Plant Manager

Purple Squirrel Advisors; Dowagiac (MI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Purple Squirrel Advisors L.L.C. is seeking a hands-on Plant Manager to lead daily operations at our Dowagiac, Michigan site. You will oversee production, maintenance, quality, materials, shipping, and plant staff in a high-volume, ISO-compliant environment.

You will drive output, quality, and cost improvements year over year while managing a team of supervisors and hourly staff. The role requires on-site leadership and a focus on delivering on-time production within a private equity-backed

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, operations, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 10+ years manufacturing experience with plant or major department leadership.
• Direct experience with high-volume cold heading, rivet, or fastener manufacturing.
• Experience with ISO 9001 quality systems and external audits.
• Managed a mid-size shop (30–100 employees) with budget accountability.
• Knowledge of heat treating, inspection/sorting methods, and tooling.
• Data-driven with focus on OEE, scrap, labor efficiency and on-time delivery.
• Strong people leadership, setting standards and accountability.
• Proficient with ERP/MRP systems and Excel.

Responsibilities

• Run day-to-day production across the header department, heat treat, sorting, and packaging.
• Own the production schedule; balance loading, changeovers and staffing to hit delivery dates.
• Track uptime, OEE, scrap, and output per labor hour with daily/weekly metrics.
• Lead setups and changeover reduction across wire diameters and tooling.
• Maintain and improve the ISO quality system; act as management representative for audits.
• Own corrective action, root-cause analysis, and customer complaint resolution.
• Ensure parts meet AN/MS, IFI, and customer print requirements.
• Oversee preventive maintenance and tooling inventory; ROI-backed capital plans.
• Lead safety program and OSHA compliance; drive housekeeping and 5S standards.
• Partner with sales on feasibility, lead times, and quotes; support onboarding.

Skills

OEE improvement

People leadership

Data-driven decisions

ERP/MRP experience

Excel

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

10+ years manufacturing experience

ISO 9001 quality system experience

Experience with high-volume cold heading / fasteners

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Excel

Job description

The Plant Manager will run every part of plant operations for our client: production, maintenance, quality, materials, shipping, and plant staff. They need a hands-on, professional manufacturing leader who knows high-volume cold heading, runs a disciplined ISO shop, and improves output, quality, and cost every year.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Production and Throughput

• Run day-to-day production across the 57-machine header department, heat treat, sorting, and packaging.
• Own the production schedule; balance machine loading, changeovers, and staffing to hit delivery dates.
• Track and improve uptime, OEE, scrap, and output per labor hour with clear daily and weekly metrics.
• Lead setups and changeover reduction across wire diameters, materials, and part families.

Quality and ISO

• Maintain and improve the ISO-certified quality management system; act as management representative for audits.
• Own corrective action, root cause analysis, and customer complaint resolution.
• Ensure parts meet AN/MS, IFI, and customer print requirements.
• Keep 100% sorting performance at the level automated-feeder customers require.

Maintenance and Tooling

• Run a preventive maintenance program for headers, heat treat, and sorting equipment.
• Manage tooling and die inventory, tool life, and in-house tool room capability.
• Build capital plans for equipment rebuilds, replacements, and automation, backed by ROI.

Materials and Cost

• Own plant cost performance: labor, overtime, scrap, consumables, and outside services.

People and Safety

• Lead, hire, train, and develop supervisors and hourly staff; build bench strength and cross-training on header setup.
• Own the plant's safety program and OSHA compliance; drive a zero-injury culture.
• Set a professional standard for housekeeping, 5S, and plant organization.

Customer and Commercial Support

• Partner with sales on feasibility, lead times, and pricing inputs for quotes and new parts.
• Support customer visits, audits, and onboarding of new programs.

Ideal Candidate Profile

You are a hands-on Plant Manager with a strong manufacturing background and the ability to oversee daily plant operations, drive production efficiency, and lead a productive, accountable team in a fast-paced, private equity-backed environment.

• Floor-oriented leader who is visible, approachable, and commands respect across the organization.
• Direct communicator who sets clear expectations and holds employees accountable.
• Decisive leader who can address performance issues and make difficult personnel decisions when necessary.
• Focused on maintaining product quality, meeting production schedules, and improving operational efficiency.
• Comfortable being actively involved on the production floor and addressing day-to-day operational challenges.
• Willing and able to work on-site in Dowagiac, Michigan.

EDUCATION & TECHNICAL SKILLS:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, operations, or a related field, or equivalent experience
• 10+ years in manufacturing, with at least 5 years leading a plant or a major production department
• Direct experience with high-volume cold heading, rivet, or fastener manufacturing (header setup, tooling, and wire behavior)
• Has run or held management responsibility in an ISO 9001 quality system, including external audits
• Proven record managing a mid-size shop of roughly 30 to 100 employees, with P&L or budget accountability
• Working knowledge of heat treating, secondary operations, and inspection/sorting methods
• Data-driven: tracks and improves OEE, scrap, labor efficiency, and on-time delivery
• Strong people leader who sets standards and holds supervisors accountable
• Proficient with ERP/MRP systems and Excel

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience making to AN/MS, IFI, or aerospace fastener standards
• Exposure to AS9100 or IATF 16949
• Lean, Six Sigma, or TPM training or certification
• Experience with multi-material wire: aluminum, copper, brass, and stainless
• Experience in a unionized or mixed workforce
• Experience with automation, vision/roll sorting, or machine monitoring systems