Plant Manager

Our client is an established, privately held specialty chemical manufacturer with a strong reputation for technical expertise, customized products, and responsive customer service. The company serves a diverse customer base across multiple industrial markets, operating in a technically demanding manufacturing environment where product quality, process consistency, and reliable delivery are essential.

With a successful operating history and ambitious plans for future growth, the company is entering an important phase of its development. Leadership is focused on strengthening manufacturing capabilities, improving operational performance, and building the infrastructure necessary to support significant business expansion over the next five to seven years.

The company is seeking a Plant Manager who can lead this effort by combining strong day-to-day manufacturing leadership with a disciplined, continuous improvement mindset.

Position Overview

The Plant Manager will lead manufacturing operations and drive a comprehensive effort to improve productivity, efficiency, quality, and operational consistency. Reporting to the Vice President of Operations, this individual will be responsible for current production performance while developing the processes, systems, and organizational capabilities required to support the company’s long-term growth objectives.

This is a particularly attractive opportunity for a manufacturing leader who has successfully improved an operation, introduced greater process discipline, and delivered measurable results in a complex manufacturing environment.

The company’s operations involve batch processing, multiple product formulations, and customized manufacturing requirements. The successful candidate must understand how to improve efficiency and standardization without compromising product quality or the flexibility required to meet customer needs.

A central priority will be establishing a structured approach to continuous improvement throughout the plant. This includes identifying operational inefficiencies, implementing effective problem-solving methodologies, strengthening process controls, reducing the cost of poor quality, and establishing clear accountability for manufacturing performance.

The ideal candidate is a hands‑on leader who enjoys working directly with employees, challenging existing processes, developing people, and translating improvement opportunities into sustainable business results.

Key Responsibilities

Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Lead the development and execution of a continuous improvement strategy focused on improving manufacturing performance, increasing capacity, reducing costs, and supporting the company’s long‑term growth objectives.

• Assess existing manufacturing processes to identify opportunities to improve throughput, productivity, yields, quality, labor utilization, and equipment effectiveness.

• Establish a structured approach to identifying operational problems, conducting root‑cause analysis, implementing corrective actions, and verifying sustained improvements.

• Introduce and implement appropriate Lean manufacturing, process improvement, and operational excellence methodologies suited to a complex, high‑mix batch‑processing environment.

• Identify and eliminate sources of waste, including scrap, rework, excessive processing time, equipment downtime, unnecessary material handling, and inefficient production workflows.

• Establish continuous improvement projects with defined objectives, measurable performance targets, implementation plans, and financial or operational benefits.

• Develop and maintain key performance indicators that provide visibility into manufacturing performance and help prioritize improvement initiatives.

• Implement regular operating reviews to evaluate results, address performance gaps, and ensure accountability for corrective actions.

• Standardize successful practices across products, processes, equipment, and shifts to improve consistency and reduce reliance on individual knowledge or informal procedures.

• Foster a culture in which employees at all levels are encouraged to identify problems, challenge existing practices, and contribute to ongoing improvement.

• Partner with the Vice President of Operations and other business leaders to prioritize initiatives based on their potential impact on productivity, profitability, customer service, and capacity.

Manufacturing Leadership & Production Performance

• Direct daily manufacturing operations to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable execution of the production schedule.

• Establish clear expectations and accountability for production output, schedule attainment, labor productivity, quality, and delivery performance.

• Maintain a visible presence on the plant floor, working directly with supervisors and operators to resolve problems and improve execution.

• Evaluate production workflows, equipment utilization, staffing levels, and capacity constraints to identify opportunities for improved performance.

• Improve coordination between manufacturing, production planning, maintenance, quality, warehousing, and other supporting functions.

• Balance production efficiency with the flexibility required to accommodate customized products, changing priorities, and customer‑specific requirements.

• Identify opportunities to increase production capacity and throughput without proportionally increasing labor and overhead costs.

• Ensure manufacturing priorities align with customer commitments, available resources, product requirements, and broader business objectives.

Process Control, Standardization & Quality Improvement

• Strengthen manufacturing processes and operating procedures to improve product consistency, process reliability, and repeatability.

• Partner with Quality, Technical Services, Engineering, and other stakeholders to address manufacturing‑related quality issues and prevent recurring problems.

• Reinforce adherence to approved formulations, batch instructions, process parameters, and established operating procedures.

• Lead or coordinate investigations into production deviations, batch failures, scrap, rework, and other manufacturing issues, emphasizing root‑cause analysis and sustainable corrective actions.

• Improve production documentation, operator training, and process controls to reduce variability and prevent avoidable errors.

• Identify opportunities to reduce the cost of poor quality, including material losses, production delays, reprocessing, and customer‑related quality costs.

• Help establish consistent manufacturing standards that support growth while maintaining the flexibility and responsiveness expected in a specialty chemical business.

• Ensure that continuous improvement initiatives strengthen process reliability and product quality rather than simply increasing production speed.

Production Planning, Scheduling & Delivery

• Improve production planning and scheduling processes to increase visibility into capacity, priorities, constraints, and customer commitments.

• Work cross‑functionally to improve on‑time delivery, reduce production lead times, and respond effectively to changing customer requirements.

• Identify bottlenecks and constraints affecting manufacturing flow, equipment utilization, and production capacity.

• Improve coordination among manufacturing, supply chain, customer service, and other departments to ensure effective execution of the production plan.

• Develop processes for identifying and communicating production risks before they affect customer commitments.

