Extrusion Manager

Extrusion Manager

Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Compensation: $140,000–$150,000 base salary + bonus opportunity

Work Environment: On-site | 24/7 Manufacturing Operation

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Extrusion Manager to lead a complex, continuously operating manufacturing department in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This role is ideal for a hands-on manufacturing leader who excels at developing supervisors, strengthening employee accountability, improving production processes, and building a culture of operational excellence.

The successful candidate will lead through the existing team of supervisors and technical specialists, helping them work more effectively while improving safety, quality, changeover efficiency, waste reduction, and production output.

Direct blown-film experience is preferred but not required. Candidates with experience in other complex, continuous-process manufacturing environments—such as coating, converting, or other extrusion and process manufacturing operations—will be considered if they demonstrate relevant operational complexity and strong people leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing Leadership and Team Development

• Lead and develop shift supervisors, strengthening their ability to manage employees, address performance issues, and maintain accountability.
• Build trust and engagement through regular shop-floor presence, active listening, employee recognition, and consistent follow-through.
• Coach supervisors on effective communication, performance management, conflict resolution, and employee development.
• Assess team strengths and capabilities to ensure employees are appropriately placed, supported, and developed.
• Foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, continuous improvement, and operational discipline across shifts.

Production and Operational Excellence

• Oversee a continuously operating manufacturing environment involving complex equipment, frequent changeovers, and varying product requirements.
• Improve production efficiency, throughput, product quality, equipment utilization, and overall operating performance.
• Identify opportunities to reduce scrap, waste, downtime, setup time, and unnecessary process variation.
• Establish practical operating procedures, standardized work methods, and setup tools that make production activities more consistent and efficient.
• Work with supervisors and technical specialists to identify recurring production challenges, remove obstacles, and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Ensure effective coordination between shifts to maintain consistency, accountability, and production continuity.

Process Improvement and Problem-Solving

• Apply Lean manufacturing, root cause analysis, and other continuous improvement methods to resolve operational issues.
• Evaluate changeover processes, equipment interactions, material flow, and production practices to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Partner with engineering, maintenance, quality, and other technical resources to investigate issues and implement practical solutions.
• Translate improvement opportunities into clear action plans, assigning ownership and following through on implementation.
• Develop simple, effective visual controls, setup aids, and standardized procedures to reduce reliance on individual experience and informal practices.
• Monitor results and reinforce improvements to ensure changes are sustained across shifts.

Safety, Quality, and Training

• Promote a safe working environment and reinforce adherence to established safety procedures.
• Partner with Quality and technical teams to address product defects, process variation, and quality-related decisions.
• Strengthen operator training and qualification processes for equipment requiring specialized skills and extended development.
• Support cross-training and skill development to expand operator capabilities across machines and processes.
• Ensure production teams understand operating standards, escalation procedures, and performance expectations.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with technical leads, process engineering, maintenance, Quality, and other production leaders to improve manufacturing performance.
• Collaborate with the Converting Manager to support effective coordination between extrusion and downstream operations.
• Communicate production priorities, operational challenges, improvement plans, and performance results to relevant stakeholders.
• Use operational data and shop-floor observations to guide decisions and prioritize improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Several years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, including direct responsibility for developing or managing supervisors.
• Demonstrated success leading continuously running or operationally complex manufacturing processes.
• Experience managing frequent changeovers, product variation, equipment setups, and interdependent production activities.
• A strong track record of improving manufacturing performance through practical problem-solving and employee engagement.
• Experience applying Lean manufacturing, root cause analysis, standard work, or similar continuous improvement methods.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust, coach frontline leaders, strengthen accountability, and develop skilled production teams.
• Strong communication, decision-making, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a hands-on, on-site manufacturing environment supporting continuous operations.

Preferred Experience

• Experience in blown-film extrusion, cast extrusion, plastics processing, coating, converting, or another complex continuous-process manufacturing environment.
• Experience introducing standardized setup methods, operator training programs, visual controls, or process improvement tools.
• Experience improving scrap, changeover time, throughput, quality, equipment utilization, or labor productivity.
• Experience leading teams in high-mix manufacturing environments with frequent product or process changes.

What Success Looks Like

The successful manager will demonstrate measurable progress in the following areas:

• Stronger, more capable shift supervisors who confidently lead their teams.
• Improved employee engagement, trust, communication, and accountability.
• More consistent changeovers and fewer avoidable production interruptions.
• Practical tools and standardized processes that simplify work for operators.
• Improved quality, reduced waste, and stronger production output.
• Better operator training, skill development, and cross-functional coordination.
• Sustainable improvements driven by frontline leadership and collaboration with technical experts.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This is an opportunity for a proven manufacturing leader to make a meaningful operational impact in an established production environment. The role offers the opportunity to develop people, improve processes, strengthen frontline leadership, and deliver lasting manufacturing improvements with the support of experienced technical resources.

Interested candidates with relevant manufacturing leadership experience are encouraged to apply.