Plant Manager

Zurn Elkay Water Solutions

Erie (Erie County)

On-site

USD 120,000 - 190,000

Full time

4 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k)

Vacation

Paid holidays

Annual bonus eligibility

Education reimbursement

Employee stock purchase plan

Life insurance

Job summary

Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation in Erie, PA is seeking a Plant Manager to provide strategic and operational leadership for a multi-shift manufacturing operation. You will drive safety, quality, delivery, cost, inventory, and associate engagement while ensuring production, planning, maintenance, supply chain, and continuous improvement activities run smoothly.

The role emphasizes alignment with business objectives, capacity optimization, and a high-performance culture focused on

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or related field.
10+ years manufacturing leadership.
Experience leading multi-shift operations.
Union leadership experience.
Strong financial acumen.
OSHA and safety program knowledge.
Excellent communication and leadership.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership to plant operations, planning, maintenance.
Lead multi-shift manufacturing to hit safety, quality, and delivery goals.
Develop and execute strategic plans aligned with goals.
Drive Lean, Six Sigma, ZEBS, and continuous improvement.
Foster accountability, collaboration, and development.
Oversee production planning and scheduling.
Coordinate with cross-functional teams to resolve constraints.

Skills

Leadership

Operations management

Continuous improvement

Safety leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Budgeting

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Business/Related field

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Job description

The CompanyZurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation is a thriving, values-driven company focused on doing the right things. We’re a fast growing, publicly traded company (NYSE: ZWS), with an enduring reputation for integrity, giving back, and providing an engaging, inclusive environment where careers flourish and grow. Named by Newsweek as One of America’s Most Responsible Companies and an Energage USA Top Workplace, at Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation, we never forget that our people are at the center of what makes us successful. They are the driving force behind our superior quality, product ingenuity, and exceptional customer experience. Our commitment to our people and their professional development is a recipe for success that has fueled our growth for over 100 years, as one of today’s leading international suppliers of plumbing and water delivery solutions. Headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation employs over 2800 employees worldwide, working from 24 locations across the U.S., China, Canada, Dubai, and Mexico, with sales offices available around the globe. We hope you’ll visit our website and learn more about Zurn Elkay at zurnelkay.com. As the Plant Manager for Zurn Elkay’s Flow Systems Drains Center of Excellence in Erie, PA, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for a multi-shift manufacturing operation. This role is responsible for driving safety, quality, delivery, cost, inventory, and associate engagement while ensuring the successful execution of production, planning, maintenance, supply chain, and continuous improvement activities. The Plant Manager will lead a team of value stream managers, supervisors, planners, maintenance professionals, and associates to achieve operational excellence and deliver superior customer outcomes. This position is responsible for aligning plant operations with business objectives, maximizing capacity utilization, driving continuous improvement through ZEBS and Lean methodologies, managing capital investment and maintenance strategies, and fostering a high-performance culture focused on accountability, engagement, and winning. Reporting to the Director of Operations, this leader plays a critical role in delivering Zurn Elkay’s fulfillment strategy, supporting profitable growth, and accelerating value creation for customers through operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

Provide leadership, direction, and coaching to plant operations, planning, maintenance, and support teams.
Lead a multi-shift manufacturing operation to achieve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity objectives.
Develop and execute strategic plans aligned with company goals and operational priorities.
Drive operational excellence through Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, ZEBS methodologies, and continuous improvement practices.
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, engagement, and associate development.

Production & Planning

Oversee production planning and scheduling to ensure customer demand is met while maximizing available labor, equipment, and facility capacity.
Monitor production performance and ensure actual output meets planned schedules and customer expectations.
Utilize inventory, demand, and capacity reporting to proactively manage order fulfillment and inventory availability.
Coordinate manufacturing, purchasing, machining, assembly, and outside processing activities to support on-time delivery objectives.
Work closely with Customer Care, Procurement, Production, Quality, and Engineering teams to resolve constraints and improve service levels.

Safety, Quality & Compliance

Ensure compliance with all OSHA requirements, environmental regulations, company policies, and safety standards.
Champion a culture where safety is the highest priority and continuous risk reduction is expected.
Partner with Quality teams to maintain product quality standards and drive corrective and preventive actions.
Lead root cause analysis and corrective action initiatives to eliminate recurring operational issues.

Continuous Improvement

Accelerate continuous improvement efforts through ZEBS, Kaizen events, Lean Manufacturing, TPM, and problem-solving methodologies.
Develop and maintain standard work, visual management systems, and KPI-driven management routines.
Lead plant-wide improvement initiatives targeting productivity, lead time reduction, inventory optimization, and cost savings.
Utilize KPI reporting and Visual Daily Management (VDM) systems to monitor performance and sustain improvements.

Maintenance & Asset Management

Develop and execute the plant Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) strategy and master plan.
Implement and monitor Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) programs.
Manage facility maintenance and CMMS operations, including spare parts management and preventive maintenance programs.
Oversee facility infrastructure including HVAC, compressed air, wastewater treatment systems, and building maintenance.
Analyze equipment performance and failures to improve reliability and reduce downtime.

Capital & Financial Management

Develop and manage annual operating and capital budgets.
Identify, justify, and execute capital improvement projects that support growth, efficiency, safety, and quality objectives.
Provide leadership for capital planning, appropriation requests, and project implementation.
Monitor spending, manage costs, and drive productivity improvements to achieve financial targets.

Customer & Cross-Functional Collaboration

Collaborate with commercial teams, service centers, customers, and third-party sales representatives to meet customer expectations.
Lead responsive problem resolution efforts for customer concerns and supply chain challenges.
Partner cross-functionally with Finance, Engineering, Quality, Information Technology, Customer Care, Procurement, and Supply Chain teams to improve business performance.

Talent Development & Associate Engagement

Build and develop high-performing teams through coaching, performance management, succession planning, and talent development.
Lead hiring, onboarding, performance evaluations, and workforce planning activities.
Champion associate engagement initiatives that foster inclusion, recognition, ownership, and a strong sense of belonging.
Create an environment that promotes trust, collaboration, and continuous learning.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Supply Chain, Operations Management, or a related field.
Minimum 10 years of manufacturing leadership experience, including plant management responsibilities.
Experience leading multi-shift manufacturing operations.
Previous union leadership experience.
Strong understanding of production planning, manufacturing operations, maintenance, supply chain, and continuous improvement.
Knowledge of OSHA regulations and manufacturing safety programs.
Demonstrated success leading high-performing teams and driving operational results.
Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost management.
Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.

Preferred

Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering Technology.
Lean Six Sigma certification and demonstrated experience leading operational excellence initiatives.
Experience implementing TPM, OEE, Visual Daily Management (VDM), and World Class Manufacturing principles.
Experience with ERP systems, preferably Microsoft Dynamics 365.
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.

Success Factors