Deputy Plant Manager - Seating

Yanfeng•Fountain Inn, SC

About The Position

The Deputy Plant Manager supports the Plant Manager in leading all aspects of plant operations within the Yanfeng Fountain Inn Automotive Seating facility. Responsibilities include ensuring production, quality, cost, safety, launch readiness, and delivery performance. This role serves as a key operational leader and primary backup to the Plant Manager, requiring strong manufacturing experience and professional German communication skills to interface with German OEM customers, global teams, and suppliers.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Operations Management, Business, or related field; master’s preferred.
7+ years of manufacturing experience, ideally in automotive or high-volume assembly.
Proven experience in leadership roles within plant operations.
Strong knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, and operational excellence principles.
Professional proficiency in German (written and spoken).
Strong communication, leadership, and decision-making skills.
Experience working with German OEM customers

Nice To Haves

Tier 1 automotive experience is strongly preferred.
Certification in Lean or Six Sigma.
Experience using SAP or other manufacturing ERP systems.

Responsibilities

Oversee day-to-day plant operations aligned with seating manufacturing production KPIs.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives across safety, quality, productivity, and cost.
Monitor performance metrics and implement corrective actions as needed.
Ensure efficient utilization of labor, equipment, and materials across seating lines.
Lead and develop teams including Production, Manufacturing, Logistics, SCM, and Quality.
Support training initiatives for new product launches and skill development.
Foster a strong culture of accountability and performance.
Ensure seating products meet all customer quality standards and OEM requirements.
Support audits, customer visits, and issue resolution with German-speaking customers.
Partner with Quality and Engineering to ensure robust process controls.
Collaborate with Planning, SCM Logistics, and Procurement to ensure schedule adherence.
Optimize production flow within the seating assembly.
Champion Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma initiatives.
Drive a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with all Yanfeng HSE guidelines.
Lead incident reviews and corrective actions.
Support the Plant Manager with execution of plant strategy and KPI alignment.
Participate in budgeting and capital planning.
Serve as acting Plant Manager when required.