Plant Manager

Plant Manager

The Plant Manager is accountable for the overall operating performance of the manufacturing complex, one of the company’s largest, most complex, and most visible operations. This role leads two manufacturing facilities, offsite warehouse, and a customer service building, ensuring these operations consistently deliver safe, reliable, high-quality, and cost-competitive products that support both internal and external customers.

The Defiance complex is the sole producer of marbles, fiberglass pipe covers, and several critical OEM and performance material product lines, supplying multiple plants and external customers. The Plant Manager must sustain operational excellence while leading significant capital investments including furnace rebuilds, automation initiatives, and potential expansion projects.

Success in this role is defined by the ability to improve safety performance, increase engagement, raise throughput, improve quality, strengthen financial results, and execute capital projects on time and on budget all while leading a unionized workforce of 600+ hourly and 60+ salaried employees in a highly visible, multisite environment.

Key Performance Outcomes The Plant Manager is expected to:

• Safety & Environmental Performance
• Operational Excellence
• People & Culture
• Financial Performance
• Capital & Strategic Execution
• Systems, Governance & Reporting
• External Leadership

Why This Role Stands Out:

• Enterprise Critical Leadership Role
• True Scale and Accountability
• Transformation Opportunity
• High Visibility, High Impact
• Career Defining Challenge

Qualifications & Leadership Capabilities:

• Bachelor’s degree required (engineering or technical related degree preferred) with 12+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, including 5+ years as a Plant Manager or equivalent senior site leadership role.
• Demonstrated success leading large, complex, multiline manufacturing operations with union and salaried workforces.
• Proven ability to deliver measurable improvements in safety, productivity, quality, cost, and employee engagement.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing P&L performance and capital programs.
• Deep knowledge of continuous improvement disciplines (Lean, Six Sigma, Kepner Tregoe, or similar).
• Experience with environmental permitting, regulatory agencies, and safety program leadership.
• Strong technical and mechanical aptitude with the ability to challenge and improve manufacturing systems.
• Highly effective communicator and collaborator, capable of influencing at all levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated ability to set clear direction, prioritize competing demands, and drive disciplined execution.
• Willingness to travel periodically (1-9 days per year).

Security Clearance Required: No

Visa Candidate Considered: No