Plant Manager

Important Note: This is a third party posting from Vanderbloemen, a search firm that helps churches and other faith-based organizations find key staff. 

The story of Stainless Steel Fabricators, Inc. (SSF) is rooted in dedication, craftsmanship, and a commitment to doing things the right way. It began in 1977 when Dave Hart started as a worker at a previous fabrication company. Craig, who was a part-owner of that company alongside three others, recognized Dave’s eager attitude, desire to learn, and rapidly developing technical and mathematical skills. Seeking an environment where
they could lead with high integrity and focus on quality, Craig eventually decided to strike out on his own, inviting Dave to join him in founding a new venture

In 1985, Stainless Steel Fabricators was officially born, launching with just six employees in a small building near the local airport. While the previous company they came from eventually fell into bankruptcy, SSF took the opposite trajectory. Built on conservative financial principles and a dedication to quality, the company steadily expanded. By 1988, they purchased their very first dedicated building, laying the foundation for decades of continuous physical and commercial expansion.

Stainless Steel Fabricators Inc. was founded on the principles of Christian faith and continues to live that out in its business, decisions, and integrity. Today, operating out of a massive 60,000-square-foot manufacturing and storage facility located right off the 5 freeway in La Mirada, California (on the border of Los Angeles and Orange Counties), SSF has grown into a highly stable, 100-employee operation generating approximately $15 million in annual revenue.

About the Plant Manager

Stainless Steel Fabricators, Inc. is seeking a General Manager to lead some aspects of the company’s manufacturing operations while driving profitable growth, operational
excellence, customer satisfaction, and leadership development.

The General Manager will oversee production, logistics, quality, and employee development also a conduit between the shop and engineering. This individual will work
closely with ownership to execute the company’s vision while building the systems, processes, and leaders required for long-term success and scalable growth.

The ideal candidate combines strong business acumen with practical manufacturing knowledge and the ability to lead people, improve processes, communicate clearly, and
make sound decisions.

The Plant Manager’s responsibilities include:

Strategic & Business Leadership

• Lead the day-to-day operation and long-term performance of the business.
• Translate ownership’s vision into measurable goals, priorities, and operating plans.
• Establish clear accountability throughout the organization.
• Develop forecasts and performance targets.
• Identify growth opportunities and operational risks.
• Build systems that reduce dependence on individual heroics and improve organizational consistency.

Financial Management & Business Acumen

• Understand job costing, material yield, labor efficiency, and manufacturing variances.
• Evaluate return on investment for equipment, staffing, software, and process improvements.

Manufacturing, Throughput & Operational Management

• Lead production scheduling, capacity planning, workflow, and on-time completion.
• Improve throughput while maintaining safety, quality, and customer requirements.
• Identify and remove bottlenecks across fabrication, welding, forming, machining, finishing, assembly, and shipping.
• Manage labor utilization, equipment utilization, downtime, scrap, rework, and lead times.
• Establish meaningful key performance indicators and operating rhythms.
• Drive continuous improvement through practical Lean manufacturing and root- cause problem solving.

Material Sourcing, Purchasing, & Supply Chain

• Develop a reliable sourcing strategy for critical materials.
• Negotiate effectively with suppliers and maintain strong vendor relationships.

Engineering, Technology & Manufacturing Systems

• Work effectively with engineering, estimating, programming, and production teams.
• Maintain a working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and Teams.
• Work effectively with the tech supervisor to understand CAD/CAM software, technical drawings, nesting, CNC programming, and production data. And help with evaluating and implement technology that improves accuracy, visibility, throughput, and customer service.
• Possess practical familiarity with laser cutting, CNC equipment, press brakes, welding, and fabricated-metal workflows.
• Use ERP/MRP, production scheduling, inventory, quality, and maintenance systems effectively.

Logistics, Shipping & Delivery

• Oversee shipping, freight, delivery scheduling, packaging, and customer delivery performance.
• Coordinate production completion with shipping commitments and customer priorities.
• Manage freight damage prevention.
• Improve on-time and complete delivery performance.
• Oversee that finished goods are properly documented, packaged, and delivered.

