Plant Manager

About the role

Located in Salem, NH, the Plant Manager will lead the overall performance and direction of Gates Power Transmission’s manufacturing facility. This highly visible leadership opportunity is for an experienced manufacturing leader who is passionate about developing people, strengthening operations, and driving measurable business results. The role has responsibility across Production, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, Logistics, and Supply Chain, and will drive performance across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Inventory (SQDCI) as well as the financial performance of the facility. Through the Gates Production System (GPS) and a disciplined Daily Management System (DMS), the leader will build a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all plant operations, including Production, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, Logistics, and Supply Chain, to achieve the Annual Operating Plan and business objectives.
• Drive plant performance across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Inventory (SQDCI) through disciplined Daily Management Systems, KPI reviews, and Leader Standard Work.
• Own plant financial performance, including P&L, productivity, absorption, budgeting, forecasting, and cost improvement.
• Champion a strong safety and quality culture focused on risk reduction, defect prevention, customer satisfaction, and regulatory compliance.
• Lead Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement efforts to improve productivity, equipment utilization, process stability, and overall operational performance.
• Drive structured problem solving and prioritize key improvement initiatives based on operational and financial impact.
• Build, coach, and develop a high‑performing leadership team while strengthening accountability, ownership, and succession planning.
• Partner across Commercial, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, and Human Resources to support business and customer objectives.
• Lead major operational initiatives, including new product introductions, capital investments, capacity expansion, and process improvement.
• Align plant priorities with broader business strategy and deploy best practices across the organization.

About You

• Bachelor’s degree required; Engineering, Operations, Business, or a related field preferred. MBA is a plus.
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing experience, including at least 5 years in plant or operations leadership.
• Demonstrated experience leading Daily Management Systems, Lean Manufacturing, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing plant P&L, budgeting, cost performance, productivity, and absorption.
• Proven success improving Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Inventory (SQDCI) performance through data‑driven decision‑making and structured problem solving.
• Strong people leadership skills with experience developing leaders, building accountability, and driving organizational performance.
• Ability to lead cultural and operational change while balancing business priorities, customer expectations, and long‑term performance goals.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without company sponsorship.

Benefits

• Bonus eligible (full‑time)
• Medical, dental, vision insurance and other voluntary benefit options (benefits begin on the first day of the month immediately following hire)
• 3 weeks of paid vacation, plus 8 sick days
• 11 paid holidays
• 401(k) with company matching up to 6%
• Tuition reimbursement
• Employee discounts

Why Gates?

Founded in 1911 in Denver, Colorado, Gates is a publicly traded leader in application‑specific fluid power and power transmission solutions. The company pushes the boundaries of material science to engineer solutions that exceed customer expectations across a wide range of products—from motorcycles and conveyor belts to 3D printers. Gates invests in its people, providing real‑world experience that enables employees to solve today’s challenges and anticipate tomorrow’s.