Plant Manager

Overview

Founded in 1967, Image

FIRST® is the largest and only national linen rental and laundry service specializing in the healthcare market. Acquired by private equity firm Calera Capital in 2018, Image

FIRST serves medical facilities nationwide providing linen, patient gowns, scrubs, and more while managing their clients’ linen inventory for cost management. As leaders in infection prevention, they currently own and operate the most HLAC‑accredited facilities in the industry. With one of the highest customer retention rates in the industry – 97% – Image

FIRST is dedicated to improving patient satisfaction and making staff happy with our white glove service!

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The plant manager will ensure the overall management and supervision of daily operations at our location healthcare laundry facility. This individual should be able to drive optimal efficiency, quality, and safety standards in production as well as continuous improvement initiatives and operational excellence and productivity.

• Lead, motivate, and develop a team of supervisors, maintenance staff, and operational employees, ensuring a culture of accountability, consistent execution, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Oversee daily plant operations, including production scheduling, labor forecasting, staffing, quality assurance, and equipment maintenance, ensuring smooth, efficient, and cost‑effective workflows
• Ensure adherence to all regulations incl. safety (employee and workplace), environmental, quality, and legal standards that maintain a safe and compliant working environment for all team members
• Drive process enhancements via a strong understanding of continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., Six Sigma) that streamline processes, reduce waste, and enhance operational efficiency and productivity
• Manage plant budgets, monitor expenditures, and identify opportunities for cost reduction while maintaining high standards of quality and safety
• Drive inventory management to ensure consistent materials supply and stocks, partnering with other teams (e.g., Procurement, Service, Logistics) as needed
• Prepare regular reports/updates for senior management on key performance metrics, including production goals, plant performance, and any operational challenges
• Manage talent recruitment and development efforts that drive high employee engagement, capabilities, and skills building, as well as performance delivery, and talent succession planning at the plant level
• Create and manage 3rd party contractor relationships to ensure the seamless delivery of daily plant operations
• Partner with Service teams to ensure Customer Advocates and customers receive their quality products in a timely manner
• Able to travel to other company locations or supplier sites as needed (~10‑15% travel may be required)

Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, manufacturing, or business administration

Experience:

• 5 - 7 years extensive work experience (commercial, industrial, maintenance preferred) in a leadership role within a manufacturing environment, with a proven track record in plant management
• Strong end‑to‑end understanding of manufacturing management including safety, product delivery and quality, continuous improvement, regulations, maintenance and/or facilities, and compliance management
• Operations management expertise (e.g., Lean Manufacturing / Six Sigma certifications)
• Robust problem‑solving, strategic thinking, and root‑cause analysis for people management, process deviations, and complex challenges in alignment with advancing organizational goals
• Financial management experience including P&L, payroll, budgeting, and cost control at the plant level
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Word, Adobe, and ERP systems
• Initiative‑driven, action‑oriented, individual with the interpersonal, analytical, organizational, time management, and communication (written & oral) skills required to lead, direct, and support diverse teams and stakeholders in a dynamic operations work environment

• MBA preferred
• Prior military experience is highly valued
• P…