Manufacturing General Manager

W3Global; Orangeburg (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

W3Global is seeking a seasoned manufacturing leader to direct the full spectrum of our operations, including production, compounding, maintenance, R&D, and quality. You will partner with the Plant Manager to drive daily execution, optimize staffing, and advance continuous improvement across cross-functional teams.

The role requires a track record of improving productivity, reducing costs, and ensuring GMP and ISO 22716 compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent with relevant leadership experience in manufacturing.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing operations.
• At least 5 years in a senior manufacturing leadership role overseeing multiple departments.
• Proven track record of improving productivity, controlling costs, and driving operational change.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, production planning, labor management, and KPIs.
• Experience managing and developing department managers and cross-functional teams.
• Working knowledge of GMP and manufacturing compliance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership for the manufacturing operation including Production, Compounding, Maintenance, R&D, and QC/QA.
• Directly manage and support the Plant Manager to ensure effective execution of daily manufacturing operations.
• Set clear performance expectations, responsibilities, and accountability for department leaders.
• Evaluate organizational structure, staffing levels, and departmental responsibilities to maximize operational effectiveness.
• Foster communication and coordination between manufacturing, R&D, Quality, Purchasing, and other departments.
• Identify operational challenges and implement sustainable solutions with regular performance updates.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Operations Management, Chemistry, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience

Job description

• Provide overall leadership and direction for the manufacturing operation, including Production, Compounding, Maintenance, R&D, and QC/QA.
• Directly manage and support the Plant Manager, ensuring effective execution of daily manufacturing operations.
• Establish clear performance expectations, responsibilities, and accountability for department leaders.
• Evaluate organizational structure, staffing levels, and departmental responsibilities to maximize operational effectiveness.
• Facilitate communication and coordination between manufacturing, R&D, Quality, Purchasing, and other departments.
• Identify operational challenges and implement sustainable solutions.
• Provide ownership with regular updates on operational performance, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
• Manufacturing Efficiency & Continuous Improvement
• Evaluate manufacturing processes to identify opportunities to improve productivity, reduce waste, and control operating costs.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), including labor efficiency, production output, downtime, overtime, and on-time delivery.
• Work with the Plant Manager to optimize production scheduling, staffing levels, equipment utilization, and workflow.
• Implement process improvements designed to increase manufacturing capacity without unnecessarily increasing labor or overhead costs.
• Identify production bottlenecks and develop strategies to improve throughput.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement.
• Evaluate capital equipment needs and recommend investments supported by operational and financial analysis.
• Research & Development (R&D) Oversight
• Provide leadership and strategic direction to the R&D department.
• Ensure R&D priorities align with customer requirements, business objectives, manufacturing capabilities, and profitability goals.
• Establish accountability for product development timelines, formulation improvements, testing, and technical documentation.
• Improve coordination between R&D, Production, Purchasing, and Quality to support successful product commercialization.
• Oversee the transition of new formulations from laboratory development to pilot batches and full-scale manufacturing.
• Ensure product formulations are scalable, cost-effective, and capable of being manufactured consistently.
• Support innovation, product reformulations, and initiatives to improve product performance or reduce costs.
• Quality Control, Quality Assurance & Regulatory Compliance
• Provide oversight of QC/QA while preserving the Quality function's authority and independence in product release and compliance decisions.
• Lead the company's efforts to strengthen and maintain Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and ISO 22716 compliance.
• Along with Quality, develop, implement, and maintain appropriate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), quality systems, and documentation practices.
• Ensure effective processes are in place for raw material inspection, in-process quality checks, finished goods testing, and product release.
• Establish accountability for the investigation and resolution of quality issues, deviations, customer complaints, and corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Support regulatory inspections, certification initiatives, and ongoing compliance requirements.
• Financial Performance & Cost Management
• Assume responsibility for controlling plant operating expenses and improving overall manufacturing profitability.
• Develop and manage operating budgets.
• Analyze labor costs, overtime, manufacturing efficiencies, material usage, waste, and other significant cost drivers.
• Identify opportunities for cost savings without compromising quality, employee safety, or customer service.
• Evaluate production costs and work with appropriate departments to improve manufacturing margins.
• Provide financial justification and return-on-investment analysis for proposed equipment purchases, staffing changes, and operational improvements.
• Leadership Development & Accountability
• Mentor and develop the Plant Manager and departmental leaders to strengthen their management capabilities.
• Establish measurable performance objectives and conduct regular performance reviews with direct reports.
• Ensure managers are appropriately managing staffing, employee performance, training, and departmental responsibilities.
• Develop succession plans and strengthen the company's long-term management capabilities.
• Strategic Planning & Business Growth
• Work closely with ownership to establish short- and long-term operational objectives.
• Evaluate the facility's capacity, capabilities, and readiness to support new customers, private-label opportunities, and increased production volumes.
• Develop operational plans to support business growth while maintaining profitability and product quality.
• Identify opportunities to improve systems, reporting, automation, and manufacturing technology.
• Collaborate with Sales, Purchasing, and other departments to ensure manufacturing capabilities align with business commitments.
• Lead strategic initiatives and special projects as directed by ownership.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and direction for the manufacturing operation, including Production, Compounding, Maintenance, R&D, and QC/QA.
• Directly manage and support the Plant Manager, ensuring effective execution of daily manufacturing operations.
• Establish clear performance expectations, responsibilities, and accountability for department leaders.
• Evaluate organizational structure, staffing levels, and departmental responsibilities to maximize operational effectiveness.
• Facilitate communication and coordination between manufacturing, R&D, Quality, Purchasing, and other departments.
• Identify operational challenges and implement sustainable solutions.
• Provide ownership with regular updates on operational performance, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
• Manufacturing Efficiency & Continuous Improvement
• Evaluate manufacturing processes to identify opportunities to improve productivity, reduce waste, and control operating costs.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), including labor efficiency, production output, downtime, overtime, and on-time delivery.
• Work with the Plant Manager to optimize production scheduling, staffing levels, equipment utilization, and workflow.
• Implement process improvements designed to increase manufacturing capacity without unnecessarily increasing labor or overhead costs.
• Identify production bottlenecks and develop strategies to improve throughput.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement.
• Evaluate capital equipment needs and recommend investments supported by operational and financial analysis.
• Research & Development (R&D) Oversight
• Provide leadership and strategic direction to the R&D department.
• Ensure R&D priorities align with customer requirements, business objectives, manufacturing capabilities, and profitability goals.
• Establish accountability for product development timelines, formulation improvements, testing, and technical documentation.
• Improve coordination between R&D, Production, Purchasing, and Quality to support successful product commercialization.
• Oversee the transition of new formulations from laboratory development to pilot batches and full-scale manufacturing.
• Ensure product formulations are scalable, cost-effective, and capable of being manufactured consistently.
• Support innovation, product reformulations, and initiatives to improve product performance or reduce costs.
• Quality Control, Quality Assurance & Regulatory Compliance
• Provide oversight of QC/QA while preserving the Quality function's authority and independence in product release and compliance decisions.
• Lead the company's efforts to strengthen and maintain Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and ISO 22716 compliance.
• Along with Quality, develop, implement, and maintain appropriate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), quality systems, and documentation practices.
• Ensure effective processes are in place for raw material inspection, in-process quality checks, finished goods testing, and product release.
• Establish accountability for the investigation and resolution of quality issues, deviations, customer complaints, and corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Support regulatory inspections, certification initiatives, and ongoing compliance requirements.
• Financial Performance & Cost Management
• Assume responsibility for controlling plant operating expenses and improving overall manufacturing profitability.
• Develop and manage operating budgets.
• Analyze labor costs, overtime, manufacturing efficiencies, material usage, waste, and other significant cost drivers.
• Identify opportunities for cost savings without compromising quality, employee safety, or customer service.
• Evaluate production costs and work with appropriate departments to improve manufacturing margins.
• Provide financial justification and return-on-investment analysis for proposed equipment purchases, staffing changes, and operational improvements.
• Leadership Development & Accountability
• Mentor and develop the Plant Manager and departmental leaders to strengthen their management capabilities.
• Establish measurable performance objectives and conduct regular performance reviews with direct reports.
• Ensure managers are appropriately managing staffing, employee performance, training, and departmental responsibilities.
• Develop succession plans and strengthen the company's long-term management capabilities.
• Strategic Planning & Business Growth
• Work closely with ownership to establish short- and long-term operational objectives.
• Evaluate the facility's capacity, capabilities, and readiness to support new customers, private-label opportunities, and increased production volumes.
• Develop operational plans to support business growth while maintaining profitability and product quality.
• Identify opportunities to improve systems, reporting, automation, and manufacturing technology.
• Collaborate with Sales, Purchasing, and other departments to ensure manufacturing capabilities align with business commitments.
• Lead strategic initiatives and special projects as directed by ownership.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Operations Management, Chemistry, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing operations.
• At least 5 years in a senior manufacturing leadership role with responsibility for multiple departments or functions.
• Demonstrated success in improving manufacturing productivity, controlling costs, and leading operational change.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, production planning, labor management, and operational performance metrics.
• Experience managing and developing department managers and cross-functional leadership teams.
• Working knowledge of GMP and manufacturing compliance requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in cosmetics, personal care, beauty products, or related chemical manufacturing.
• Familiarity with ISO 22716 and FDA cosmetic manufacturing requirements.
• Experience overseeing R&D and QC/QA functions.
• Experience with formulation-based manufacturing, batching, compounding, and filling operations.
• Knowledge of ERP systems, preferably NetSuite or a comparable manufacturing platform.