Plant Manager

New Manufacturing Plant is seeking a Plant Manager to lead the startup and ongoing operations in Belton, South Carolina. This is a hands-on leadership role for an individual who can help build the operation from the ground up, develop strong teams, establish disciplined manufacturing processes, and create a culture centered on safety, quality, customer service, productivity, and continuous improvement.

The Plant Manager will have responsibility for the overall day-to-day performance of the facility, including production, maintenance, quality, shipping, safety, environmental compliance, operational costs, and capital projects. The position will play a significant role in launching production lines, establishing performance standards, developing the workforce, and supporting future expansion of the operation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the startup, commissioning, and ongoing operation of the manufacturing facility, including the phased installation and launch of production equipment and processes.
• Provide overall leadership for plant operations, with accountability for safety, quality, production, maintenance, shipping, and operational performance.
• Build, coach, and develop supervisors and plant employees while establishing clear expectations and accountability throughout the organization.
• Establish a strong safety culture that provides a safe and secure environment for employees, contractors, and visitors and ensures compliance with OSHA and applicable environmental requirements.
• Establish a quality-focused manufacturing culture with an emphasis on defect prevention, continuous improvement, and meeting customer expectations.
• Ensure production schedules, customer commitments, quality requirements, and delivery expectations are consistently met.
• Maintain strong communication between manufacturing operations, sales, customers, and other business functions.
• Develop and monitor meaningful plant KPIs related to safety, quality, productivity, efficiency, delivery, cost, and other operational measures.
• Drive continuous improvement through Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, 5S, waste reduction, process optimization, and disciplined problem solving.
• Evaluate plant performance using month-over-month and year-over-year financial and operational data and identify areas requiring corrective action.
• Maintain working knowledge of plant P&L performance, operating expenses, and cost drivers.
• Develop and support capital expenditure proposals, including business justification, ROI analysis, equipment investments, and manufacturing expansion projects.
• Partner cross-functionally with Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Purchasing, Shipping, Safety/EHS, Sales, and company leadership.
• Identify opportunities to improve throughput, labor utilization, equipment performance, material usage, operating costs, and overall plant efficiency.
• Maintain a visible presence on the manufacturing floor and develop an understanding of equipment, processes, employees, and day-to-day operating conditions.
• Support environmental compliance and coordinate appropriately with internal or third-party resources associated with the site's wastewater treatment requirements.

Required Qualifications

• Significant progressive leadership experience in a manufacturing environment, including responsibility for plant operations or a substantial manufacturing function.
• Demonstrated experience leading or participating in a plant startup, manufacturing expansion, new production line launch, equipment installation, or comparable operational ramp-up.
• Experience leading manufacturing teams through supervisors and frontline leadership.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing safety, quality, production, maintenance, and operational performance systems.
• Experience developing and…