Plant Manager

The Company Heico has a history of success. Since its founding over 40 years ago, The Heico Companies has grown from a single business to more than 80 separate companies through a strategic acquisition process. Once acquired, individual businesses grow by reinvesting earnings into internal growth. Historically talented at restoring distressed companies, Heico strategically targets acquisitions that will complement its ever-growing portfolio of companies in manufacturing, construction, and industrial services. Heico’s portfolio of companies are organized into four groups: Applied Solutions Group, Construction Solutions Group, Industrial Technologies Group, and Metal Processing Group. Once acquired, new Heico companies are assigned to a group and run on a stand-alone basis, allowing for great independence as well as the opportunity to share knowledge about markets, production processes, and management practices across other Heico groups and companies. Heico continues to seek out new opportunities and maintain its standard of success. The Heico Companies has remained a privately held company since its creation and maintains a majority ownership in each of its operations, which generates nearly $4 billion dollars in revenues. Many of our businesses are certified Woman-owned Business Enterprises (WBE). More information about the overall organization can be found at Versatile Mold and Design, Inc. (VMD) designs and builds molds and dies for numerous multi-national companies in a wide variety of industries. Versatile also acts as a product development partner with our customers by offering prototyping services, design support and part production. Since our inception, Versatile has been committed to improving the long-term competitive edge of our customers through innovative engineering. We are a full-service molding facility capable of providing support through all phases of the development process. We have extensive experience with both thermoset and thermoplastic materials. We design and build tooling for injection molding, compression molding, transfer molding, and metal stamping. Versatile also offers general machining, wire and sinker EDM services as well as tool maintenance, repair and refurbishment. Job Description / Primary Responsibilities Direct and oversee daily manufacturing operations, including production, scheduling, maintenance, quality, materials management, and plant support functions. Partner with the Vice President of Operations to execute strategic initiatives and achieve operational goals. Ensure production schedules, customer delivery commitments, and quality standards are consistently met. Lead and develop supervisors and department managers through coaching, performance management, and succession planning. Promote and enforce a culture of safety, regulatory compliance, and adherence to company policies and procedures. Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to productivity, efficiency, scrap, downtime, quality, labor utilization, and on-time delivery. Collaborate with Engineering, Sales, Customer Service, and Supply Chain teams to optimize production planning and resolve operational challenges. Identify opportunities for continuous improvement through Lean Manufacturing, process optimization, waste reduction, and cost-saving initiatives. Manage plant budgets and operating expenses while supporting profitability goals established by senior leadership. Ensure equipment reliability through preventive maintenance programs and capital improvement planning. Oversee staffing needs, workforce planning, and employee engagement initiatives to maintain a high-performing team. Support ISO quality standards, audits, corrective actions, and continuous compliance efforts. Serve as the operational leader in the absence of the Vice President of Operations, making sound business decisions to maintain continuity of operations. Foster cross-functional collaboration and maintain open, professional communication across all departments. Leadership Responsibilities Build a culture focused on accountability, respect, teamwork, and operational excellence. Mentor leaders throughout the organization and encourage employee development. Lead by example in promoting safety, quality, integrity, and continuous improvement. Drive employee engagement and recognize performance achievements. Champion change management initiatives that improve plant performance and organizational effectiveness. Job Requirements Education Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business, or a related field preferred. Equivalent combination of education and progressive manufacturing leadership experience may be considered. Skills & Relevant Work Experience Experience 7–10 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, with at least 5 years in a supervisory or management role. Experience leading operations in plastics manufacturing, injection molding, tooling, or a related manufacturing environment strongly preferred. Proven experience managing production teams, quality systems, maintenance functions, and continuous improvement initiatives. Demonstrated success in improving productivity, reducing costs, and driving operational performance. Experience working within ISO-certified manufacturing environments is preferred. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Strong leadership and people management skills. Excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities. Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies. Understanding of production planning, inventory control, quality systems, and maintenance management. Strong financial acumen with experience managing budgets and labor costs. Effective communication and interpersonal skills across all levels of the organization. Proficiency with ERP systems and Microsoft Office applications. Physical Requirements Ability to regularly walk the manufacturing floor and observe operations. Ability to stand, bend, and occasionally lift up to 25 pounds. Must be able to work in a manufacturing environment requiring appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Travel Occasional travel may be required to customer sites, supplier locations, or other company facilities. EOE M/F/D/V Aimwel