Plant Manager: Lean Operations & Safety Champion

Socket.dev; Monroe (MI); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Socket.dev is seeking a Plant Manager to lead our manufacturing facility in Michigan, driving safety, production, quality, and financial performance. You will oversee daily operations, schedule planning, maintenance, and cross-functional collaboration to meet customer demand and corporate targets.

Responsibilities include leading safety initiatives, managing budgets, and guiding continuous improvement programs while ensuring GMP and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• Strong leadership and people management skills
• Proven experience managing manufacturing operations and KPIs
• Strong financial and cost-management acumen, including experience with PNL statements
• Deep commitment to safety and regulatory compliance
• Ability to drive continuous improvement and change
• Effective communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Previous management experience required
• Bilingual a plus

Responsibilities

• Lead and promote a zero-incident safety culture, ensuring safety is the top priority at all times.
• Enforce all safety policies and procedures, ensuring proper PPE availability and usage.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, CNESST, PSM, RMP, environmental, and corporate safety regulations.
• Lead safety audits, incident investigations, near-miss reporting, and corrective actions.
• Maintain plant security, access control, and facility opening/closing procedures.
• Oversee all daily and long-term plant operations, including production, maintenance, warehousing, logistics, and shipping.
• Develop and execute production schedules and workforce plans to meet customer demand and business requirements.
• Ensure production targets for output, efficiency, quality, delivery, and waste reduction are consistently met.
• Accurately capture and report daily production activity and operational metrics.
• Coordinate with Planning, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, Purchasing, and Logistics to optimize workflow and minimize downtime.
• Own plant performance metrics (KPIs), including safety, quality, cost, delivery, efficiency, and productivity.
• Manage plant budgets, operating expenses, and capital expenditures (CAPEX).
• Drive cost reduction initiatives through efficiencies, process improvements, and continuous improvement programs.
• Maintain responsibility for profit and loss (P&L) performance and required operational reporting.
• Support revenue and AOP targets through operational execution and resource optimization.
• Ensure all products meet internal and customer quality standards.
• Implement, enforce, and improve quality systems and manufacturing standards.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives such as Lean, 5S, Kaizen, and process optimization.
• Analyze production and quality data to identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities.
• Collaborate with Quality teams to resolve non-conformities and customer complaints.
• Provide strong leadership and direction to all plant departments and personnel.
• Recruit, train, onboard, and develop a capable and engaged workforce.
• Set clear performance expectations, conduct evaluations, and hold leaders and employees accountable.
• Foster a culture of teamwork, professionalism, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Encourage open communication, employee engagement, and cross-training.
• Identify and develop future leaders through succession planning.
• Ensure preventive maintenance programs are followed and equipment reliability is maintained.
• Oversee coordination between maintenance, engineering, and production teams.
• Support and lead capital projects, equipment upgrades, and new installations.
• Ensure facilities, equipment, and GMP certifications are maintained where applicable.
• Maintain effective communication with senior leadership on plant performance, challenges, and strategic initiatives.
• Represent the plant in meetings with customers, vendors, and corporate stakeholders.
• Coordinate with other plants or regions as required to align production strategies and standards.

Job description

Socket.dev is seeking a Plant Manager to lead our manufacturing facility in Michigan, driving safety, production, quality, and financial performance. You will oversee daily operations, schedule planning, maintenance, and cross-functional collaboration to meet customer demand and corporate targets.

Responsibilities include leading safety initiatives, managing budgets, and guiding continuous improvement programs while ensuring GMP and regulatory compliance.