Plant Manager

Frederick Fox; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Frederick Fox LLC is seeking a Plant Manager to lead all manufacturing, production, and warehouse operations in the United States. The role focuses on delivering safe, high-quality output, optimized inventory, and on-time delivery while coaching frontline leaders and building a scalable operation.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive plant leadership experience, hands-on floor presence, and the ability to translate business priorities into measurable improvements.

Qualifications

• Requires extensive manufacturing leadership experience and a proven ability to manage large, multi-functional teams.
• Experience on the production floor identifying issues and driving improvements.
• Strong background in applying Lean/Six Sigma methodologies to improve productivity and quality.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily plant production and warehouse operations to meet targets and safety standards.
• Coordinate planning, scheduling, staffing, and material flow to support on-time delivery.
• Establish SOPs, production schedules, and performance expectations across plant functions.
• Monitor performance, identify bottlenecks, and implement corrective actions to reduce downtime and waste.
• Partner with Quality and Engineering to drive continuous improvement and maintain compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Kaizen

5S

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Plant Manager

Position Overview

The Plant Manager is responsible for overseeing and optimizing all manufacturing, production, and warehouse operations to ensure efficient workflows, consistent product quality, accurate inventory management, safe working conditions, and reliable on-time delivery. This role provides strategic and hands on leadership across plant operations, driving operational excellence, team accountability, and continuous improvement.

The successful candidate will bring extensive manufacturing leadership experience and a proven ability to manage large, multi-functional teams. Working closely with production and warehouse leadership, the Plant Manager will establish clear performance expectations, strengthen operational processes, and ensure that production schedules, staffing levels, quality standards, and inventory controls support overall business objectives.

This position requires a leader who is comfortable working on the production floor, identifying operational challenges before they become larger problems, and translating business priorities into measurable improvements. The Plant Manager will partner with executive leadership and quality management to implement process improvements, develop frontline leaders, and build a disciplined, scalable manufacturing operation.

The ideal candidate combines strong operational judgment with a continuous improvement mindset and the ability to develop a high-performing team. Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, 5S, Kaizen, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems is preferred.

Key Responsibilities

Plant and Production Operations

• Oversee daily manufacturing, production, and warehouse operations to ensure efficient workflows, consistent output, and achievement of production targets.
• Coordinate production planning, scheduling, staffing, material availability, and warehouse activities to support operational requirements and customer delivery commitments.
• Establish and maintain standardized operating procedures, production schedules, and performance expectations across all plant functions.
• Monitor production performance, identify bottlenecks, and implement corrective actions to minimize downtime, delays, waste, and operational disruptions.
• Ensure production activities are completed according to established specifications, quality requirements, and delivery timelines.
• Maintain a visible presence on the production floor to assess performance, address challenges, and reinforce operational standards.
• Balance labor, equipment, materials, and production capacity to maximize efficiency and resource utilization.
• Anticipate operational risks and proactively address issues that could affect production output, quality, safety, or delivery commitments.
• Establish contingency plans to maintain production continuity during staffing shortages, equipment issues, material constraints, or unexpected changes in demand.

Warehouse and Inventory Management

• Oversee warehouse operations, including receiving, storage, material handling, inventory control, order preparation, and product movement.
• Ensure production and warehouse teams coordinate effectively to maintain appropriate material availability and support uninterrupted manufacturing operations.
• Establish and enforce inventory management procedures that promote accurate records, proper material handling, and effective stock control.
• Monitor inventory accuracy, investigate discrepancies, and implement corrective actions to prevent recurring issues.
• Develop and maintain processes for inventory counts, cycle counting, material tracking, and inventory reconciliation.
• Ensure raw materials, work-in-progress inventory, and finished goods are properly organized, tracked, and managed.
• Identify opportunities to improve warehouse layouts, material flow, storage utilization, and overall operational efficiency.
• Collaborate with purchasing, production planning, and other departments to address material shortages, excess inventory, and supply‑related risks.
• Establish clear accountability for inventory accuracy and adherence to warehouse procedures.

Quality Management and Operational Standards

• Ensure manufacturing and warehouse activities consistently meet established quality standards, specifications, and customer requirements.
• Partner closely with the Quality Manager to identify quality issues, investigate root causes, and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Establish processes for monitoring production defects, rework, scrap, customer complaints, and other quality‑related performance indicators.
• Ensure employees understand and follow documented procedures, work instructions, inspection requirements, and quality controls.
• Promote a culture in which quality is integrated into daily operations rather than treated as a separate function.
• Monitor quality trends and implement process changes to reduce defects, improve consistency, and prevent recurring problems.
• Support internal and external audits, quality reviews, and other compliance‑related activities as required.
• Ensure operational teams follow established documentation and recordkeeping requirements.
• Collaborate with production and warehouse leadership to ensure corrective actions are implemented consistently and sustained over time.

Team Leadership and Development

• Lead plant operations through production and warehouse managers, ensuring clear accountability and consistent execution across all departments.
• Develop, coach, and mentor managers and supervisors to strengthen leadership capabilities, decision‑making, and performance management.
• Establish clear expectations for productivity, quality, safety, attendance, teamwork, and operational discipline.
• Ensure managers and supervisors effectively communicate priorities, monitor employee performance, and address issues promptly.
• Build a collaborative leadership team that works together to solve problems and achieve plant‑wide objectives.
• Oversee workforce planning, staffing levels, scheduling, and resource allocation to meet production and warehouse requirements.
• Participate in recruiting, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and workforce development initiatives.
• Identify training needs and ensure employees receive appropriate instruction on equipment, processes, quality standards, safety procedures, and job responsibilities.
• Promote employee engagement, accountability, and continuous development across all shifts and operational functions.
• Address performance concerns consistently and reinforce expectations through regular feedback and appropriate corrective action.

Continuous Improvement and Lean Manufacturing

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives designed to increase productivity, improve quality, reduce waste, and strengthen operational reliability.
• Apply Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and other continuous improvement methodologies to daily plant operations, as appropriate.
• Partner with the Quality Manager and operational leaders to identify improvement opportunities and develop actionable implementation plans.
• Ensure improvement initiatives are executed on the production floor, with clear ownership, timelines, and measurable outcomes.
• Evaluate production processes, material flow, equipment utilization, labor efficiency, and warehouse workflows to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Conduct root‑cause analysis to address recurring production delays, quality issues, inventory discrepancies, and operational inefficiencies.
• Establish performance baselines and track the effectiveness of process improvements through defined key performance indicators.
• Encourage employees and frontline leaders to identify inefficiencies and contribute ideas that improve safety, quality, and productivity.
• Standardize successful improvements and ensure updated procedures are communicated, documented, and consistently followed.
• Monitor the long‑term effectiveness of improvement initiatives to ensure gains are sustained.

Performance Management and Operational Reporting

• Establish, monitor, and communicate key performance indicators (KPIs) across production, warehouse operations, quality, inventory, safety, and delivery performance.
• Develop reporting processes that provide accurate, timely visibility into plant‑wide operational performance.
• Review performance data regularly to identify trends, risks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement.
• Monitor production output, schedule adherence, on‑time delivery, labor productivity, inventory accuracy, scrap, rework, and downtime.
• Hold production and warehouse leaders accountable for achieving departmental objectives and implementing corrective actions.
• Provide executive leadership with clear, reliable updates on plant performance, operational challenges, staffing needs