Plant Operations Manager

SkyWater Search Partners • Full-time • Greater Milwaukee, US • 2w ago

A growing industrial manufacturer is seeking a Plant Manager to lead its largest and most strategically important facility. This flagship site represents approximately half of total company revenue and supports OEM customers across mobile equipment, industrial, and fluid power markets.

This is a high-impact leadership role within a complex, engineer-to-order environment producing highly engineered welded and fabricated assemblies. Following acquisition-driven growth, the organization is investing in operational discipline, leadership alignment, and cultural evolution. The Plant Manager will serve as the senior site leader responsible for performance, accountability, and operational excellence.

This role reports directly to executive leadership and plays a critical part in shaping the future of the company’s primary manufacturing site.

Responsibilities

Lead all manufacturing operations across a two-shift environment supporting approximately 200 employees
Own performance across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and engagement
Ensure disciplined execution of production plans and operational standards
Maintain strong, visible leadership presence on the shop floor
Drive accountability and alignment across engineering, quality, supply chain, and commercial teams
Partner with engineering on new product introduction and manufacturability in an engineer-to-order environment
Lead continuous improvement efforts to increase throughput, reduce defects, and improve efficiency
Partner with executive leadership on site transformation and long-term operational strategy

Manufacturing Environment

The facility produces complex welded and fabricated assemblies including hydraulic reservoir and fluid-handling systems for OEM applications. Core processes include heavy welding and fabrication, laser cutting and forming, engineered assembly, finishing, testing, and contamination-controlled production.

Requirements

Prior Plant Manager or senior site leadership experience in heavy manufacturing, fabrication, or engineer-to-order environments
Experience leading 150+ employees in multi-shift operations
Strong background in welding, fabrication, and complex assembly
Proven track record improving performance and strengthening leadership culture
Experience supporting OEM-driven production environments
Strong floor presence, high emotional intelligence, and operationally disciplined leadership style

This is a highly visible opportunity to lead the company’s largest site and leave a lasting operational and cultural imprint