Leadership Development & People Management

• Develop supervisors, shift managers, and emerging leaders.
• Set clear expectations and respectfully hold employees accountable.
• Conduct effective performance reviews, coaching conversations, and succession planning.
• Build a professional culture of trust, teamwork, safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with ownership on hiring, onboarding, compensation, and organizational design.
• Address conflict directly and fairly while maintaining employee dignity.

California Human Resources & Employment Compliance

• Maintain a working understanding of California employment requirements and know when to engage qualified HR or legal counsel.
• Partner with ownership and HR resources on wage-and-hour compliance, meal and rest periods, overtime, timekeeping, attendance, leave administration, accommodations, and employee classification.
• Ensure hiring, onboarding, discipline, performance management, investigations, and terminations are handled consistently, professionally, and with appropriate documentation.
• Support compliance with workplace safety, anti-harassment, anti-discrimination, retaliation-prevention, workers’ compensation, and required employee training and postings.
• Maintain accurate personnel practices and protect confidential employee information.
• Recognize potential compliance risks early and avoid making unsupported legal or HR decisions without appropriate guidance.

Customer, Vendor, & Stakeholder Communication

• Communicate clearly and professionally with employees, ownership, customers, and vendors.
• Manage customer expectations regarding schedules, quality, specifications, and delivery.
• Participate in major customer meetings, quoting discussions, and issue resolution.
• Build credibility through responsiveness, follow-through, and sound judgment.
• Present operational and financial performance to ownership in a concise, engaging manner.

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Promote a safety-first culture and ensure compliance with applicable OSHA and workplace requirements.
• Maintain effective quality-control processes and corrective-action practices.
• Reduce defects, scrap, rework, customer complaints, and warranty exposure.
• Ensure equipment, training, documentation, and work practices support a safe and reliable operation.

What you bring

The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Plant Manager:

While experience and education are valued. We’re equally interested in candidates who show strong potential, initiative, and a desire to develop.

Education and Experience

• Hands-on manufacturing or fabrication experience.
• Experience in stainless steel, sheet metal, custom-fabricated products is a benefit.
• Familiarity with Lean manufacturing.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems, job costing, production scheduling.
• Working knowledge of CAD/CAM, CNC, laser cutting, press-brake, welding, and fabrication technology to be able to supervise those in charge of these processes.
• Experience participating in capital-equipment selection and implementation.
• Previous responsibility for customer-facing commercial or project-management activities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• 1 to 2 years of successful progressive manufacturing leadership experience; more years is strongly preferred for this level of responsibility.
• Demonstrated experience leading supervisors, shift managers, and production employees.
• Proven responsibility for manufacturing operations, production performance, and business results.
• Experience improving throughput, quality, lead times, labor efficiency, or profitability.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Sound judgment, practical problem-solving ability, and a grounded common-sense approach.
• Ability to maintain professionalism with employees, customers, vendors, and ownership.
• Working knowledge of California employment practices and the judgment to involve qualified HR or legal professionals when needed.
• High integrity and alignment with the company’s values-based culture.

Personal Characteristics and Qualifications

• Walk the floor and quickly understand workflow, constraints, safety concerns, and employee dynamics.
• Communicate with customers professionally and manage expectations without overpromising.
• Negotiate with shop goods suppliers on shop goods while protecting quality, availability, and total cost.
• Develop supervisors and create accountability at the appropriate level.
• Improve systems, throughput, delivery, quality, and profitability.
• Respect the company’s history and culture while thoughtfully leading change.

What it’s like to live in La Mirada, CA

Living in La Mirada, California, can be a great experience for people who enjoy a peaceful and welcoming community. The city has quiet neighborhoods, beautiful parks, local restaurants, shopping areas, and schools, giving residents many things to do close to home. La Mirada is also in a convenient location, making it easy to travel to nearby cities such as Anaheim, Fullerton, and Los Angeles. The warm weather and sunny days make it enjoyable to spend time outside, whether you are walking through a park or visiting nearby attractions. Although traffic and the high cost of living can sometimes be challenging, La Mirada provides a comfortable suburban environment while still being close to many of the exciting activities Southern California has to offer.