Production Supervision - Plant Manager

Socket.dev; Winnipeg; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and Dental

Telus Health Virtual Care

Manulife Virtual Pharmacy

Manulife Mental Health and Counselling

Life and Disability Insurance

Pension Matching Program

Wellness Reimbursement Program

Personal and Professional Development

Community Involvement

Job summary

SolutionAir Limited in Winnipeg is seeking a Plant Manager to lead all manufacturing operations in a unionized HVAC environment. You will guide safety, people development, quality, cost control, and delivery while driving continuous improvement and accountability across production.

The role reports to Operations leadership and partners with HR and Finance. The ideal candidate has 7+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership, experience with Lean practices, and a strong track record in

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business, or related discipline preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
• Experience managing in a unionized manufacturing environment required.
• Experience in HVAC, sheet metal fabrication, industrial manufacturing preferred.
• Strong leadership in Safety, Quality, Cost, and Delivery performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead Safety Leadership initiatives and ensure compliance with health, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
• Coach and develop Production Supervisors and frontline employees; foster a respectful, inclusive, high-performance culture.
• Drive Quality Management through collaboration with Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain to meet specifications and standards.
• Manage Cost and Inventory, monitor budgets, and drive waste reduction and efficiency improvements.
• Oversee Delivery and Operational Performance, ensuring schedules are met safely and on time.
• Lead Continuous Improvement initiatives including Lean, 5S, Kaizen, and Root Cause Analysis.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with HR, Finance, Planning, and Maintenance to support operations.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Production planning and scheduling

KPI development and performance

Root Cause Analysis

ERP/MRP systems

Microsoft Office Suite

Education

Bachelor's Degree or equivalent

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

Who We Are

SolutionAir Limited, is a North American manufacturer and distributor of semi-custom roof top and air handling equipment, energy recovery units (RegenCore), and data centre exhaust units (www.solutionairgroup.com). SolutionAir Limited’s founding principles have never changed – business integrity, first-class service, innovation and a commitment to people. Our dependable quality, reliable delivery, and knowledgeable follow-up service have led to our rapid growth.

We are a dynamic, progressive and innovative organization looking for new talent in our growing Winnipeg manufacturing facility. If you thrive on new challenges, and working in a friendly, team-driven environment, you should consider the following opportunity.

What You Can Expect

• Health and Dental - Employees and their families enjoy paid benefits covering an extensive list of medical and dental expenses and services.


• Telus Health Virtual Care - All employees and their families have free access to top medical professionals when they need advice or a second opinion.


• Manulife Virtual Pharmacy - Access pharmacy services anytime, anywhere through the Manulife app, with eligible prescriptions delivered directly to your home.


• Manulife Mental Health and Counselling Services - Access confidential mental health and wellness support through the Manulife app, with convenient options to book counselling, consultations, and guided programs all in one place.


• Life and Disability - You will be provided with life insurance in a multiple of your salary with an option to purchase additional coverage.


• Pension Matching Program - Invest in your future with each pay cheque through our Defined Contribution Pension Plan and we will match your contribution (up to 3% of your salary).


• Wellness Reimbursement Program - Employees are eligible for a fitness centre or club membership reimbursement of up to $300 per year, this includes Fitness related App’s.


• Personal and Professional Development - We are committed to helping you reach your potential through training and education.


• Community Involvement - Generously supporting health, charities, youth, and education opportunities is our passion, and you’re invited to be a part of that.

Plant Manager

Department: Operations
Reports To: Director of Operations
Location: Bentall Manufacturing Facility
Status: Full-Time, Salaried

Position Summary

The Plant Manager is responsible for leading all manufacturing operations within a unionized HVAC production environment to achieve world-class performance in Safety, People Development, Quality, Cost Management, and Delivery. This role provides leadership to production supervisors and hourly employees, ensuring a safe, engaged, and high-performing workforce while consistently meeting customer expectations and business objectives.

