Assistant Plant Manager

Avancez•Arlington, TX

About The Position

The Assistant Plant Manager provides operational leadership within a high-volume automotive assembly facility, supporting the Plant Manager in achieving safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost objectives. The role leads plant-floor operations, develops operations leadership, drives continuous improvement, and ensures production processes consistently meet customer and company expectations. The Assistant Plant Manager also supports operational launches, lean manufacturing initiatives, employee development, and cross-functional problem solving while helping create a safe, accountable, and high-performing plant environment. The role requires minimal travel. A bachelor’s degree in Operations, Engineering, Business, Manufacturing, or a related field is requested; equivalent experience is considered.

Requirements

5+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, preferably in automotive assembly.
Strong knowledge of high-volume manufacturing and Lean Manufacturing principles.
Proven ability to lead teams, drive KPIs, and improve operational performance.
Strong problem-solving, decision-making, and communication skills.
Ability to work effectively across all levels of an organization.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
Bachelor’s degree in Operations, Engineering, Business, Manufacturing, or a related field; equivalent experience considered.

Nice To Haves

Automotive Tier 1 or contract manufacturing experience.
Experience with new program launches.
IATF 16949 and ISO 14001 knowledge.
Lean or Six Sigma certification.
Experience with 5S, PFEP, and standardized work.

Responsibilities

Lead daily plant-floor operations to achieve safety, quality, delivery, and productivity goals.
Lead operational launch activities and ensure successful implementation of new programs and processes.
Develop and coach Operations Managers, Production Supervisors, and production teams.
Monitor production performance, staffing, schedules, and resources to meet customer requirements.
Drive continuous improvement through Lean Manufacturing, standardized work, 5S, and structured problem solving.
Partner with Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, Materials, and Logistics to resolve issues and improve plant performance.
Support IATF 16949 and ISO 14001 compliance and customer quality requirements.
Support plant planning, budgeting, and strategic initiatives.
Promote a culture of safety, accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and applicable regulations.