Plant Manager

Gates Corporation • Salem, NH

49d • Onsite

About The Position

The Plant Manager will lead the overall performance and direction of our Gates Power Transmission manufacturing facility. This is a highly visible leadership opportunity for an experienced manufacturing leader who is passionate about developing people, strengthening operations, and driving measurable business results. With responsibility across Production, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, Logistics, and Supply Chain, the Plant Manager will lead a cross-functional organization and drive performance across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Inventory (SQDCI), along with the financial performance of the facility. Through the Gates Production System (GPS) and a disciplined Daily Management System (DMS), this leader will build a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence. The ideal candidate will be a visible, hands-on leader who can develop strong teams, solve complex operational challenges, and position the facility for sustainable long-term performance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; Engineering, Operations, Business, or a related field preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing experience, including at least 5 years in plant or operations leadership.
• Demonstrated experience leading Daily Management Systems, Lean Manufacturing, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing plant P&L, budgeting, cost performance, productivity, and absorption.
• Proven success improving Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Inventory (SQDCI) performance through data-driven decision-making and structured problem solving.
• Strong people leadership skills with experience developing leaders, building accountability, and driving organizational performance.
• Ability to lead cultural and operational change while balancing business priorities, customer expectations, and long-term performance goals.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without company sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

• MBA is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead all plant operations, including Production, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, Logistics, and Supply Chain, to achieve Annual Operating Plan and business objectives.
• Drive plant performance across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Inventory (SQDCI) through disciplined Daily Management Systems, KPI reviews, and Leader Standard Work.
• Own plant financial performance, including P&L, productivity, absorption, budgeting, forecasting, and cost improvement.
• Champion a strong safety and quality culture focused on risk reduction, defect prevention, customer satisfaction, and regulatory compliance.
• Lead Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement efforts to improve productivity, equipment utilization, process stability, and overall operational performance.
• Drive structured problem solving and prioritize key improvement initiatives based on operational and financial impact.
• Build, coach, and develop a high-performing leadership team while strengthening accountability, ownership, and succession planning.
• Partner across Commercial, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, and Human Resources to support business and customer objectives.
• Lead major operational initiatives, including new product introductions, capital investments, capacity expansion, and process improvement.
• Align plant priorities with broader business strategy and deploy best practices across the organization.

Benefits

• Full-Time
• Bonus Eligible
• Medical, Dental, Vision insurance and other voluntary benefit options
• Benefits begin on the first day of the month immediately following your date of hire
• Eligible for 3 weeks of paid vacation, additionally 8 sick days
• 11 paid holidays
• 401(k): company matching up to 6%
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee Discounts

What This Job Offers

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