Plant deputy / Operations Head – Automotive

Richard Lombart Consulting & The Executive Way; Kentucky; On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Tier-1 automotive supplier located in Kentucky is seeking a Plant Deputy / Operations Head to support the Plant General Manager in enhancing operational performance and leadership coordination. This key management position requires strong leadership presence, experience in complex manufacturing environments, and expertise in areas such as production and quality. Ideal candidates will demonstrate effective communication skills and a commitment to continuous improvement in a dynamic leadership environment, contributing significantly to plant success.

Qualifications

• Comfortable in complex manufacturing environments with technical understanding.
• Experience in multiple functional areas: production, maintenance, logistics, engineering, or quality.
• Demonstrated strong ownership and sound judgment.

Responsibilities

• Support daily execution in alignment with the Plant General Manager.
• Act as a reliable partner to the Plant General Manager.
• Contribute to operational discipline and continuous improvement practices.

Skills

Leadership presence

Lean Manufacturing

Operational management

Clear communication

Continuous improvement

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

Plant Deputy / Operations Head– Automotive interior systems

Tier-1 Automotive Supplier | European Group | Growing North American Operations

Location

This opportunity is based at a manufacturing site located in Kentucky, within commuting distance of several established industrial and automotive hubs, including London, Somerset, Williamsburg, Barbourville, Mount Vernon, Richmond and Berea in Kentucky, as well as Knoxville and Oak Ridge in Tennessee.

A Key Operational Leadership Role at the Heart of the Plant

Our client is a well-established European Tier-1 automotive supplier, recognized globally for delivering engineered interior modules & solutions to major OEM customers. With continued growth across North America and increasing production activity, the organization is reinforcing its leadership structure at one of its key U.S. manufacturing sites.

Recently, a new Plant General Manager joined the site with a mandate to strengthen performance, reinforce operational discipline, and build a strong leadership structure capable of supporting the plant’s long-term ambitions. As part of this evolution, the organization is now seeking a Plant Operations Manager who will play a central role in supporting this transformation and contributing to the development of a robust and sustainable operating model.

The Opportunity

Working in close alignment with the Plant General Manager, this position operates at the core of plant activity. You will act as a trusted operational partner, supporting daily execution while helping translate operational objectives into consistent and reliable performance across production, maintenance, logistics, engineering, and quality functions.

This role is positioned as a key leadership support function within the plant. It requires the ability to step into broader operational responsibilities when needed, ensuring continuity across the site and maintaining stability during periods of high activity or decision-making.

You will be actively involved in sustaining performance across quality, cost, delivery, and productivity objectives, while contributing to the ongoing development of operational discipline and continuous improvement practices. The role also provides broad exposure to industrialization activities, production readiness, and improvement initiatives, offering a comprehensive understanding of how the plant functions as an integrated system.

Within this evolving organizational structure, the selected individual will gain meaningful exposure to plant-level decision-making and leadership coordination. The role offers the opportunity to progressively strengthen influence across departments and to become a key point of reference within the operational leadership team.

A Role for a Leader Ready to Take the Next Step

This position is particularly suited to individuals who already operate at a senior operational level and who are accustomed to working closely with plant leadership. It is a role that requires both technical understanding and leadership presence, with the expectation that the selected individual will act as a reliable and capable partner to the Plant General Manager.

The ideal candidate will be comfortable navigating complex manufacturing environments and balancing daily operational execution with longer‑term improvement initiatives. Experience across multiple functional areas — such as production, maintenance, logistics, engineering, or quality — will be highly valuable, as this role requires a broad and integrated view of plant operations.

Exposure to Lean Manufacturing environments and continuous improvement initiatives is essential, as the organization continues to focus on strengthening operational performance and reliability across the site.

Leadership Presence Matters

Success in this role will depend as much on leadership style as on experience. The ability to communicate clearly, support decision-making, and foster accountability across teams will be essential. This is a role for someone who enjoys being present on the shop floor, understands the realities of manufacturing operations, and naturally builds credibility with supervisors and functional leaders.

Candidates who demonstrate strong ownership, sound judgment, and the ability to operate confidently across departments will find this role particularly aligned with their professional aspirations.

What makes this opportunity particularly compelling is the context in which the role sits. With a recently appointed Plant General Manager bringing fresh perspective and strong ambitions for the site, this position offers the opportunity to be part of a leadership dynamic that is actively shaping the future direction of the plant.