Plant Manager

Plant Manager

At Pierce Manufacturing, we build trucks that protect people and communities around the world. To our team, there is no room for anything less than providing the absolute best. Since 1913, building truck bodies on Model T Ford chassis in an old converted church has evolved to creating highly customized, carefully designed and engineering pumpers, aerials, tankers and rescue units that have no equal. Today, you'll find more than 30,000 Pierce apparatuses on the road that are making a difference in people's lives, every day. To us, every step in the process of building our trucks is personal. From innovation and expertise, to the customization and service. Our trucks are designed to perform under the toughest conditions.

The Plant Manager is responsible for leading manufacturing operations within a highly complex, high-mix, low-volume production environment. This leader will oversee large teams across multiple production areas, drive operational performance, and ensure alignment with organizational goals related to safety, quality, delivery, cost, and employee engagement.

The ideal candidate brings proven plant leadership experience within large-scale manufacturing organizations and has successfully led teams through operational transformation, process improvement initiatives, and changing business demands.

Your impact:

• Lead manufacturing operations across designated production areas while ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality execution.
• Champion a safety-first culture where employee wellbeing is prioritized and operational decisions are made with safety at the forefront.
• Develop and inspire large teams by fostering accountability, engagement, collaboration, and continuous growth.
• Drive operational excellence initiatives that improve productivity, throughput, quality, and customer satisfaction.
• Lead through ambiguity and organizational change while maintaining focus on business objectives and employee engagement.
• Partner closely with production, materials, quality, engineering, supply chain, and business leaders to achieve operational goals.
• Identify and eliminate operational constraints, bottlenecks, and inefficiencies throughout the manufacturing process.
• Establish performance expectations and utilize key metrics to drive accountability and results.
• Support strategic planning initiatives that position the organization for future growth and operational success.
• Lead continuous improvement activities utilizing Lean manufacturing principles and problem-solving methodologies.
• Develop leadership talent throughout the organization through coaching, mentoring, and succession planning.
• Foster strong communication across all levels of the organization to ensure alignment and effective execution.
• Support customer commitments by balancing safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives.
• Build strong cross-functional partnerships to effectively navigate organizational complexity and drive business results.
• Serve as a visible leader on the manufacturing floor, actively engaging employees and reinforcing company values.

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
• 5+ years of leadership experience within a plant, manufacturing, operations, or production leadership role.
• Experience leading large teams within a complex manufacturing environment.
• Experience driving operational performance through metrics, accountability, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional teams and influencing stakeholders across multiple functions.

Standout qualifications:

• Plant Manager, Senior Plant Manager, Director of Manufacturing, Director of Operations, or equivalent leadership experience.
• Experience within high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environments.
• Experience within custom-engineered, capital equipment, heavy equipment, specialty vehicle, aerospace, defense, agricultural equipment, construction equipment, transportation, or industrial manufacturing industries.
• Proven ability to lead organizations through transformation, growth, or significant operational change.
• Strong background in Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, Kaizen, Value Stream Management, or Operational Excellence initiatives.
• Experience leading large, multi-shift manufacturing operations.
• Demonstrated ability to develop high-performing leadership teams and drive employee engagement.
• Strong executive presence with exceptional communication, influence, and relationship-building skills.
• Proven track record of driving safety, quality, delivery, and productivity improvements.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, highly visible manufacturing environment where priorities evolve rapidly.