Plant Operations Leader — Lean & Safety Focus

Key People; Linden (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Key People is seeking a Plant Manager to oversee daily manufacturing operations, lead production, maintenance, quality, and plant teams to meet customer requirements and drive continuous improvement. The role emphasizes safety, cost control, and strong leadership to achieve operational goals.

Ideal candidates will have a Bachelor's degree in a related field and 5+ years of plant operations experience, including leadership responsibilities, with proficiency in ERP/MRP systems and Lean methods.

Qualifications

• : Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily manufacturing activities to meet production schedules, quality standards, delivery commitments, and operational targets.
• Lead, develop, and hold supervisors and employees accountable for performance, productivity, attendance, and adherence to company policies.
• Maintain a safe working environment by enforcing safety procedures, conducting inspections, and ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and company standards.
• Monitor production output, labor utilization, equipment performance, downtime, and scrap while implementing improvements to increase efficiency and reduce waste.
• Ensure products meet customer specifications and quality requirements while supporting corrective actions and preventing recurring defects.
• Coordinate preventive maintenance, repairs, and equipment improvements to minimize downtime and maintain reliable operations.
• Manage plant operating expenses, labor costs, materials usage, and other resources to meet financial and productivity objectives.
• Identify and implement process improvements using Lean manufacturing, 5S, root-cause analysis, and other problem-solving methods.
• Coordinate with purchasing, warehouse, and supply chain teams to maintain appropriate inventory levels and ensure materials are available to support production.
• Track and communicate key performance indicators (KPIs), production results, safety performance, quality metrics, and improvement initiatives to senior management.
• Work closely with sales, customer service, engineering, quality, maintenance, and logistics to resolve issues and support business objectives.

Skills

Leadership experience

Lean manufacturing

Problem-solving

Communication

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations Management, or related field

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

Key People is seeking a Plant Manager to oversee daily manufacturing operations, lead production, maintenance, quality, and plant teams to meet customer requirements and drive continuous improvement. The role emphasizes safety, cost control, and strong leadership to achieve operational goals.

Ideal candidates will have a Bachelor's degree in a related field and 5+ years of plant operations experience, including leadership responsibilities, with proficiency in ERP/MRP systems and Lean methods.