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
โข Overall plant performance
โข Safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people metrics
โข 3 shift manufacturing leadership
โข Hourly and salaried workforce management
โข JIT production and customer delivery
โข Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement
โข Materials, logistics, supply base, and inventory control
โข Budgeting, forecasting, cost control, and plant financials
โข Customer relationships and audit support
โข Supervisor, manager, and plant staff development
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
โข Lead daily plant operations across safety, quality, production, delivery, cost, and people
โข Serve as the lean leader for the facility
โข Lead hourly and salaried teams through the plant management structure
โข Manage production targets in a fast-paced JIT manufacturing environment
โข Drive Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen, VAVE, TQM, and continuous improvement activity
โข Partner with customers and internal teams on manufacturing strategy, cost reduction, and business planning
โข Work with accounting and finance on budgeting, forecasting, and plant performance
โข Support health, safety, environmental, quality, and customer audit processes
โข Build a culture of accountability, communication, urgency, safety, and performance
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
โข 8 to 10 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience
โข Plant Manager, Operations Manager, or senior manufacturing leadership experience
โข Automotive manufacturing experience strongly preferred
โข JIT manufacturing experience required
โข Experience leading both hourly and salaried teams
โข Strong lean manufacturing and continuous improvement background
โข Experience with plant metrics, budgeting, forecasting, cost control, safety, quality, materials, logistics, and customer performance
โข Strong leadership, communication, problem-solving, and team development skills
EDUCATION
Bachelorโs degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Commerce, Operations, or related field preferred.