintenance, performing risk assessments, and optimizing equipment use to minimize interruptions and extend asset life.
• Drive and oversee continuous improvement initiatives across all departments at the site, with a focus on optimizing processes, increasing employee engagement, and advancing operational excellence.
• Quality:
• Develop and maintain in-process and finished goods inspection procedures that incorporate statistical process controls and real-time monitoring to prevent quality escapes.
• Establish clear go/no-go criteria for operators and implement targeted measures to reduce the dollar value of scrap.
• Provide direct support to Quality staff by ensuring there are structured problem-solving sessions, root cause analyses, and the development and implementation of corrective action plans.
• Track the effectiveness of solutions through follow-up audits and performance metrics.
• Work closely with QA Process associates to regularly audit processes for compliance with ISO9001 and other relevant quality standards.
• Address non-conformances through documented corrective actions and monitor ongoing compliance using established quality metrics.
• Continuous Improvement:
• Collaborate with engineering team to identify and execute CI initiatives within the facility.
• Routinely review work instructions and operator guidance to ensure clarity and simplicity of instructions.
• Keep abreast of new technologies that may have an application in our operations to improve efficiency.
• Strategic Support:
• Engage with sales & product management to understand changing market needs and ensure our production processes and equipment plans are aligned to support growth and emerging needs.
• Participate in routine budgeting processes by proposing future staffing plans and capital investment requirements to enable growth.
• Participate in the research, identification and evaluation of M&A targets possessing new materials or technologies that Fenner may seek to acquire or initiate an alliance with.
• Supervisory Responsibilities:
• Serve as the senior people leader for the site, building a high-performance, engaged organization aligned with Fenner values, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Create an environment where associates are motivated, engaged, and proud of their contribution—fostering a culture of trust, accountability, and collaboration.
• Actively coach and mentor supervisors, managers, and high-potential talent, strengthening the leadership bench and ensuring long-term organizational capability.
• Champion workforce development by ensuring robust onboarding, training, and skill-building programs that enable associates to grow alongside the business.
• Communicate with clarity and consistency through 1:1 discussions, team meetings, KPIs, and town halls—ensuring alignment to priorities, transparency on performance, and a shared understanding of goals.
• Continuously assess and evolve the site’s organizational structure, roles, and responsibilities to maximize team effectiveness, support individual development, and position the facility for future growth.

Education And/or Relative Experience

• BS degree, preferably in a technical discipline.
• Lever Six Sigma Certification.
• Preferably 15 years of progressively responsible work experience with last 10 being in operations leadership roles.
• Intimately familiar with developing and improving processes.
• Prominent track record of leading successful teams focused on operational excellence.