Plant Manager

Description

 Alloy Engineering, a 100% employee-owned (ESOP) company located in Berea, is seeking a Plant Manager to serve as the senior site leader responsible for the full operational performance of the facility. This role owns everything that happens within the four walls — production output, quality, safety, workforce, cost, and maintenance — and is the single accountable leader for the site's business results. The Plant Manager operates with a high degree of autonomy, escalating to the Director of Operations for cross-site, strategic, or policy-level decisions. 

WHY THIS ROLE EXISTS

· Each AECo facility has distinct equipment, processes, workforce profiles, and customer requirements; dedicated site leadership ensures these nuances are managed with expertise and proximity.

· The Director of Operations cannot simultaneously manage daily operations at two facilities — the Plant Manager is the on-site decision-maker.

· Site-level speed, morale, and accountability require a single recognized leader who is physically present and operationally engaged.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Production & Delivery Performance

· Own the daily, weekly, and monthly production schedule — ensuring on-time, on-quality delivery of all customer orders; manage capacity constraints and adjust for bottleneck operations.

· Look forward forecasting one month out, planning for capacity and “open capacity” and predict bottlenecks.

· Manage production supervisors, lead dispatching decisions, and resolve constraints in real time.

· Implement and maintain visual management systems (production boards, flow indicators, WIP controls, morning production walks).

· Drive OEE improvement for critical production assets.

· In coordination with IOM, perform weekly ship planning and reporting to reach targeted ship plan.

· Evaluate monthly fall-outs and analyze data for trends and action planning.

2. Supply Chain Execution & Material Coordination

· Partner with IOM to ensure material availability aligns with the production schedule; escalate shortages or lead time risks as early as possible.

· Provide demand signals and material forecasts to IOM for purchasing planning — communicate schedule changes, priority shifts, and new order requirements promptly.

· Identify site-specific supply chain pain points (recurring shortages, problem vendors, quality escapes from suppliers) and escalate to the Director of Operations for strategic resolution.

3. Quality & Continuous Improvement

· Champion quality culture on the shop floor; hold supervisors and operators accountable for in-process inspection and product yield.

· Coordinate with Engineering & Quality on NCRs, corrective actions, and customer complaints; ensure timely root cause analysis and corrective action closure.

· Lead or support lean/continuous improvement projects at the site level.

· Coordinate with Quality department on inbound receiving quality checks in coordination with Shipping & Receiving; flag and segregate non-conforming material immediately.

4. Safety & Compliance

· All completed in coordination with the Corporate Compliance Specialist:

· Own site-level safety — daily hazard walks, incident response, near-miss reporting, and PPE compliance.

· Conduct all required safety inspections, lead incident reviews, and implement corrective actions for any recordable events.

· Ensure all applicable OSHA and regulatory requirements for the site are maintained.

5. Workforce & Labor Management

· Manage site headcount: scheduling, OT approval, labor efficiency, and daily attendance management.

· Conduct regular performance conversations with direct reports; develop front-line supervisors.

· Foster a positive, productive, and accountable shop floor culture.

6. Customer Interaction 

· Act as the primary site-level contact for customers, ensuring timely communication, responsiveness, and issue resolution. 

· Manage customer complaints, delivery issues, and quality concerns at the site level; escalate unresolved or strategic issues to the Director of Operations. 

· Lead customer visit preparation and site tours; present operational capabilities and address customer questions. 

· Build and maintain strong relationships with key customers; proactively identify opportunities to improve customer satisfaction and retention. 

· Coordinate with Engineering & Quality on customer requirements, specifications, and corrective actions.

7. Maintenance & Facilities

· Own the preventive maintenance program for all production equipment at the site.

· Manage, oversee, and direct maintenance personnel; prioritize corrective maintenance to minimize unplanned downtime.

· Manage facility expenses within approved budget; escalate capital needs to Director of Operations.

8. Financial Accountability

· Co-own P&L, Own site-level operational cost performance — labor efficiency, scrap, OT, and supply/consumable costs.

· Participate in budget development; provide variance explanations and corrective actions in monthly reviews.

· Identify cost reduction opportunities without compromising quality or delivery commitments.

Requirements

· 7+ years of manufacturing experience, with at least 3 years in a supervisory or management role.

· Hands-on job-shop, fabrication, or precision machining background strongly preferred (site dependent).

· Demonstrated ability to manage a shop floor through supervisors — not just hands-on production.

· Working knowledge of supply chain execution — able to read a production schedule, identify material shortages, and communicate with purchasing effectively.

· Comfortable with quality systems, basic data analysis, and financial reporting.

Follow our core values:

• Do Right – Always!
• Customer-Centric Teamwork
• Get it Done! – High Quality & Timely
• Drama-Free Work Environment
• Be Smart, Grow & Learn

Alloy Engineering is a 100% employee-owned company and an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and veterans. Offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check and drug screen.