Assistant Plant Manager

Align Production Systems; Decatur (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Align Production Systems in Decatur, IL seeks an Assistant Plant Manager to lead metals production and oversee remaining plant operations in partnership with the Plant Manager. You will own output, quality, and daily execution across welding, laser cutting, machining and paint release, while managing budget and PO authority for sheet metal used in production.

You will supervise metals production team and Assembly Team Lead, drive daily cadence, safety, and continuous improvement initiatives, and

Qualifications

• 7+ years in metal fabrication or heavy equipment manufacturing with 3+ years leading a production team
• Strong print-reading skills and working knowledge of weld quality standards
• Leadership: coach, hold people accountable and manage performance
• Experience with ERP or production-tracking systems; support ERP processes
• High school diploma required; technical degree or equivalent preferred
• Forklift and overhead crane certification provided internally by Align

Responsibilities

• Lead daily plant operations and execute Plant Manager directives
• Direct leadership over metals production: output, quality, and daily execution across welding, laser cutting, machining and paint release
• Manage daily production cadence: morning meetings, floor walks, end-of-shift protocols
• Oversight of assembly production goals with Assembly Team Lead
• Coordinate scheduling and resource allocation to keep jobs on track
• Verify finished parts meet engineering prints and quality standards
• Document and communicate nonconformances; drive root cause and corrective action
• Enforce safety protocols and OSHA readiness
• Own budget and PO authority for sheet metal orders within approval limits
• Monitor time tracking and rework in ERP systems
• Collaborate with Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality; escalate as needed
• Oversee performance reviews, hiring decisions with HR; authority when Plant Manager absent
• Measure success via on-time completion, first-pass quality, budget adherence, and safety

Skills

Leadership

Metal fabrication

ERP systems

Print reading

Welding

Laser cutting

Machining

Forklift certification

Education

High school diploma

Technical degree or equivalent experience

Tools

ERP software

Job description

Schedule

Monday–Friday, first shift; no weekends, holidays or rotating shifts

Reports To

Plant Manager

Location

Decatur, IL

FLSA Status

Exempt

Schedule

Monday–Friday, first shift; no weekends, holidays or rotating shifts

Job Summary

The Assistant Plant Manager is a leadership role on the plant floor that supports and reinforces the Plant Manager’s directives and production priorities. The role has direct leadership over metals production (output, quality and daily execution) and oversight of the remainder of plant operations through the Assembly Team Lead, giving it visibility and authority across all major production areas. It also owns budget and purchase order (PO) authority for sheet metal used in production.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

Production Leadership

• Support and execute the Plant Manager’s directives across daily plant operations.
• Provide direct leadership over metals production, owning output, quality and daily execution across welding, laser cutting, machining and paint release.
• Lead the daily production cadence, including morning meetings, floor walks and end-of-shift protocols.
• Lead the remainder of plant operations, providing guidance, coaching and oversight of assembly production goals in partnership with the Assembly Team Lead.
• Coordinate scheduling and resource allocation across metals and assembly to keep jobs on track.

Quality

• Verify that finished parts conform to engineering prints, including dimensional accuracy, weld placement and overall specification, through visual audits and team inspection practices.
• Confirm all welds are properly cleaned up (spatter, burrs and sharp edges removed) before paint, and release only conforming parts to the paint line. Partner with Quality team to confirm all welds.
• Complete a visual quality check of all equipment before it leaves the table for paint.
• Document and communicate nonconformances, coordinate rework, and maintain records of production issues and quality escapes.
• Drive root cause and corrective action on quality issues, using engineering logs for traceability when appropriate.

Safety and Compliance

• Enforce safety protocols, PPE use and shop floor standards across metals and assembly.
• Investigate incidents and near misses in partnership with HR and Plant Manager, lead safety training and toolbox talks, and help keep the plant ready for OSHA compliance.

Budget, Purchasing and Systems

• Own budget and PO authority for ordering sheet metal used in production, within approval limits set by the Plant Manager.
• Monitor and audit time tracking and rework on timecards and in Acumatica.
• Serve as the plant-floor technical expert for ERP processes and adherence: support, implement and train on ERP processes and hold the team accountable to them.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Partner with Engineering on print questions, design clarifications and engineering changes that affect production.
• Work with Supply Chain and Purchasing on material availability, lead times and sheet-metal ordering.
• Work with Quality to resolve equipment and process issues that affect output.
• Escalate matters requiring the Plant Manager’s decision-making authority while managing day-to-day production direction, and act on the Plant Manager’s behalf on production-floor matters as directed.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Direct leadership of the metals production team (laser, machining, reduction, welding and paint) and the Assembly Team Lead, who in turn leads the assembly production team. Responsibilities include performance reviews, merit reviews and implementation, disciplinary documentation, and hiring and termination, in partnership with HR and Plant Manager. When the Plant Manager is offsite, the Assistant Plant Manager assumes authority over all production, safety and quality.

How Success Is Measured

• On-time job completion and schedule adherence
• First-pass quality at all release thresholds, rework hours and quality escapes
• Sheet-metal spend against budget
• Safety record and incident follow-through
• Team development, retention and ERP/time-tracking compliance

Qualifications

• Experience: 7+ years in metal fabrication or heavy equipment manufacturing, including 3+ years leading a production team.
• Technical: Strong print-reading skills and working knowledge of weld quality standards; familiarity with laser cutting, machining and welding processes.
• Leadership: Proven ability to coach, hold people accountable and handle performance, discipline and hiring.
• Systems: Experience with an ERP or production tracking system; comfortable supporting ERP processes.
• Education: High school diploma or equivalent required; technical degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• Training: Align provides forklift and overhead crane certification internally.