Plant Manager - Century Upholstery #2

Plant Manager - Century Upholstery #2Century Upholstery Plant 2 - Hickory, NC 28601OverviewPosition Type Full Time Job Shift DayDescriptionThe Plant Manager is responsible for leading all operations within Century Furniture Plant #2, a premium upholstery manufacturing facility dedicated to craftsmanship, quality, and customer satisfaction. This role provides leadership across safety, production, quality, delivery, cost management, and workforce development while supporting the company's commitment to bench-made upholstery excellence.This position requires a strong operational leader who understands both the technical and human side of high-end upholstery manufacturing. The successful candidate will lead and develop a skilled production team while implementing modern manufacturing systems, continuous improvement initiatives, and disciplined operational processes that strengthen performance without compromising the craftsmanship and detail that distinguish Century Furniture products.Operational & Strategic LeadershipLead daily plant operations to achieve safety, quality, delivery, and cost targets, including operating profit margin and on time delivery adherence.Develop and execute production plans aligned with sales demand and capacityDrive on-time order fulfillment and throughput performance; monitor KPIs including labor efficiency, rework, and productivity.Partner with the VP of Manufacturing to ensure a seamless leadership transition.Manufacturing Excellence & Continuous ImprovementLead Continuous Improvement initiatives to improve workflow, reduce waste, and increase throughput.Manage the development and maintenance of bill of materials, labor standards, and capacity planning tools across all departments.Ensure BOM and routing accuracy aligned with actual production processes to support ERP data integrity.Identify bottlenecks and implement sustainable process improvements; shift "heavy lifting" from individuals to scalable departmental systems.Manage plant budget and cost structure in alignment with corporate targets; analyze gross margin drivers including labor efficiency and material utilization.Quality & Product IntegrityReduce external claims and decrease rework/scrap through technical root-cause analysis and corrective actions.Partner with Product Development and Engineering to support new product launches.Safety & ComplianceEnsure compliance with OSHA, environmental regulations, and company safety standards; lead plant safety initiatives and foster a safety-first culture.Partner with Human Resources to ensure compliance with employment law, company policies, and workforce best practices.People Leadership & CultureLead, coach, and develop the plant leadership team; build bench strength and succession plans for key roles.Foster a culture of accountability and operational ownership.Lead with urgency, visibility, and consistent floor presence.Drive disciplined execution across all departments.Partner cross-functionally with Human Resources, Finance, Sales, and Product Development to align plant performance with corporate financial goals and brand standards.QualificationsQualifications5+ years of leadership experience in upholstery or furniture manufacturing; 7+ years preferred for candidates with a technical or engineering background.Strong knowledge of upholstery construction, materials, and production flow.Demonstrated experience implementing continuous improvement methodologies.Expertise in labor standards development, BOM integrity, and capacity planning.Experience leading 100+ associates in a manufacturing environment.Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or Business Operations preferred; equivalent experience considered.CompetenciesOperational DisciplineChange LeadershipContinuous Improvement MindsetFinancial AcumenTalent DevelopmentCross-Functional CollaborationPhysical RequirementsProlonged periods of sitting and performing repetitive tasks, including but not limited to computer and telephone usageMust be able to work in noisy environmentsFrequently lifting/carrying objects up to 10 lbs.; on occasion up to 25 lbs.