Plant Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Description
As SmartLam North America continues to grow, the Plant Manager will play a critical leadership role in scaling plant operations safely, efficiently, and sustainably. This position is responsible for directing production, distribution, warehousing, quality, safety, and workforce performance in accordance with company policies, operational goals, and continuous improvement priorities.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day plant operations, including production, distribution, warehousing, scheduling, staffing, safety, quality, and overall operational performance.
• Develop and execute plans that support efficient use of materials, equipment, labor, inventory, and production capacity as company demand increases.
• Monitor production, quality, cost, inventory, and delivery performance; analyze operational data and implement corrective actions to improve results.
• Partner with the corporate team on budgets, forecasting, capital needs, staffing plans, operating procedures, and long-term plant growth initiatives.
• Provide leadership and direction to supervisors and plant employees, ensuring clear expectations, accountability, communication, and follow-through across departments.
• Play a key role in recruiting, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, employee development, corrective action, and issue resolution.
• Champion a strong safety culture by ensuring compliance with OSHA, state, local, and company requirements; lead regular safety communication, audits, training, and corrective action follow-up.
• Drive continuous improvement efforts to reduce waste, improve throughput, support quality standards, minimize downtime, and increase operational reliability.
• Build strong communication between plant leadership, employees, corporate partners, vendors, customers, and other stakeholders to support business growth and operational success.

Required Skills & Experience

• Strong technical knowledge of manufacturing processes, equipment, maintenance needs, and plant operations, including both mechanical and electrical systems.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, manage supervisors, develop employees, and build accountability in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Experience using production data, operational reports, KPIs, and financial information to make decisions and improve plant performance.
• Working knowledge of safety regulations, quality systems, continuous improvement practices, and standard operating procedures.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office, production reporting tools, ERP or inventory systems, project management tools, and related business technologies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate clearly across all levels of the organization.
• Strong problem-solving, prioritization, organizational, and decision-making skills.
• Positive, hands-on leadership style with a proven track record of delivering results, improving processes, and supporting employee engagement.
• Minimum of 5 years of managerial experience in a manufacturing environment; wood products, engineered wood, or related industry experience preferred.
• Ability to operate with urgency, sound judgment, and minimal supervision while balancing day-to-day demands with long-term business priorities.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, Materials Science, or a related field preferred; equivalent combinations of education and relevant experience will be considered.

• Experience with engineered wood products, lean manufacturing, ERP systems, production scaling, capital projects, or high-growth manufacturing environments preferred.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or physical requirements. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Equal Employment Opportunity

SmartLam North America is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable laws regarding discrimination. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, disability, age, genetic information, or any other protected status.

Americans with Disabilities:

SmartLam North America will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities, in accordance with applicable law, to enable them to perform the essential functions of the position unless doing so would impose an undue hardship.