Plant General Manager

Confident Search Consultants; Lexington (KY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Confident Search Consultants is seeking a Plant General Manager in Lexington, KY to lead a major automotive manufacturing facility. The role oversees production, quality, safety, delivery, cost, engineering, and continuous improvement to meet customer and company expectations.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on, results-oriented manufacturing leader with a proven track record managing a complex automotive operation and implementing cost, quality, and delivery improvements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Proven experience leading a complex manufacturing plant.
• Track record delivering improvements in quality, cost, delivery and profitability.
• Working knowledge of automotive quality systems and launches (APQP, PPAP, FMEA).
• Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement expertise.
• Strong financial management, budgeting, and P&L responsibilities.
• Experience with new product launches in automotive.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and team development skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for plant operations across production, quality, maintenance, safety, and cost.
• Develop strategies to meet customer requirements and long-term growth.
• Drive quality, delivery, productivity, and cost improvements.
• Ensure ISO standards and quality systems compliance.
• Lead Lean, Six Sigma initiatives and waste reduction programs.
• Monitor KPIs and manage the plant's annual operating plan and budget.
• Oversee plant P&L, labor efficiency, inventory, and productivity.
• Lead new product launches and customer program launches.
• Foster a high-performance, accountable, safety-focused culture.
• Collaborate across functions and with key suppliers and customers.

Skills

Leadership

Lean Manufacturing

Continuous Improvement

Problem-Solving

Strategic Thinking

Communication

Team Development

Quality Systems

Financial Management

Project Management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Plant General Manager

Candidates MUST have proven experience and a demonstrated track record of success leading complex manufacturing operations.

Position Summary

The Plant General Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, operational performance, and financial results of the manufacturing facility. This role provides leadership across production, quality, safety, delivery, cost, engineering, and continuous improvement, ensuring the plant consistently meets or exceeds customer and company expectations.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on, results-oriented manufacturing leader with demonstrated success leading a complex automotive manufacturing operation. The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of customer requirements, quality systems, Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, financial management, and the demands associated with supporting major automotive customers.

This individual must be capable of building high-performing teams, driving accountability, solving complex operational problems, and delivering sustainable improvements in quality, cost, delivery, productivity, safety, and profitability.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and direction for plant operations, including production, quality, engineering, maintenance, materials, safety, delivery, and cost performance.
• Develop and execute operational strategies that support company objectives, customer requirements, and long-term business growth.
• Ensure the plant consistently meets or exceeds quality, delivery, productivity, cost, and customer satisfaction objectives.
• Maintain overall accountability for compliance with ISO standards, customer-specific requirements, and applicable quality systems.
• Drive a culture of quality, customer focus, accountability, and continuous improvement throughout the organization.
• Lead and implement continuous improvement initiatives utilizing Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, problem-solving, standard work, waste reduction, and other operational excellence methodologies.
• Analyze manufacturing processes and plant performance metrics to identify opportunities to improve efficiency, productivity, quality, throughput, cost, and profitability.
• Establish and maintain appropriate KPIs and management systems to monitor plant performance and drive accountability.
• Develop, monitor, and manage the plant's annual operating plan, budget, forecasts, and financial performance.
• Maintain accountability for monthly and annual plant P&L results, including cost control, labor efficiency, scrap, overtime, inventory, and productivity.
• Ensure effective response to customer quality issues, warranty concerns, delivery issues, and other customer escalations.
• Provide leadership and oversight for new product and new program launches, ensuring successful execution from launch through production.
• Ensure effective execution of applicable automotive launch and quality processes, including APQP, PPAP, FMEA, control plans, and related customer requirements.
• Work closely with corporate and plant-level engineering, quality, sales, materials, and operations teams to ensure successful program launches and ongoing customer support.
• Establish and maintain a safe work environment while ensuring compliance with company safety policies, procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Ensure the organization is prepared to effectively respond to plant emergencies, supply disruptions, production interruptions, and other operational challenges.
• Lead, develop, and retain employees while fostering a culture of trust, accountability, teamwork, ownership, and continuous improvement.
• Establish clear performance expectations and hold leadership teams accountable for achieving plant objectives.
• Conduct performance evaluations and provide coaching, development, and corrective direction when necessary.
• Communicate effectively with employees at all levels of the organization and create an environment of open communication and accountability.
• Proactively identify and resolve operational, quality, customer, employee, and performance issues.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships across all functional areas of the organization and with key customers and suppliers.
• Promote a positive, professional, and performance-driven culture throughout the facility.

Education & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Proven experience successfully leading a complex manufacturing plant or major manufacturing operation.
• Demonstrated track record of delivering measurable improvements in quality, cost, delivery, safety, productivity, and profitability.
• Working knowledge of automotive quality and launch methodologies, including APQP, PPAP, FMEA, Control Plans, and structured problem-solving.
• Strong background and working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, and operational excellence methodologies.
• Proven experience leading new product and new program launches within an automotive manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of plant-level financial management, budgeting, forecasting, cost control, and P&L responsibility.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, develop, motivate, and retain high-performing teams.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
• Ability to effectively delegate responsibility while maintaining accountability for results.
• High degree of professionalism, integrity, tact, and diplomacy.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-accountability automotive manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing quality, safety, delivery, productivity, and cost systems.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong automotive supplier experience
• Proven plant leadership and P&L ownership
• A track record of operational improvement and turnaround
• Strong Lean/continuous improvement expertise
• Experience with automotive launches and customer requirements
• Exceptional people leadership and team development
• A strong sense of urgency, accountability, and ownership
• The strongest candidates will have a history of taking full ownership of complex automotive manufacturing operations and consistently delivering sustainable improvements in plant performance, customer satisfaction, and profitability.