Plant Manager

Plant Manager, Electronics Manufacturing North Carolina, United States

Role Purpose

The Plant Manager will lead the establishment, industrialization, and scaling of a new U.S.-based electronics manufacturing facility. This role operates in an environment where speed from design to production, customer program confidentiality, and manufacturing cost competitiveness are critical to success. Responsibilities span building factory operations from the ground up, introducing production technologies, and establishing world-class manufacturing processes, teams, and performance systems.

This is a hands-on leadership role requiring strong technical depth, operational discipline, and the ability to execute in a fast-growing, entrepreneurial environment.

Key Responsibilities

Factory Build & Industrialization

• Lead the design, setup, and expansion of a new U.S.-based electronics manufacturing facility
• Define factory layout, equipment selection, production lines, test strategies, and workflows
• Drive product industrialization from NPI through mass production, ensuring manufacturability, quality, and cost targets are met
• Establish the production technology roadmap, covering SMT/PCBA, assembly, functional testing, automation, and injection molding as applicable

Manufacturing Operations

• Own end-to-end production planning, scheduling, and execution
• Manage WIP, capacity planning, and on-time delivery performance
• Drive Lean Manufacturing initiatives to improve efficiency, throughput, and cost structure
• Define and monitor key manufacturing KPIs including OEE, yield, scrap rate, labor efficiency, and OTD
• Own and manage the plant's annual operating budget; track cost-per-unit, labor cost variance, and CAPEX utilization against targets

Facilities & Equipment Maintenance

• Oversee preventive and predictive maintenance programs to maximize equipment uptime and extend asset life
• Coordinate with facilities on building operations, infrastructure readiness, and safety systems
• Lead capital equipment planning and manage asset lifecycle across the plant

EHS Leadership

• Champion a proactive EHS culture across all levels of the plant, going beyond compliance to embed safety as a core operating value
• Ensure full adherence to OSHA regulations, company EHS policies, and environmental standards
• Lead incident investigations and implement corrective actions to eliminate recurrence

Quality Systems

• Implement robust quality systems for in-process and finished goods inspection
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective/preventive actions (CAPA) for quality escapes
• Ensure alignment with customer quality requirements across all active production programs

Leadership & Team Development

• Build, develop, and lead production supervisors, manufacturing engineers, and operators
• Foster a high-performance, accountable manufacturing culture centered on execution and continuous improvement
• Drive workforce engagement and retention initiatives to maintain operational stability and reduce turnover impact
• Establish standard work, training programs, and operational discipline across the plant

Supply Chain & Systems Integration

• Collaborate with Supply Chain and Procurement on materials management, inventory control, and vendor coordination
• Interface with overseas suppliers and subcontractors to support hybrid manufacturing and sourcing strategies
• Utilize ERP systems (SAP preferred) for production control, inventory management, and operational reporting

Reporting & Strategic Contribution

• Deliver clear, data-driven operational reporting to senior leadership
• Support make/buy analysis, CAPEX planning, and long-term manufacturing strategy
• Contribute as a key stakeholder in the company's U.S. manufacturing expansion roadmap

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience)
• 7+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, preferably in electronics, measurement devices, diagnostics, or similar hardware product categories
• Demonstrated track record of building or scaling manufacturing operations
• Strong command of ERP systems (SAP preferred) and KPI-driven operational management
• Experience managing international supplier relationships and global supply chains
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, manage complexity, and deliver results under tight timelines
• Willingness to travel up to 10%

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with SMT/PCBA manufacturing and/or plastic injection/overmolding
• Background in manufacturing engineering or new product industrialization
• Exposure to automation systems, functional test equipment, or production technology deployment
• Familiarity with smart manufacturing or Industry 4.0 practices, including predictive maintenance and digital production monitoring
• Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus

Why Join Us

We are a global electronics manufacturer expanding our manufacturing footprint into the U.S. market. This is a rare greenfield opportunity to shape a facility and team from day one, with full organizational support and a long-term growth mandate.