Plant Manager

VDS Consulting Group • Grand Rapids, MI

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Value Driven Solutions (VDS) is looking for a Plant Manager to join our interim executive bench, with this engagement deploying on-site at our PE-backed manufacturing client in the [Location] region. The Plant Manager will own everything that happens between the receiving dock and the shipping dock, build the operating cadence, and create the conditions for sustainable improvement after the engagement ends.
The ideal candidate will enjoy stabilizing, ramping, or turning around a single site and have the ability to dig into root cause, weigh countermeasures, and deliver the best possible safety, quality, delivery, and cost outcome. The ideal candidate will apply their command of structured problem-solving and Lean and communicate effectively with operators, salaried staff, and customer auditors.

Requirements

• 10+ years of manufacturing leadership including 3+ years as a Plant Manager
• Hands-on Lean and structured problem-solving capability
• Strong floor presence and ability to lead union or non-union workforces
• Experience managing $25M+ site P&L
• Bachelor's degree preferred; equivalent experience considered
• Lean Six Sigma Green or Black Belt preferred
• Prior interim Plant Manager or Operations Consultant experience a plus

Responsibilities

• Own daily plant performance across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people.
• Manage the site P&L, including labor, materials, conversion cost, and capital projects.
• Lead customer, regulatory, and corporate audits and visits.
• Run the plant operating system: tier meetings, hour-by-hour boards, layered process audits, and standard work for leaders.
• Drive Lean, kaizen, and structured problem-solving (A3, 8D, DMAIC) on the floor.
• Lead the production, maintenance, planning, and quality teams; coach value-stream and area leaders.
• Partner with HR on workforce planning, training, and succession.

Benefits

• competitive contract rates commensurate with experience and seniority
• structured engagement support through a dedicated VDS Engagement Partner
• proven methodology and toolkits including the Value-Driven Approach® and Everything OpEx® frameworks
• continued business development between engagements
• access to our 360° Client Alignment® process
• deployment within days of engagement start
• exposure to diverse industries (aerospace, food, consumer goods, industrial products, medical device, semiconductor, and battery manufacturing)
• structured Contract-to-Hire path that lets both Expert and client validate fit before conversion

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager