Plant General Manager

UHURU DESIGN; Denver (Lancaster County); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Opportunity to shape a design brand

Build operational systems without bureaucracy

Competitive environment against legacy manufacturers

Job summary

A leading American contract furniture manufacturer is seeking a Plant General Manager to oversee their Denver, PA manufacturing facility. The role requires 15+ years in manufacturing and 5+ years in operations leadership, focusing on scale and efficiency in production. Responsibilities include leading plant operations, improving quality control, and fostering team development. This hands-on position offers the chance to shape the company's future while building a culture of performance and growth.

Qualifications

• 15+ years in furniture or adjacent contract manufacturing.
• 5+ years in senior operations or plant leadership.
• Demonstrated experience scaling production for complex B2B projects.
• Deep understanding of woodworking, metal fabrication, and finishing environments.
• Strong financial acumen regarding COGS and margins.
• Experience implementing systems (ERP/MRP, lean manufacturing, SOP development).
• Executive-level communication and presence.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and comfortable building structure in a growing company.
• BA/BS in supply chain, engineering, or management preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations across production and fulfillment.
• Build scalable production systems.
• Improve quality control and reduce inefficiencies.
• Mentor and develop plant leadership.
• Partner closely with design, engineering, and product teams to ensure manufacturability.
• Collaborate with sales to improve quoting turnaround and feasibility evaluation.
• Strengthen supplier and outsourced manufacturing relationships.
• Evaluate layout, equipment, and workflow improvements.
• Support long-term scaling plans (including footprint expansion).

Skills

Leadership

Operational acumen

Team development

Financial analysis

ERP/MRP systems

Lean manufacturing

SOP development

Communication

Entrepreneurial mindset

Education

BA/BS in supply chain, engineering, or management

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Lean manufacturing

Job description

Uhuru Design is a design-forward American contract furniture manufacturer delivering high-performance conference systems, private office programs, and large-scale workplace environments for institutional clients across North America.

Founded in 2004, Uhuru evolved from its design-led origins into a nationally recognized partner for complex B2B environments, serving financial institutions, technology firms, hospitality groups, and mission-driven organizations.

Uhuru operates its manufacturing facility in Denver, Pennsylvania, with a national rep network and growing institutional client base as it scales operations to support larger, faster, and more complex projects while maintaining the creative energy that defines our brand. This is where design ambition meets operational excellence.

Plant General Manager

We are seeking a Plant General Manager to lead Uhuru into our next chapter. The Plant General Manager (GM) is the senior operational leader of Uhuru’s Denver, PA manufacturing facility and a core member of the executive leadership team. This is a hands‑on, on-site leadership role reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and a build‑and‑scale mandate, not a maintenance role.

Core Responsibilities

• Lead all day-to-day plant operations across production, scheduling, and fulfillment
• Build scalable systems for production planning, capacity forecasting, and cost control
• Improve throughput, margin performance, and on-time delivery metrics
• Establish KPIs and reporting structures aligned with executive goals

Quality & Execution

• Elevate quality control processes across wood, metal, finish, and outsourced components
• Implement process documentation and repeatability across product lines
• Reduce rework, warranty exposure, and inefficiencies

Team & Culture

• Lead, mentor, and develop plant leadership and production teams
• Create a culture of accountability, pride, and performance
• Build succession planning and organizational depth
• Recruit strategically as we scale

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner closely with design, engineering, and product teams to ensure manufacturability
• Collaborate with sales to improve quoting turnaround and feasibility evaluation
• Strengthen supplier and outsourced manufacturing relationships

Strategic Build‑Out

• Evaluate layout, equipment, and workflow improvements
• Assess future capacity needs and expansion scenarios
• Support long-term scaling plans (including potential footprint expansion)

What We’re Looking For

• 15+ years in furniture or adjacent contract manufacturing
• 5+ years in senior operations or plant leadership
• Demonstrated experience scaling production for complex B2B projects
• Deep understanding of woodworking, metal fabrication, and finishing environments
• Strong financial and operational acumen (COGS, margins, capacity modeling)
• Experience implementing systems (ERP/MRP, lean manufacturing, SOP development)
• Executive-level communication and presence
• Entrepreneurial mindset and comfortable building structure in a growing company
• BA/BS in supply chain, engineering, or management preferred

Work Environment

This is a hands‑on leadership role split between the factory floor and executive planning.

We expect operational intensity during peak project periods and are building systems that reduce reactive firefighting over time.

Why Uhuru

• Shape the future of an independent American design brand
• Build operational systems without corporate bureaucracy
• Compete head‑to‑head with legacy contract manufacturers
• Create a factory culture that balances craft, precision, and performance
• Leave a visible mark on the next phase of the business

We are building the next generation of American contract furniture.

UHURU is an Equal Opportunity Employer