The Plant Manager drives operational excellence through continuous improvement, workforce development, labor relations, and effective execution of production plans while fostering a culture of accountability, respect, and collaboration.

Key Responsibilities

Safety Leadership

• Champion a safety-first culture and ensure compliance with all applicable health, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.


• Lead proactive safety initiatives, risk assessments, incident investigations, and corrective actions.


• Ensure supervisors and employees are trained and accountable for safe work practices.


• Conduct regular safety audits, Gemba walks, and workplace inspections.


• Monitor and improve leading and lagging safety indicators.


• Promote employee engagement in continuous safety improvement programs.


• Corrective Action Closure Rate

People Leadership & Union Relations

• Lead, coach, and develop Production Supervisors and frontline employees.


• Foster a respectful, inclusive, and high-performance culture aligned with company values.


• Maintain positive working relationships with union leadership and bargaining unit employees.


• Administer the collective bargaining agreement consistently and fairly.


• Partner with Human Resources on employee relations, attendance management, performance management, grievances, and disciplinary matters.


• Support workforce planning, succession planning, and talent development initiatives.


• Drive employee engagement and continuous improvement participation.

Quality Management

• Ensure products meet customer specifications, regulatory requirements, and internal quality standards.


• Lead quality improvement initiatives focused on reducing defects, rework, scrap, and warranty claims.


• Collaborate with Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain teams to resolve product and process issues.


• Establish accountability for standard work and process discipline.


• Promote root-cause problem solving using Lean and Continuous Improvement methodologies.

Cost Management

• Manage labor efficiency, productivity, material utilization, and manufacturing expenses.


• Monitor and control operating budgets to achieve financial objectives.


• Identify opportunities to eliminate waste and improve process efficiency.


• Support capital investment planning and implementation.


• Develop and execute continuous improvement initiatives that reduce cost while improving performance.


• Inventory Accuracy

Delivery & Operational Performance

• Ensure production schedules are executed safely, efficiently, and on time.


• Collaborate with Planning, Procurement, and Supply Chain teams to meet customer delivery requirements.


• Remove production constraints and improve throughput.


• Monitor production performance daily and implement corrective actions as required.


• Drive capacity planning and resource allocation to achieve operational targets.


• Lead daily management systems and performance review meetings.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence initiatives across the production organization.


• Utilize tools including:
  
  
  
  • 5S
  
  
  • Kaizen
  
  
  • Standard Work
  
  
  • Root Cause Analysis
  
  
  • Value Stream Mapping
  
  
  • Visual Management
  
  
  • Daily Management Systems
  
  
  • KPI Scorecards
  
  
  
  


• Create a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Lead and develop Production Supervisors and Team Leads.


• Establish clear expectations and performance objectives.


• Conduct performance reviews and development planning.


• Build cross-functional collaboration with Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, HR, and Finance.


• Model company values and leadership behaviors.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business, or related discipline preferred.


• Equivalent manufacturing leadership experience may be considered.

Experience

• 7+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.


• Minimum 3 to 5 years managing supervisors and frontline employees.


• Experience working in a unionized manufacturing environment required.


• Experience within HVAC, sheet metal fabrication, industrial manufacturing, or related industries preferred.


• Demonstrated success managing Safety, Quality, Cost, and Delivery performance.

Technical Skills

• Lean Manufacturing principles.


• Production planning and scheduling.


• KPI development and performance management.


• Root Cause Analysis and Continuous Improvement methodologies.


• ERP/MRP systems.


• Microsoft Office Suite.

Competencies

Leadership

• Accountability


• Coaching and Mentoring


• Conflict Resolution


• Decision Making


• Change Management

Operational Excellence

• Continuous Improvement Mindset


• Results Orientation


• Strategic Thinking


• Process Discipline


• Problem Solving

Communication

• Strong verbal and written communication skills


• Ability to work effectively with union representatives and employees at all levels


• Effective facilitator and team builder

We appreciate the interest shown by all applicants, however only those being considered for an interview will be contacted.

We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need.