Plant Manager

Plant Manager

The Manufacturing Plant Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, performance, and culture of the 1NL manufacturing operations, overseeing a site of approximately 250 associates with direct responsibility for 125 associates. This role provides strategic and hands-on leadership to the production and training teams to ensure safety, quality, cost, and delivery goals are consistently achieved while fostering a positive, engaged, and high-performing workforce. This position plays a critical role in advancing operational excellence, developing strong frontline leadership, and driving continuous improvement initiatives.

Location: This is an onsite position reporting to our manufacturing plant in New London, NC.

Key Responsibilities:

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Maintain full accountability for Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) performance.
• Ensure all associates are trained and compliant with safety, quality, and production procedures.
• Champion a proactive safety culture where risks are identified, mitigated, and prevented.

Site & People Leadership

• Provide overall leadership and direction for production and training team.
• Lead, coach, and develop frontline leaders to strengthen leadership capability, accountability, and engagement across the site.
• Foster a culture that reflects company core values, promotes positive associate relations, and encourages open communication.
• Build and sustain strong, high-performing teams through effective talent development, performance management, and succession planning.

Operational Excellence

• Ensure production goals for safety, quality, cost, and delivery are consistently met or exceeded.
• Lead the execution of lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement initiatives to optimize processes and reduce waste.
• Drive cost, quality, and safety improvements through data-driven decision-making and standardized performance metrics.
• Establish and maintain clear operational standards that are measured, monitored, and continuously improved.

Strategy & Growth

• Develop and execute manufacturing strategies and operational plans aligned with business growth initiatives and corporate objectives.
• Play a key leadership role in new product introductions, ensuring readiness, execution excellence, and successful ramp-up.
• Partner cross-functionally with corporate teams to support long-term capacity, capability, and process improvements.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations or related field preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated success leading managers and frontline leaders in a production setting.
• Proven ability to build, develop, and sustain high-performing teams.
• Strong track record of meeting production, safety, quality, and cost objectives.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and manufacturing-related computer systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience leading multi-process manufacturing operations (e.g., PE, PVC, extrusion, or similar).
• Lean manufacturing or continuous improvement experience (Six Sigma, Kaizen, or similar).
• Strong change management and communication skills.

Additional Information:

Fortune Brands believes in fair and equitable pay. A reasonable estimate of the base salary range for this role is Hiring Pay Range: $150,000 USD - $190,000 USD. Please note that actual salaries may vary within the range, or be above or below the range, based on factors including, but not limited to, education, training, experience, professional achievement, business need, and location. In addition to base salary, employees will participate in either an annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance, or a role-based sales incentive plan.

At Fortune Brands, we support the overall health and wellness of our associates by offering comprehensive, competitive benefits that prioritize all aspects of wellbeing and provide flexibility for our teammates' unique needs. This includes robust health plans, a market-leading 401(k) program with a company contribution, product discounts, flexible time off benefits, adoption benefits, and more. We offer numerous ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) to foster a sense of belonging for all associates.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Fortune Brands is an equal opportunity employer. Fortune Brands evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability/handicap status, marital status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic history or information, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Reasonable Accommodations

Fortune Brands is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, please contact us at View email address on click.appcast.io and let us know the nature of your request along with your contact information.

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