Plant Manager

Knauf; Inwood (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health facility

Medical benefits

Virtual medical

Fertility benefits

401(k) matching

Parental leave

Family leave

Salary continuance

Life insurance

Holidays

Paid vacation

Tuition reimbursement

EAP

Job summary

Knauf North America is seeking a Plant Manager for our Inwood operation to lead a 225-strong manufacturing team. You will champion safety, quality, and operational excellence while building a culture of servant leadership, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities include directing production, budgeting, and strategic initiatives to drive efficiency, OEE and cost savings, while partnering with HR and marketing to reinforce the company brand and local community impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field.
• Five to ten years of leadership in manufacturing.
• Experience with CI/Lean and strong budgeting/financial skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead safety-first manufacturing operations.
• Drive OEE, output, and cost control.
• Develop leaders and ensure succession planning.
• Partner with HR and marketing to uphold brand and community impact.

Skills

Leadership

Safety

People management

Operational excellence

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Advanced Degree preferred

Tools

Lean Six Sigma

Excel

Job description

Knauf North America is the world’s fastest-growing insulation manufacturer. We are wholly committed to the conservation of the environment while also sustainably developing and manufacturing a comprehensive line of acoustical fiberglass insulation for residential, commercial, industrial, marine, OEM and metal building applications, using post-consumer recycled materials.

We welcome passionate and creative individuals who thrive in an entrepreneurial, collaborative and ever-changing environment.

Our benefits go beyond just providing coverage.

We’re committed to the whole you – your health, wealth, peace of mind, self and community.

Our benefits include:

• Free near-site Health Care Facility
• Medical, Dental, Vision – starting on day one!
• Virtual Medical Services
• Fertility and adoption benefits
• 401(k) Retirement Plan (earn 100% matching on your first 6% contribution and fully vested day one)
• Paid parental leave
• Paid family leave
• Company provided Salary Continuance (Short- term Disability)
• Company paid life insurance
• Paid Holidays
• Vacation
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Plus, more!

About the Role

As a Plant Manager in our Inwood location, you will be responsible for leading and managing all aspects of the manufacturing operation, which is a continuous manufacturing operation with approximately 225 total employees. Your primary focus will be on ensuring safety, fostering employee engagement, maintaining high-quality standards, and driving operational efficiency. In this pivotal role, you will champion operational excellence while cultivating a culture of servant leadership, innovation, and accountability. You will play a key role in achieving strategic business objectives by implementing and sustaining world-class manufacturing practices.

What You’ll Do

Leadership, People and Culture

• Leads manufacturing facility, with a primary focus on employee safety.
• Communicates company values, strategies, and objectives, leading by example.
• Fosters a culture of inclusion, innovation, and accountability, ensuring all employees feel empowered to contribute positively.
• Drives employee engagement and retention through effective communication, recognition, and development programs.
• Selects, trains, develops, and empowers high-performing teams, ensuring succession planning and leadership development.
• Mentors and coach employees to enhance their skills and career growth, fostering a servant leadership approach.
• Engages workforce on plant and Company initiatives and solicits continuous feedback, having a presence with associates in all positions.
• Strengthens and enhances current culture to position the Company as a top employer.
• Attract, assess, and develop high-performing managerial talent with leadership potential by implementing effective recruitment best practices and selection processes, and tailor coaching approaches to prepare them for roles with greater responsibility and align with organizational goals.
• Works with internal partners such as marketing and HR to ensure that the company brand and reputation in the local community is consistent with the company purpose, values, and objectives.
• Closely partners with key stakeholders to ensure collaboration and forward-thinking.

Health, Safety and Environmental

• Ensures the safety of all employees by establishing and maintaining a proactive safety culture as the top priority.
• Leads initiatives to improve safety metrics and reduce incidents through behavioral-based safety programs.
• Oversees the implementation and enforcement of health and safety policies, procedures, and regulations to maintain a safe working environment.
• Conducts regular audits, risk assessments, and training programs to minimize workplace hazards and ensure compliance with local and corporate safety standards.

Operational Excellence

• Achieves and sustains high levels of operational performance, including OEE and output volume.
• Prepares and manages budgets, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Identifies and executes cost-saving opportunities, achieving measurable financial benefits.
• Presents operational reports and recommendations to senior management to drive informed decision-making.
• Maintains plant property and equipment to ensure compliance with governmental regulations and to ensure effective and economical operations.
• Ensures compliance of all plant operations with company policy and federal, state, and local regulations.

Continuous Improvement and Innovation

• Develops and implements strategic plans to optimize plant operations, leveraging Lean Six Sigma (LSS), continuous improvement methodologies, and world‑class manufacturing practices.
• Champions a culture of continuous improvement through employee engagement, training and recognition programs.
• Develops personal networks, participates in professional societies, and stays current with industry best practices.

Business Acumen

Understands the business and makes decisions to navigate it successfully.Has the potential to grow knowledge and expertise.

• Market Analysis – Understands market trends and competitive dynamics.
• Strategic Thinking - Navigates complex business environments and creates strategies to reach company goals.Envisions future scenarios and makes decisions that align with the company’s overall objectives.Prioritizes and adapts to meet goals and execute strategic action plans.
• Problem-Solving - Develops practical solutions to solve problems. Handles unexpected or challenging situations in an effective way. Determines the source of an issue and comes to a viable solution.
• Analytical Thinking - Gathers, collects, and analyzes data and forms connections and makes decisions.Sees problems or scenarios from different perspectives.
• Leadership - Guides team, making pivotal decisions, and fostering a productive work environment.Inspires and motivates employees, improves team performance, and ensures alignment with the company’s vision, values, and goals.Leads change by creating plans, managing resistance, and communicating the need for change.
• Effective Communication - Articulates ideas, collaborates with others, and facilitates clear and concise exchanges of information. Builds relationships. Manages conflicts.

Financial Acumen

has a basic understanding and uses financial data to make informed decisions. Has the potential to grow knowledge and expertise.

• Understands financial concepts and processes and makes informed decisions to maximize profits and decrease loss.
• Understands financial performance metrics such as EBITDA.
• Analyzes and interprets relevant financial reports and statements.
• Prepares, implements, and manages budgets and make informed financial decisions.
• Manages financial indicators.
• Determines if cost or investments are worth pursuing and influences approval based on the benefits it would bring the plant and company.

What You’ll Need

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering; related technical field or equivalent
  experience
• Advanced Degree preferred

Experience

• Five (5) to ten (10) years of leadership/management experience in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment
• Experience in the use of CI/lean implementation
• Experience in a heavy industrial environment required, building and construction fields a plus

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of the building and construction industry; insulation manufacturing products and processes preferred
• Knowledge of design principles, tools, and techniques to create technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models
• Skilled in employee and labor relations
• Ability to communicate effectively, partner with others, and make quick, thorough decisions
• Ability to lead, motivate, and coach others to produce winning solutions
• Ability to work hands‑on in an industrial manufacturing environment, as well as in a corporate environment
• Effective negotiation skills
• Problem‑solving skills
• Follow‑up skills
• Proactive in identifying areas of opportunity and suggesting ideas for improvement
• Effective public speaking and presentation skills
• Computer skills in MS Windows environment; proficient in Word, PowerPoint and Excel

It is the policy of Knauf Insulation to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, protected veteran status or any other protected characteristic prohibited by applicable law.