Plant Director

Base pay range

$/yr - $/yr

Fabcon is a U.S.

-based contract manufacturing and precision metal fabrication company founded in 1977 and headquartered in Santa Ana, California. It operates as a vertically integrated manufacturing partner that supports clients from early engineering and design optimization through precision fabrication, assembly, finishing, testing, and logistics — all under one roof — which simplifies supply chains and accelerates product launches. Fabcon serves a diverse set of industries including power infrastructure, renewable energy, medical equipment, industrial, electronics, and military/defense, delivering custom metal parts, assemblies, and complete manufacturing solutions made in the USA with quality standards such as AS9100 and ISO 9001.

The company’s agile production capabilities and deep technical expertise allow it to handle mid-volume, high-mix programs and scale with customer needs across both prototype and production runs.

Reporting directly to the Vice President of Operations, the Plant Director will be fully accountable for shop floor execution, safety, quality, delivery, and labor performance within the plant. This is a highly hands‑on, on‑site leadership role requiring deep engagement with machine operators, supervisors, and frontline teams. The Plant Director will translate operational strategy into disciplined execution, ensuring production goals are met safely, efficiently, and at high quality.

This role is ideal for a pragmatic, floor‑oriented manufacturing leader who thrives in fast‑paced environments, understands how to run a complex production facility, and wants to play a critical role in scaling a business while maintaining operational excellence.

• Own all day‑to‑day plant operations, including labor management, production scheduling, machine utilization, safety, quality, and on‑time delivery.
• Execute manufacturing plans set by the VP of Operations, ensuring alignment with capacity, labor availability, and customer demand.
• Lead and manage frontline leaders including supervisors, team leads, and production staff.
• Serve as a visible, hands‑on leader on the shop floor; actively problem‑solve production, quality, and workflow issues in real time.
• Drive adherence to safety standards and ensure compliance with OSHA / EH&S requirements; foster a strong safety‑first culture.
• Maintain accountability for production KPIs including throughput, scrap, rework, OTD, labor efficiency, and downtime.
• Partner with the VP of Operations on facility expansion and layout execution, including equipment placement, workflow optimization, and shift ramp‑up.
• Support integration of bolt‑on acquisitions at the plant level, including onboarding teams, standardizing processes, and aligning operating rhythms.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives including Lean, 5S, standard work, and root‑cause problem solving.
• Ensure production processes, work instructions, and quality standards are clearly defined, trained, and consistently followed.
• Collaborate with maintenance to minimize downtime and improve equipment reliability.
• Partner with HR on hiring, training, performance management, and employee relations for hourly and salaried plant staff.
• Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, teamwork, and operational discipline throughout the plant.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement by championing 5S, Lean, and process discipline across all functions.
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory standards (Cal‑OSHA/OSHA/EH&S).
• Foster a culture of ownership, safety, accountability, and operational excellence at every level.
• Work in collaboration with Human Resources in resolving labor issues, employee relations, and supporting HR programs.

• 7–10+ years of progressive leadership experience in a manufacturing environment; metal manufacturing, machining, or fabrication experience strongly preferred.
• Prior experience as a Plant Manager, Plant Director, Operations Manager, or equivalent shop‑floor leadership role.
• Demonstrated success running a production floor with multiple machines, varied job runs, and complex…