General Manager

Pioneer Metal Finishing; South Bend (IN); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Pioneer Metal Finishing is seeking a hands-on General Manager to lead a division with accountability for safety, people, customers, growth, and financial results. This role requires turning strategy into action and building a high-performing team focused on operational excellence.

You will mentor managers, drive Lean continuous improvement, and align resources to meet customer needs while delivering sustainable profitability. Relocation available.

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of progressive leadership experience in a labor-intensive production or manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated success leading labor management, quality, Lean, and continuous improvement initiatives in manufacturing.
• Proven experience setting a vision, translating goals into action, managing through change, and holding teams accountable for results.
• Financial acumen with prior profit‑and‑loss accountability and the ability to connect operational decisions to business performance.
• Experience evaluating performance, developing employees, and building future leadership capability.
• A bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Supply Chain or Operations, Engineering, or a related field is strongly desired.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification is strongly desired. Metal finishing experience is a plus, but not required.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Planning: Partner with the Business Unit Leader to develop divisional strategy, the Annual Business Plan, budget, and long-term growth plans; translate strategy into priorities, goals, standards, and action plans.
• Operational Excellence & Results Delivery: Lead managers, supervisors, and team leaders across functions; improve safety, delivery, quality, cost, compliance, and productivity.
• Customer & Growth Focus: Ensure customer requirements are met, visit customers as needed, strengthen strategic partnerships, drive organic growth.
• People Leadership & Development: Coach, mentor, and develop employees; build an engaged, accountable culture.
• Continuous Improvement & Best Practices: Champion Lean thinking; lead or contribute to company-wide improvement projects.
• Financial & Business Performance: Own divisional financial performance and profitability; manage budgets and forecast trends.

Skills

Leadership

Lean Six Sigma

Financial Acumen

People Development

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business/Operations/Engineering

Tools

ERP Systems

Job description

Lead a business. Build a team. Shape what comes next. (Relocation Available)

Pioneer Metal Finishing is seeking a hands-on General Manager to lead a division with full accountability for safety, people, customers, growth, and financial results. This is an opportunity for an experienced manufacturing leader to set the vision, turn strategy into action, and create an environment where employees perform at their best and customers receive an exceptional experience. As a steward of our values and The Pioneer Way, you will partner across the organization, allocate resources thoughtfully, and drive sustainable growth, profitability, operational excellence, and continuous improvement—all while maintaining full compliance with environmental and safety requirements.

What the General Manager role looks like:

• Strategic Leadership & Planning: Partner with the Business Unit Leader to develop divisional strategy, the Annual Business Plan, budget, and long-term growth plans; translate strategy into priorities, goals, standards, and action plans; and allocate labor, equipment, and resources to balance daily performance with long-term success.
• Operational Excellence & Results Delivery: Lead managers, supervisors, and team leaders across operational functions; improve safety, delivery, quality, cost, compliance, and productivity; align schedules with facility capabilities and customer requirements; maintain quality systems, accurate records, equipment, cleanliness, and compliance with corporate, environmental, and safety requirements.
• Customer & Growth Focus: Ensure customer requirements are met and concerns are resolved promptly, visit customers as needed, strengthen strategic partnerships, drive organic growth, and create a responsive operation that adapts to changing customer needs and market conditions.
• People Leadership & Development: Provide visible, values-based leadership; coach, teach, and mentor employees; strengthen performance, retention, career‑path alignment, and future leadership capability; set expectations, provide timely feedback, and build an engaged, accountable, collaborative culture.
• Continuous Improvement & Best Practices: Champion Lean thinking, continuous improvement, and disciplined problem‑solving; partner with Operations Support to implement, sustain, and share best practices; and lead or contribute to company‑wide improvement projects.
• Financial & Business Performance: Own divisional financial performance, improve profitability, deliver budget commitments, review trends, identify risks and opportunities, take timely action, and complete plans on time and within budget while balancing customer, employee, operational, and financial priorities.
• Perform other related leadership responsibilities as business needs evolve.

What We’re Looking For:

• 7–10 years of progressive leadership experience in a labor-intensive production or manufacturing environment, including plant or operations management responsibility.
• Demonstrated success leading labor management, quality, Lean, and continuous improvement initiatives in manufacturing.
• Proven experience setting a vision, translating goals into action, managing through change, and holding teams accountable for results.
• Financial acumen with prior profit‑and‑loss accountability and the ability to connect operational decisions to business performance.
• Experience evaluating performance, developing employees, and building future leadership capability.
• A bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Supply Chain or Operations, Engineering, or a related field is strongly desired.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification is strongly desired. Metal finishing experience is a plus, but not required.

Leadership Style & Culture:

• A hands‑on, collaborative leader who is comfortable spending time where the work happens and building trust across all levels of the organization.
• A strong, steady leadership presence with a track record of motivating teams, giving candid feedback, and following through on commitments.
• A high sense of urgency, sound judgment, and flexibility to lead effectively in a continuously changing environment.
• A growth mindset and interest in taking on broader responsibilities as the business and organization evolve.
• A values‑driven approach that reflects The Pioneer Way and balances accountability with employee development, customer service, and teamwork.

What to Expect at Pioneer Metal Finishing:

You can expect a highly visible leadership role with meaningful influence over the division’s people, customers, operations, and financial performance. The work takes place in an active manufacturing environment that may include heat, noise, and time on the production floor, along with periods of sitting, standing, walking, and bending. You will be expected to lead from the front, make thoughtful decisions with urgency, collaborate across functions, and build sustainable systems—not temporary fixes. In return, Pioneer offers the opportunity to make a measurable impact, develop people, strengthen customer partnerships, and grow your responsibilities within an organization committed to safety, quality, service, continuous improvement, and The Pioneer Way.