Plant Manager

KPS Global LLC; Piney Flats (TN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

KPS Global LLC in Piney Flats, TN, is looking for a Plant Manager to oversee plant operations, ensuring production goals are met while maintaining safety and quality standards.

This role involves engaging employees, monitoring workflows, and coordinating efforts with other departments. Strong leadership, experience in high-volume production, and expertise in Lean Manufacturing are essential for success. The ideal candidate will have a background in business or a related technical field.

Qualifications

• Six years’ experience in high-volume production environment.
• Proven operational leadership and team-building skills.
• Strong knowledge of OSHA Industry Standards.

Responsibilities

• Manage overall plant operations to meet production demands.
• Coordinate with Master Scheduling for manpower planning.
• Implement strategies to meet KPS Global's strategic initiatives.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing Methodologies

Operational leadership

Interpersonal skills

Analytical problem-solving

Microsoft Office Suite

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business or technical field

Tools

ERP system

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

Job Summary

The Plant Manager is responsible for overall plant operations. This includes assuring a safe workplace followed by meeting all production demands. Production goals shall be achieved while adhering to best-in-class quality standards and plant efficiency targets. Additional key responsibilities include equipment maintenance, employee engagement, LEAN culture, cross training, and developing sound rapport with supporting functions across KPS facilities. The position reports to the Vice President of Manufacturing Operations. The chosen candidate will also be responsible for workflow and workforce utilization, building close ties with peer Plant Managers, the Inside Sales Community, Outside Sales, and others. Assist in developing annual business labor and productivity plans, expense budgets, safety goals and other controls.

Major Responsibilities

• Understand the key aspects of the manufacturing process and product CTQ features. Grasp process knowledge, allowing one to converse with operators, engineers, and others while at the factory—time in factory a must. Identify issues or non-conforming processes while in the factory and surface to area owners building credibility and confidence with the team.
• Own daily company operations to ensure a positive, safe, and productive working environment.
• Coordinate with Master Scheduling in manpower planning, adhering to the cyclical nature of the business. Support budget development for recurring expense and capital needs, operate within budgets. Own defined operational performance metrics, adhere to and control/correct as needed.
• Implement strategies and action plans to ensure the facility supports KPS Global's strategic initiatives (e.g., work transfer, business operating systems overhaul, new product introductions, and supporting processes).
• Plan, organize and direct the manufacturing and maintenance operations to ensure the most effective use of resources (man and machine).
• Improve manpower utilization within existing departments and processes to assure productivity initiatives and efficiency standards are realized.
• Initiate plans and processes that minimize costs through effective utilization of manpower, equipment, facilities, materials, and capital. Assure attainment of business objectives and production schedules while ensuring product standards are met.
• Continually improve safety records by addressing safety issues (near misses and recordables), support and assure compliance with the established safety program. Work closely with centralized EHS representative.
• Prepare and submit operating reports that summarize operations monthly with comments on positive as well as shortfall situations and appropriate recovery dialogue.
• Engage employees in a team atmosphere advancing employee involvement, process and quality ownership. Promote a culture of open dialogue, idea generation, and winning as a team.
• Coordinate with other Plant Managers for asset utilization, sharing of best practices, and capital expenditure reviews to mirror image operations plant-to-plant.

Required Skills

• Clear understanding and application of Lean Manufacturing Methodologies; experienced with TPS (Toyota Production System).
• Natural Change Agent, always looking for opportunities to improve process, product, and people.
• Ability to work independently, be a self‑starter and self‑managed.
• A flexible, adaptable leader in a highly fluid environment who can manage processes effectively and use interpersonal savvy to relate to others.
• Proven track record of strong operational leadership and demonstrated business acumen. Building and maintaining a high-performing team.
• Natural bias for action, guided by proactive thinking and planning.
• Ability to anticipate implications and consequences of situations and take appropriate action to be prepared for possible contingencies.
• Skill in planning, organizing, directing, and coordinating a wide variety of activities; developing, implementing, and communicating policies and procedures; analyzing data and making sound recommendations; adopting effective causes of action; working persuasively and tactfully with all levels of the organization.
• Supervision of professional staff; communicating effectively both in oral and written form.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook. Quick study and utilization of the business ERP system.

Required Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business or technical related field preferred.
• Six years’ experience in high‑volume mass‑customization production environment (housing construction experience a good fit) with a career of key building block roles supporting success in a Plant Manager capacity.
• Excellent communication skills and willingness to be a hands‑on manager.
• Ability to review and discuss results or production reports quantitatively and qualitatively.
• Previous project management experience.
• Successful experience in fostering teamwork and driving employee engagement at all levels.
• Strong knowledge of OSHA Industry Standards (aware of incidents, accident investigation, developing preventative plans to assure prevent reoccurrence).
• Proven ability to recruit, train, and develop employees (heavily supported by Human Resources).
• Good analytical problem‑solving skills.
• Proven experience and successes in Continuous Improvement / LEAN applications (Toyota Production Principles).