Plant Manager

Lead One of North America’s Premier Advanced Manufacturing Operations | General Manager – Norcross, GA Lightera is seeking a General Manager to lead its flagship manufacturing operation in Norcross, Georgia. This role represents a unique opportunity to oversee one of the company’s most important facilities during a period of significant investment, growth, and organizational evolution. About Lightera Lightera, part of Furukawa Electric’s 140-year legacy of innovation, is a global leader in advanced optical fiber and connectivity solutions. Building on decades of fiber‑optic advancement, the company delivers next‑generation infrastructure supporting data centers, AI workloads, telecommunications, aerospace, and specialty applications. Headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, Lightera combines global expertise with local manufacturing excellence. The Norcross campus serves as both the company’s corporate headquarters and one of North America’s premier optical fiber manufacturing facilities. Spanning more than 100 acres, the site employs approximately 320 manufacturing professionals and operates a highly technical, 24/7 union manufacturing environment. The Norcross facility performs fully integrated fiber production, beginning with preform manufacturing and continuing through fiber draw and finishing processes. With significant capital investments planned over the coming years, the site is positioned to play a critical role in Lightera’s continued growth and technological leadership. At Lightera, the company’s mission is more than words—it shapes how employees innovate, collaborate, and serve. The organization is guided by three core principles: Lead — a commitment to excellence through innovation and leadership; Learn — growing together through experience, collaboration, and teamwork; and Care — supporting one another, customers, and the communities they serve. Position Impact The General Manager will lead one of Lightera's most important manufacturing operations during a period of significant investment, growth, and organizational evolution. This role will oversee all aspects of plant performance, including manufacturing, engineering, quality, materials, EH&S, human resources, and continuous improvement. Beyond operational leadership, this individual will be responsible for strengthening trust across a long‑tenured workforce, developing an experienced leadership team, and ensuring the successful execution of major capital initiatives. The successful candidate will balance operational rigor with exceptional people leadership while creating alignment across technical, engineering, and production teams. Functions and Responsibilities The General Manager will play a critical role in leading one of Lightera's most important manufacturing operations, with responsibility for all operational aspects of the Norcross facility, including manufacturing, engineering, quality, supply chain, EH&S, and human resources. This leader will drive performance, safety, engineering, quality, supply chain, and people initiatives while ensuring the efficient operation of a highly technical, 24/7 union manufacturing environment. Key responsibilities include: Provide overall leadership and direction for the Norcross manufacturing facility, including Engineering, Quality, Materials, EH&S, Human Resources, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing Operations. Champion a culture of safety and accountability, ensuring disciplined safety practices and operational excellence at all levels of the organization. Lead a complex, highly technical manufacturing operation while balancing production demands, cost management, quality, and long‑term business objectives. Drive strategic planning, operational improvements, and financial performance to support continued growth and profitability. Partner closely with engineering and technical teams to support advanced manufacturing processes, evaluate new technologies, and execute major capital investment initiatives. Lead large‑scale capital projects and equipment expansions, ensuring successful implementation while minimizing operational disruption. Develop, coach, and empower a tenured leadership team, strengthening organizational capability and succession planning across the facility. Build trust and credibility with salaried employees, union leadership, and hourly team members through visible, hands‑on leadership and transparent communication. Analyze operational, financial, and production metrics to identify opportunities, solve complex problems, and drive continuous improvement. Collaborate with internal stakeholders and sister facilities to ensure alignment across the broader manufacturing network and support long‑term business objectives. Professional Qualifications The ideal candidate will bring proven operational leadership experience within a large‑scale, complex manufacturing environment, along with a demonstrated ability to drive operational excellence, lead organizational change, and develop high‑performing teams. Successful candidates will possess: Proven General Manager, Plant Manager, or equivalent leadership experience within a large‑scale, complex manufacturing environment, including leadership responsibility for organizations of 300+ employees. Strong engineering and technical aptitude, with the ability to lead highly technical organizations and effectively partner with engineering teams. Experience leading within a union manufacturing environment, with a demonstrated ability to build trust and drive employee engagement across all levels of the organization. Proven success implementing lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, continuous improvement, and operational excellence initiatives. Demonstrated experience leading significant capital investments, large‑scale projects, and transformational business initiatives. Strong business and financial acumen, including experience managing budgets, analyzing performance metrics, and driving operational results. A track record of developing high‑performing leadership teams and successfully leading organizations through growth and change. Personal Qualifications We are seeking an energetic, visible, and people‑focused leader who can effectively engage and inspire employees at every level of the organization. The ideal candidate will demonstrate: Exceptional leadership presence and communication skills. The ability to build trust within a long‑tenured workforce. A hands‑on leadership style with a strong presence on the manufacturing floor. High emotional intelligence and strong coaching capabilities. The ability to simplify complex problems and drive accountability. Resilience, adaptability, and a passion for leading through change. A balance of humility, technical curiosity, and operational discipline. Education Requirements Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, or a related discipline required. An MBA or advanced technical degree is preferred. Travel Minimal travel required. Compensation Lightera offers a competitive compensation package including a base salary, annual bonus opportunity, and comprehensive benefits. #J-18808-Ljbffr