• Establish a balance between manufacturing efficiency, inventory requirements, production flexibility, and customer service.

Team Development & Organizational Effectiveness

• Lead, coach, and develop production supervisors and frontline employees, establishing clear expectations for performance, accountability, and continuous improvement.

• Build a culture of ownership in which employees take responsibility for operating performance, identify problems proactively, and participate in solving them.

• Develop the capabilities of frontline leaders to manage daily production, monitor performance, address issues, and sustain improvements.

• Establish consistent management routines, communication practices, and performance reviews throughout the manufacturing organization.

• Identify training needs and ensure employees have the skills necessary to operate equipment, follow procedures, and perform their responsibilities effectively.

• Address performance issues directly and constructively while maintaining a collaborative, respectful work environment.

• Prepare the manufacturing organization to support increased production volumes, additional capacity requirements, and greater operational complexity as the business grows.

Safety, Compliance & Equipment Reliability

• Maintain a strong safety culture and ensure manufacturing operations comply with applicable environmental, health, safety, and regulatory requirements.

• Reinforce appropriate procedures for chemical handling, material storage, equipment operation, housekeeping, and waste management.

• Partner with maintenance to improve equipment reliability, preventive maintenance, and downtime reduction.

• Identify operational risks and implement measures to protect employees, facilities, equipment, and product integrity.

• Incorporate safety, equipment reliability, and risk reduction into continuous improvement initiatives.

Performance Measurement & Strategic Growth

• Establish a manufacturing performance management system that provides clear visibility into operating results and improvement opportunities.

• Monitor key performance indicators, including:

  • Production throughput and schedule attainment.

  • On‑time delivery and manufacturing lead times.

  • Batch yields, scrap, and rework.

  • Labor productivity and manufacturing cost per unit.

  • First‑pass quality and batch success rates.

  • Equipment uptime and unplanned downtime.

  • Cost of poor quality.

  • Safety performance and employee development.

• Quantify the operational and financial impact of improvement initiatives and report progress against established objectives.

• Partner with the Vice President of Operations to align manufacturing priorities with the company’s broader business strategy.

• Evaluate production capacity, equipment, staffing, and process requirements associated with projected business growth.

• Help develop the systems, processes, and leadership capabilities required to scale the manufacturing operation over the next five to seven years.

• Identify opportunities to improve profitability through greater efficiency, reduced waste, increased capacity utilization, and more consistent execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, manufacturing, operations management, or a related discipline preferred; equivalent experience will be considered.

• Significant experience in manufacturing leadership, plant operations, production management, or a comparable operational role.

• Experience in specialty chemicals, chemicals, polymers, polyurethane, coatings, adhesives, resins, plastics, or another process‑oriented manufacturing environment strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated success leading continuous improvement initiatives that delivered measurable improvements in productivity, throughput, quality, yield, cost, or delivery performance.

• Experience with batch processing, complex manufacturing processes, multiple product formulations, or high‑mix production environments is highly desirable.

• Practical knowledge of Lean manufacturing, root‑cause analysis, structured problem‑solving, and process improvement methodologies.

• Experience establishing manufacturing KPIs, operating reviews, standardized procedures, and accountability systems.

• Demonstrated ability to reduce manufacturing waste, improve process consistency, and address recurring operational problems.

• Strong understanding of production planning, scheduling, capacity management, labor utilization, and equipment reliability.

• Experience developing frontline leaders and building a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, including the ability to use operational data to identify priorities and measure results.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate across manufacturing, quality, maintenance, supply chain, and senior leadership.

• A hands‑on leadership style and the ability to balance immediate production requirements with longer‑term operational improvement initiatives.

Ideal Leadership Profile

The successful candidate will bring a combination of operational credibility, analytical thinking, and the ability to lead meaningful change.

Continuous Improvement Mindset: Approaches manufacturing challenges as opportunities to improve processes, eliminate waste, and strengthen operating performance. Has a track record of turning improvement concepts into measurable, sustainable results.

Hands‑On Leadership: Spends time on the plant floor, understands the realities of daily production, engages employees directly, and leads problem‑solving efforts where the work takes place.

Results Orientation: Establishes clear objectives, prioritizes high‑impact opportunities, and measures success through tangible improvements in productivity, quality, cost, and delivery.

Process Discipline: Understands the importance of consistent procedures, reliable process controls, and standardized work in improving manufacturing performance.

Collaborative Approach: Works effectively across departments, builds strong relationships with employees and peers, and recognizes the importance of cross‑functional cooperation.

Change Leadership: Can introduce greater structure, accountability, and process discipline in an established, entrepreneurial organization without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.

Strategic Perspective: Looks beyond immediate production demands to identify the systems, people, and capabilities needed to support future growth.

People Development: Builds capable frontline leaders, encourages employee involvement, and creates an environment in which continuous improvement becomes part of the organization’s daily operating culture.

The Opportunity

This position offers the opportunity to make a substantial impact on an established specialty manufacturing business entering an important phase of growth.

The Plant Manager will have the autonomy to identify and implement operational improvements, develop manufacturing talent, strengthen production systems, and help shape the company’s future manufacturing capabilities.

The successful candidate will have a direct influence on operating performance, manufacturing efficiency, product quality, and the organization’s ability to support a significant expansion of the business.

For a manufacturing leader who enjoys improving operations, developing people, and building a more disciplined and scalable manufacturing organization, this is an opportunity to deliver meaningful and lasting results.

#LI-JC1