Plant Manager

Position: Plant Manager

Position Type: Direct Hire

Location: Chicago, IL (Relocation support available for the right candidate)

Compensation: $155,000 – $175,000 base salary + 12% bonus potential

Shift: 1st Shift

Position Summary:

Seeking a strategic and hands-on Plant Manager to lead all aspects of manufacturing operations at a Chicago, IL Value-Add Assembly (VAA) facility. This role is responsible for driving operational excellence across production, quality, materials, engineering, maintenance, safety, and continuous improvement initiatives while building a strong culture of employee engagement, accountability, and performance.

The ideal candidate is an experienced automotive manufacturing leader with a strong background in Tier 1 supplier operations, JIT manufacturing, and continuous improvement initiatives. This individual will play a key role in improving plant performance, developing leadership teams, strengthening processes, and building strong relationships across the organization.

This position is based on-site at the Chicago, IL facility and reports to the VP of Operations as part of the Plant Leadership Team.

Position Responsibilities:

• Operational Leadership: Oversee all aspects of daily plant operations, including production, engineering, maintenance, materials, quality, HR, IT, and health & safety.
• Communication & Alignment: Clearly communicate company and plant goals, expectations, and objectives to all employees.
• Leadership & Improvement: Lead management meetings, drive corrective actions, monitor performance, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
• Stakeholder Relationships: Build and maintain strong relationships with internal teams and external partners.
• Safety & Compliance: Champion a Safety-First culture and ensure compliance with all safety standards, policies, and procedures.
• Financial & Strategic Performance: Achieve profitability targets, execute business plans, and adjust strategies based on risk and opportunity analysis.
• Employee Engagement: Promote high levels of employee satisfaction, accountability, and professional development.
• Program Execution: Ensure successful launches of new programs, engineering changes, and model transitions.
• Risk Management: Maintain disaster preparedness and facility security in alignment with recovery plans.
• Documentation & Reporting: Maintain accurate records and ensure adherence to the Business Operating System.
• Culture & Vision: Uphold company vision, values, and operating philosophy while complying with the Employee Handbook and CBA.
• Additional Duties: Perform other responsibilities as assigned by management.

Position Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing, operations management, or a related discipline required.
• Minimum of 5+ years of Plant Manager experience within a Tier 1 automotive manufacturing environment
• Must have experience working within a Value-Add Assembly (VAA) manufacturing environment; general automotive or warehouse experience alone will not be considered.
• Strong background in Just-In-Time (JIT) manufacturing and sequencing operations required.
• Proven experience leading plant-wide operations within an automotive manufacturing facility, including production, quality, materials, engineering, maintenance, safety, HR, and continuous improvement.
• Previous experience working with automotive OEM customers is preferred, preferably with Ford
• Previous experience managing within a unionized manufacturing environment is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success driving continuous improvement initiatives, including Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen events, problem-solving processes, and operational improvements.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to build relationships, gain employee buy-in, and effectively lead teams in a hands-on manufacturing environment.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills with the ability to identify opportunities and implement solutions.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to interact effectively with employees at all levels, including executive leadership.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and other relevant manufacturing systems.