Location: Huntsville, AL Area
Employment Type: Direct Hire
Work Schedule: Onsite
Industry: Automotive Manufacturing
Product Focus: Molded Foam / Polyurethane Foam
Search Type: Confidential
ROLE SNAPSHOT
We are supporting a confidential automotive manufacturing client with a Plant Manager search in the Huntsville, Alabama area.
This is a senior plant leadership role responsible for the full performance of a molded foam manufacturing operation. The right person will lead safety, quality, production, delivery, cost, people, customer performance, lean manufacturing, materials, logistics, and plant financials.
This role needs a true plant leader. Someone who can walk the floor, understand the numbers, lead the team, handle customer pressure, and keep a fast-paced operation moving.
WHAT THIS PERSON WILL OWN
• Overall plant performance
• Safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people metrics
• 3 shift manufacturing leadership
• Hourly and salaried workforce management
• JIT production and customer delivery
• Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement
• Materials, logistics, supply base, and inventory control
• Budgeting, forecasting, cost control, and plant financials
• Customer relationships and audit support
• Supervisor, manager, and plant staff development
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Lead daily plant operations across safety, quality, production, delivery, cost, and people
• Serve as the lean leader for the facility
• Lead hourly and salaried teams through the plant management structure
• Manage production targets in a fast-paced JIT manufacturing environment
• Drive Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen, VAVE, TQM, and continuous improvement activity
• Partner with customers and internal teams on manufacturing strategy, cost reduction, and business planning
• Work with accounting and finance on budgeting, forecasting, and plant performance
• Support health, safety, environmental, quality, and customer audit processes
• Build a culture of accountability, communication, urgency, safety, and performance
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
• 8 to 10 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience
• Plant Manager, Operations Manager, or senior manufacturing leadership experience
• Automotive manufacturing experience strongly preferred
• JIT manufacturing experience required
• Experience leading both hourly and salaried teams
• Strong lean manufacturing and continuous improvement background
• Experience with plant metrics, budgeting, forecasting, cost control, safety, quality, materials, logistics, and customer performance
• Strong leadership, communication, problem-solving, and team development skills
EDUCATION
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Commerce, Operations, or related field preferred.