Plant Manager

Job Summary:

The Plant Manager provides full leadership and operational oversight of a sheet-fed corrugator/converting facility, ensuring safe, efficient, and cost-effective operations that meet customer expectations. This role is responsible for aligning production, maintenance, quality, logistics, and workforce development with company goals. The Plant Manager collaborates closely with the Superintendent and supervisors to maintain high standards of safety, quality, productivity, and employee engagement while driving continuous improvement throughout the plant.

Key Responsibilities:

• Operational Leadership: Direct all plant activities, with emphasis on corrugated converting, printing, gluing, and finishing, ensuring all departments operate safely, efficiently, and within customer service targets.
• People Management: Lead, develop, and support the Plant Superintendent, supervisors, and team leads to foster a high-performance culture.
• Safety & Compliance: Champion safety as a core value, maintaining full compliance with OSHA regulations and company policies; drive a zero-incident culture.
• Production Oversight: Monitor daily plant output, schedule adherence, machine uptime, and labor performance; support real-time problem-solving and decision-making.
• Customer Focus: Ensure production and delivery commitments are met with high-quality output and minimal waste.
• Continuous Improvement: Lead Lean initiatives (5S, Kaizen, SMED, waste reduction) and embed a culture of ongoing improvement throughout the facility.
• Financial Accountability: Own plant-level financial performance including budgeting, labor efficiency, materials usage, and cost controls.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Sales, Scheduling, Maintenance, Logistics, and HR to align plant performance with business needs.
• Strategic Execution: Develop and execute long-range plans related to staffing, capital investments,customer growth, and operational capability.
• Conduct daily walkthroughs to observe safety, quality, and performance.
• Lead daily production meetings with Superintendent and department leads.
• Ensure coordination between scheduling, maintenance, and production to optimize run times and order fulfillment.
• Support resolution of urgent issues including mechanical failures, staffing gaps, and material shortages.
• Monitor labor efficiency, downtime trends, and job changeovers to identify immediate areas for action.
• Review weekly KPIs: waste, uptime, throughput, customer OTIF, and labor productivity.
• Meet with supervisors and the Superintendent to review operational targets, staffing, and training status.
• Adjust labor plans and production priorities based on backlog, order mix, and machine availability.
• Collaborate with Maintenance on preventive maintenance completion and upcoming priorities
• Ensure all departments are in compliance with safety and housekeeping standards.
• Prepare monthly operations summary and present key findings and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Conduct structured 1:1s with the Superintendent and key department heads for coaching and accountability.
• Evaluate plant-wide training, cross-training, and skill matrix gaps; implement development plans.
• Lead monthly plant meetings to communicate progress, reinforce safety culture, and recognize performance.
• Participate in capital planning, vendor evaluations, and equipment upgrade discussions.
• Lead root cause investigations for safety incidents, customer complaints, or major quality issues.
• Represent the facility in customer visits, audits, and corporate reviews.
• Support rollout of ERP or system changes impacting scheduling, quality, or production reporting.
• Guide onboarding and performance management processes in partnership with HR.
• Engage in supplier discussions for raw material or support service concerns affecting plant operations.

Skills & Qualifications:

• Leadership & People Management: Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop supervisors and frontline staff. Strong performance management and conflict resolution skills.
• Analytical & Problem-Solving: Data-driven decision-making abilities with strong skills in identifying root causes and implementing effective solutions.
• Communication Skills: Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills; able to communicate across all levels of the organization.
• Organizational Skills: Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced production environment.
• Technical Knowledge: In-depth understanding of corrugated manufacturing processes, machinery, and materials.
• Financial Acumen: Working knowledge of plant-level P&L performance, cost control, and productivity metrics.
• Computer Skills: Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook); familiarity with ERP, MES, and other production software systems.
• Compliance & Safety: Knowledge of OSHA regulations, hazardous materials handling, and waste management practices.

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing, Business Administration, or a related field is preferred. Equivalent work experience will be considered.
• Minimum of 5+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment, with at least 2 years in a senior plant leadership role.
• Experience in the corrugated packaging or paper converting industry is highly preferred.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to stand and walk throughout the plant for extended periods (up to 8-10 hours per day).
• Must be able to climb stairs, access elevated platforms, and navigate typical plant environments.
• Ability to lift, push, or pull materials and equipment weighing up to 50 lbs occasionally.
• Visual and auditory ability to detect safety risks, equipment issues, and quality defects.

Pay Transparency: The starting annual salary for this position ranges from $110,000 to $140,000. Other rewards may include annual bonus eligibility, which is based on company and individual performance. New-Indy provides a variety of benefits to employees, including medical, dental and vision insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, retirement savings plan, paid holidays, and paid time off (PTO). Please note that the compensation information is a good faith estimate for this position. It assumes a rate based on location and experience.