Plant Manager

Leoforce; Janesville (WI); On-site; USD 105,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Leoforce is seeking a Senior Plant Manager to lead our manufacturing operations. You will direct safety, quality, delivery, and continuous improvement across the plant, driving Lean, TPM, and cost optimization.

Responsibilities include budgeting, capital planning, workforce development, and building a culture of accountability and high performance. The ideal candidate has 10+ years in plant leadership, strong ERP/MRP experience, and a proven track record of improving throughput, first-pass

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field required.
• 10+ years of progressive plant leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, and continuous improvement.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems and data-driven decision making.

Responsibilities

• Lead plant safety, quality, delivery, and productivity targets.
• Develop budgets, capital plans, and cost-control initiatives.
• Coach and develop manufacturing leaders and teams.
• Drive Lean and continuous improvement initiatives across the operation.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Engineering, Supply Chain, and Sales.

Skills

Leadership

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Team Development

Operational Excellence

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Master's degree preferred

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Job Description

Experience: Senior Level

Salary: $105,000 - $160,000 per year

Job Details

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The Role

The Plant Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, direction, and performance of plant operations, including manufacturing, maintenance, quality, safety, and continuous improvement.

This leader will manage people, processes, equipment, and resources to improve productivity, profitability, quality, delivery, and customer satisfaction. The Plant Manager will also oversee budgeting, capital planning, workforce development, and operational strategy while building a culture centered around safety, accountability, employee development, and continuous improvement.

What You’ll Do

Leadership & Strategy

Partner with senior leadership to establish operational goals, performance metrics, and long-term priorities

Develop and execute plant strategies aligned with broader business and growth objectives

Build a culture of accountability, engagement, continuous improvement, and employee development

Communicate organizational priorities and initiatives effectively across all levels of the plant

Manufacturing & Operational Excellence

Lead manufacturing, maintenance, and overall plant operations to achieve safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost objectives

Optimize plant workflows, production processes, takt time, and resource allocation

Establish and monitor real-time operational metrics and key performance indicators

Improve first-pass yield, throughput, equipment utilization, delivery performance, and customer satisfaction

Develop and standardize processes that improve overall plant performance

Financial & Business Performance

Develop, manage, and forecast operating budgets, capital expenditures, labor costs, and cost-of-sales objectives

Maintain appropriate controls around operating expenses, inventory, labor utilization, capital investments, and wage management

Identify and execute cost-reduction initiatives without compromising safety, quality, or customer service

Drive operational performance that supports profitability and long-term business growth

Safety, Quality & Compliance

Champion a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with applicable regulatory and company requirements

Lead continuous improvement of plant safety programs and 6S practices

Monitor performance against applicable quality systems, certifications, and customer requirements

Support standards including ISO 9001, ASME, QMS, and other applicable manufacturing requirements

Proactively identify and reduce safety, quality, and environmental risks

Continuous Improvement

Lead Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, strategy deployment, and structured problem-solving initiatives

Identify opportunities to eliminate waste and improve process flow

Reduce overtime, scrap, rework, downtime, and other non-value-added activity

Establish standardized processes and performance expectations throughout the operation

Lead change-management initiatives that improve plant effectiveness and scalability

Maintenance & Asset Reliability

Develop and drive preventive maintenance and Total Productive Maintenance strategies

Improve equipment reliability, uptime, and overall utilization

Monitor maintenance performance and repair costs

Partner on capital planning, equipment investments, and facility improvements

People Leadership & Development

Lead, coach, and develop plant managers, supervisors, and other operational leaders

Establish workforce and succession-planning strategies

Develop employees through training, mentorship, and clearly defined performance expectations

Recruit and retain high-performing manufacturing talent

Build an environment focused on accountability, collaboration, and continuous development

Cross-Functional Leadership

Partner closely with Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Sales, Customer Service, and other functions

Improve coordination across the organization to support efficient end-to-end business processes

Serve as a key connection between plant operations, customers, suppliers, and senior leadership

Use operational excellence and responsiveness to improve the overall customer experience

What We’re Looking For

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing, Business, or a related field required; Master's degree preferred

10+ years of progressive leadership experience within plant management, operations management, or general manufacturing management

Demonstrated success leading manufacturing operations with responsibility for safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and financial performance

Experience managing operating budgets, capital projects, labor, and operational improvement initiatives

Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, Six Sigma, Strategy Deployment, and operational excellence methodologies

Experience implementing or improving preventive maintenance and TPM programs

Strong understanding of ERP/MRP systems and data-driven manufacturing performance management

Proven ability to coach and develop leaders and build high-performing teams

Strong business and financial acumen with the ability to balance strategic planning with hands-on operational execution

Ability to analyze operational and financial data, identify root causes, and translate findings into measurable improvements

A bit about us:

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We are an established manufacturing organization producing highly engineered products for customers across demanding industries.

We are continuing to invest in our people, processes, equipment, and operational capabilities and are looking for a Plant Manager who can help lead that next stage of growth. This is a highly visible leadership position with the opportunity to influence both day-to-day plant performance and the long-term direction of the operation.

Why join us?

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This is an opportunity for an experienced manufacturing leader to take ownership of a broad plant operation and make a measurable impact. You will have responsibility across production, maintenance, quality, safety, people development, continuous improvement, and financial performance while working closely with senior leadership.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

Lead meaningful operational and cultural change across the facility

Build and develop a strong manufacturing leadership team

Drive Lean, continuous improvement, TPM, and operational excellence initiatives

Influence capital investment and long-term manufacturing strategy

Improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and customer satisfaction

Join an organization investing in sustainable growth and stronger manufacturing capabilities