Plant Director
Wabtec Corporation
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Job summary
Wabtec Corporation in Poland seeks a Plant Director to lead all manufacturing activities and drive world-class SQDIC performance in a heavy fabrication setting. You will oversee production planning, welding, CNC machining, and final assembly, ensuring safety, quality, delivery and cost targets across the plant.
You will partner with Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality and HR to develop talent, manage budgets, implement operational strategies, and report performance to regional leadership, while
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or related field.
- 7–10 years of progressive operations management experience in heavy fabrication or complex production.
- Leadership experience managing large manufacturing teams and multiple production functions.
- Experience in railway, automotive, aerospace or other regulated sectors.
- Strong knowledge of welding processes, CNC machining, and multi-stage assembly environments.
- Lean Manufacturing expertise including Value Stream Mapping, SMED, Kaizen, 5S, and Six Sigma.
- Experience managing budgets, CapEx and OpEx.
- Working knowledge of IRIS/ISO TS 22163 and EN 15085 welding certification.
- Fluent in English and Polish (written and spoken).
- Proficient with SAP or Oracle and advanced MS Office.
Responsibilities
- Lead all plant operations, including production planning, welding, CNC machining, and final mechanical/electrical assembly.
- Monitor and drive performance against SQDIC objectives; implement corrective actions.
- Manage plant resources to meet production targets and customer commitments.
- Develop and manage operational budgets, workforce planning, CapEx projects, and cost optimization.
- Coordinate with Engineering, Supply Chain and Quality to improve efficiency and support objectives.
- Lead EHS adherence, regulatory compliance, and zero-harm culture.
- Drive continuous improvement using Lean, 5S, Kaizen, and Six Sigma.
- Coach and develop production supervisors, engineers, technicians, and operators.
- Collaborate with HR on workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, and development.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
You will work with a cross-functional manufacturing leadership team responsible for delivering high-quality railway products to customers across Europe and global markets. The team includes production supervisors, manufacturing engineers, quality professionals, supply chain specialists, maintenance teams, and EHS leaders. Collaboration with corporate functions, including Finance, HR, Engineering, Quality, and Operations leadership, is essential to ensure operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and business growth.
As a Plant Director, you will be responsible for leading all manufacturing activities within the plant while driving world-class performance in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Inventory, and Cost (SQDIC). The Plant Manager will oversee production planning, welding operations, CNC machining, and final mechanical/electrical assembly processes to ensure customer commitments are met safely and efficiently.
This role provides strategic and operational leadership for the facility, ensuring compliance with railway industry standards and local regulations while fostering a culture of continuous improvement. You will partner closely with Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, and HR teams to develop talent, optimize production performance, manage budgets, and execute operational strategies that support business objectives. The position reports to the Regional Operations Leader and provides regular operational, financial, and performance updates to senior leadership.
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or a related technical field.
- Minimum of 7-10 years of progressive operations management experience within a heavy fabrication, industrial manufacturing, or complex production environment.
- Demonstrated leadership experience managing large manufacturing teams and multiple production functions.
- Proven experience within the railway, automotive, aerospace, or similarly regulated manufacturing sectors.
- Strong knowledge of certified welding processes, CNC machining operations, and multi-stage assembly environments.
- Practical expertise in Lean Manufacturing methodologies, including Value Stream Mapping, SMED, Kaizen, 5S, and Six Sigma principles.
- Experience managing operational budgets, capital expenditures (CapEx), and operational expenses (OpEx).
- Working knowledge of international quality standards, preferably IRIS / ISO TS 22163 and welding certification requirements such as EN 15085.
- Fluency in English and Polish, both written and verbal.
- Proficiency with ERP systems such as SAP or Oracle and advanced Microsoft Office skills.
- Excellent leadership, communication, problem-solving, negotiation, and strategic decision-making capabilities.
- Lead all plant operations, including production planning, welding, CNC machining, and final mechanical/electrical assembly activities.
- Monitor and drive performance against SQDIC objectives and implement corrective actions when required.
- Manage plant resources to ensure production targets, customer commitments, and operational goals are consistently achieved.
- Develop and manage operational budgets, workforce planning, capital investment projects, and cost optimization initiatives.
- Coordinate with Engineering, Supply Chain, and Quality teams to improve efficiency and support business objectives.
- Champion a zero-harm culture by enforcing Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) policies and compliance with Polish regulations.
- Ensure adherence to railway industry quality standards, customer requirements, and certification obligations.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen, and Six Sigma methodologies.
- Drive root cause analysis and corrective action processes to improve quality, safety, and productivity.
- Lead, coach, and develop production supervisors, engineers, technicians, and operators.
- Partner with Human Resources to support workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, development, and retention strategies.
- Conduct performance reviews and succession planning to build organizational capability.
- Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performance work environment aligned with company values and Polish labor requirements.
- Maintain effective communication across all levels of the organization and support positive employee relations.
Legal authorization to work in the EU is required. We will not sponsor individuals for employment visas, now or in the future, for this job opening.
At Wabtec, it’s not just about a job - it’s about the impact you make. When our people come together, we’re Expanding the Possible by continuously improving what we do and how we do it - for our clients and each other.
If you’re ready to revolutionize how the world moves for future generations, Wabtec is the place for you.
Wabtec is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions, and value-added services for the freight and transit rail sectors. Drawing on more than 150 years of experience, we are leading the way in safety, efficiency, reliability, innovation, and productivity. Whether it’s freight, transit, ports, logistics, mining, industrial, or marine, our expertise, technologies, and people together – are accelerating the future of transportation. With roots that date back to George Westinghouse, Thomas Edison, and Louis Faiveley, Wabtec has always built technologies and implemented solutions for a variety of sectors that are critical to meeting the needs of customers and governments alike.
Our global team of about 30,000 employees worldwide delivers performance that moves the world forward. We’re lifelong learners, obsessed with better. Learn more at www.WabtecCorp.com.
We believe the best ideas come from a mix of experiences and backgrounds. At Wabtec, we strive every day to create a place where everyone belongs. We’re building a culture where leadership, inclusion and your unique perspective fuel progress.
We’re proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome talent of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities, including race, gender, age, disability, veteran status and more.
Need accommodation? Just let us know - we’ve got you.
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