Plant Manager

Bradley Professional, A Division of the Bradley Group; Hickory, Lenoir, Morganton (NC, NC, NC, KY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Bradley Professional is seeking a Plant Manager for a client located in Hickory, NC. The role oversees production, materials management, warehousing, shipping/receiving, process development, safety, quality, and continuous improvement.

The position leads plant operations from raw material planning through finished goods, monitors KPIs, develops plant leadership, and drives improvements across People, Processes, and Equipment. Presentations to the CEO are required.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience overseeing Production, Materials, Warehouse, and Quality.
• Proven success managing plant KPIs, productivity, labor efficiency, and workforce development.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ERP/MRP systems.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred but not required; significant manufacturing leadership experience will be considered.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day plant operations across Production, Materials, Warehouse, Shipping/Receiving, and related functions.
• Monitor and analyze plant KPIs, identify performance gaps, and implement improvement initiatives.
• Prepare and present weekly operational performance reports to executive leadership.
• Oversee production planning, scheduling, raw material availability, inventory control, cycle counts, and material flow.
• Ensure efficient and accurate warehouse, shipping, receiving, and finished goods operations.
• Lead new product/process development and commercialization, including trials, specifications, recipes, and technical documentation.
• Drive root cause analysis and corrective actions for customer and internal issues.
• Ensure compliance with safety, housekeeping, quality, and 5S standards.
• Coach and develop Production Managers, Assistant Production Managers, Fabrication, Materials Management, and other plant leaders.
• Manage employee performance, coaching, development, accountability, and succession planning.
• Promote strong communication and collaboration across all departments.
• Maintain an effective balance between production floor presence and administrative responsibilities.

Skills

Leadership

Production planning

KPI management

ERP/MRP systems

Data analysis

Coaching

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

MS Office

ERP/MRP systems

Job description

Bradley Professional is currently seeking a Plant Manager for their client located in Hickory, NC.

The Plant/Operations Manager is responsible for overall plant performance, overseeing production, materials management, warehouse, shipping/receiving, process development, safety, quality, and continuous improvement.

This position leads plant operations from raw material planning through finished goods, monitors KPIs, develops plant leadership, and drives improvements across People, Processes, and Equipment. The Plant Manager will also prepare and present performance results to the CEO and corporate leadership team.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day plant operations across Production, Materials, Warehouse, Shipping/Receiving, and related functions.
• Monitor and analyze plant KPIs, identify performance gaps, and implement improvement initiatives.
• Prepare and present weekly operational performance reports to executive leadership.
• Oversee production planning, scheduling, raw material availability, inventory control, cycle counts, and material flow.
• Ensure efficient and accurate warehouse, shipping, receiving, and finished goods operations.
• Lead new product/process development and commercialization, including trials, specifications, recipes, and technical documentation.
• Drive root cause analysis and corrective actions for customer and internal issues.
• Ensure compliance with safety, housekeeping, quality, and 5S standards.
• Coach and develop Production Managers, Assistant Production Managers, Fabrication, Materials Management, and other plant leaders.
• Manage employee performance, coaching, development, accountability, and succession planning.
• Promote strong communication and collaboration across all departments.
• Maintain an effective balance between production floor presence and administrative responsibilities.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience overseeing multiple operational functions such as Production, Materials, Warehouse, and Quality.
• Proven success managing plant KPIs, productivity, labor efficiency, cost control, and workforce development.
• Strong knowledge of production planning, scheduling, inventory management, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience with root cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous improvement.
• Strong leadership, coaching, decision-making, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to analyze operational data and present results to executive leadership.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ERP/MRP systems.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred but not required; significant manufacturing leadership experience will be considered.

Physical Requirements

Must be comfortable working in an active manufacturing environment, including regular production floor presence, walking, bending, climbing stairs, occasional lifting up to 40 pounds, and wearing required PPE.