Plant Manager

For over 24 years, Dakkota Integrated Systems has delivered excellence through precision-engineered, build-to-order vehicle components from cockpits to fascia assemblies. Our award-winning team combines advanced lean manufacturing, strong product development, and a highly efficient supply chain to meet customer demands with reliability and innovation.

If you're looking for a company that empowers you to grow while driving excellence, collaboration, and innovation to create real impact, we’d love to meet you.

We are seeking a strategic and dynamic Plant Manager to lead all aspects of our manufacturing operations and drive operational excellence. This role is responsible for overseeing production, safety, quality, maintenance, materials, and continuous improvement initiatives to ensure efficiency, profitability, and compliance.

The ideal candidate is an innovative, data-driven leader with a passion for operational performance, employee engagement, and fostering a culture of safety and continuous improvement.

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

• 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.
• Greenfield & Brownfield Leadership: Lead greenfield startups and brownfield transformation initiatives, including facility launch, workforce planning, equipment installation, operational readiness, facility expansions, production capacity enhancements, and process optimization efforts while ensuring business continuity and achieving operational excellence.
• Turnaround & Transformation Leadership: Lead plant turnaround, recovery, and business transformation initiatives by developing and executing strategic action plans that improve safety, quality, delivery, cost performance, employee engagement, and operational effectiveness. Drive organizational change through restructuring, culture transformation, lean manufacturing, cost reduction, and continuous improvement programs to deliver sustainable business results.
• Additional Duties: Perform other responsibilities as assigned by management.

• Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing, operations management, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 7 years in an automotive manufacturing environment with progressive leadership responsibilities. Preferably within Just-In-Time (JIT) assembly and sequencing operations.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to interact effectively with all levels of the organization, including executive leadership.
• Proven ability to lead teams, delegate tasks, and manage priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze issues, develop solutions, and make sound decisions under pressure.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and other relevant software…