Plant Manager

JennChem • South Point, OH

3d • Onsite

About The Position

XCAL Tools is seeking a hands-on senior operational leader to take overall responsibility for the performance of its South Point, Ohio manufacturing facility, which specializes in forging, machining, fabrication, heat treatment, and other value-added manufacturing processes. The Plant Manager oversees safety, people, quality, production, delivery, financial performance, inventory, equipment, and continuous improvement, and develops the people, processes, and systems needed to support facility growth.

The position requires a leader who can develop people, establish accountability, understand business and financial drivers, and translate operational performance into measurable results. Machining, forging, or metal manufacturing experience is beneficial but not required; proven leadership in complex manufacturing or industrial operations is also considered.

The Plant Manager reports directly to the VP of Operations and works closely with Engineering, Quality, Safety, Finance, Sales, Human Resources, Supply Chain, and other XCAL locations. The role directs daily plant operations, develops the leadership team, manages financial and operational performance, supports safety and quality systems, oversees inventory and equipment, and leads continuous improvement.

XCAL Tools' South Point operation combines traditional manufacturing expertise with investment in modern CNC machining, automation, tooling, equipment, and process improvement.

Requirements

• Demonstrated success leading people and delivering measurable results in manufacturing, industrial, distribution, operations, or a similarly complex environment.
• Progressive leadership experience with responsibility for multiple departments, functions, or a significant operating unit.
• Proven ability to build teams, develop leaders, establish accountability, and improve organizational performance.
• Track record of leading through change, solving complex problems, and improving results.
• Strong financial and business aptitude, including the ability to understand and manage budgets, costs, operational variances, KPIs, and plant financial performance.
• Ability to interpret financial and operational information and translate data into actions that improve performance.
• Strong analytical, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Excel and other business or operational reporting tools.
• Ability to direct plant operations and manage performance across safety, people, quality, production, delivery, financial performance, inventory, equipment, and continuous improvement.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing, or a related discipline; significant relevant leadership experience may be considered in place of a four-year degree.
• Prior Plant Manager experience in manufacturing, machining, forging, fabrication, metals, automotive, heavy industrial, mining-related manufacturing, or similar operations.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies.
• ISO 9001 experience.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems and production management systems.
• Experience with P&L responsibility, budgeting, forecasting, cost management, or similar financial accountability.
• Direct machining, forging, or metalworking experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and direction for the South Point facility and its departmental leadership team.
• Build a culture centered on safety, accountability, teamwork, communication, continuous improvement, and respect.
• Lead, coach, mentor, and develop managers, supervisors, and other key employees; build a leadership pipeline.
• Set clear expectations, hold leaders accountable, and ensure they have the support and resources to succeed.
• Maintain a visible presence throughout the operation and build working relationships with salaried and hourly employees.
• Participate in recruiting, selection, onboarding, training, performance management, and workforce planning.
• Promote employee engagement, cross-training, development, and retention.
• Direct day-to-day plant operations to meet customer requirements for safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Establish and monitor KPIs for safety, quality, productivity, labor utilization, downtime, throughput, delivery, scrap and rework, inventory, and financial performance.
• Use operational and financial data to identify performance gaps, set priorities, and drive corrective action.
• Align production schedules, staffing, equipment, materials, and other resources with customer demand and business priorities.
• Work with Production, Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Inventory, and other functions to remove constraints and improve plant performance.
• Drive improvement in productivity, equipment utilization, workflow, scheduling, setup reduction, process reliability, and capacity.
• Manage facility financial performance, including operating expenses, labor, material usage, inventory, recoveries, margins, and profitability.
• Develop an understanding of the plant P&L and work with Finance and the VP of Operations on financial performance opportunities.
• Participate in annual budgeting, forecasting, capital planning, and cost-reduction initiatives.
• Monitor actual performance against budgets, forecasts, standards, and operational targets, and take corrective action as needed.
• Understand how labor, machine time, material, overhead, production efficiency, inventory, and product cost relate.
• Support accurate job costing, routings, production standards, and quoting through reliable operational data and feedback.
• Evaluate capital equipment and facility needs, prepare business justifications, and oversee approved projects through implementation.
• Manage plant resources with an ownership mindset and focus on sustainable profitability.
• Lead the plant's safety culture and ensure safety is considered first in operational decisions.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA requirements, company policies, established procedures, and applicable regulations.
• Support incident investigations, corrective actions, safety audits, training, and proactive workplace hazard identification.
• Hold all organizational levels accountable for maintaining a safe workplace.
• Ensure products meet customer specifications, quality standards, and established processes.
• Promote building quality into manufacturing processes rather than relying on final inspection.
• Monitor customer complaints, internal nonconformances, scrap, rework, and other quality indicators, and ensure effective corrective actions.
• Support ISO 9001 requirements and continuous improvement of the quality management system.
• Partner with Sales and other functions to support customers, new products, and business opportunities when operational involvement is needed.
• Maintain controls over raw materials, work-in-process, finished goods, tooling, and other plant inventory.
• Drive inventory accuracy, timely transaction processing, proper job closure, and effective material management.
• Ensure maintenance resources and preventive maintenance programs support equipment reliability and production requirements.
• Identify equipment, tooling, technology, automation, and facility improvements that improve safety, capacity, quality, efficiency, or profitability.
• Maintain facility and production areas to appropriate standards of organization, cleanliness, and operational readiness.
• Establish a facility-wide continuous improvement culture using data, employee involvement, root-cause problem solving, and appropriate Lean principles.
• Identify and eliminate waste, unnecessary costs, bottlenecks, downtime, inefficient processes, and other performance barriers.
• Lead initiatives involving 5S, visual management, workflow improvement, standard work, process optimization, and other suitable improvement methods.
• Encourage employees at all levels to identify opportunities and participate in improving operations.
• Share and implement best practices across XCAL operations where appropriate.

Benefits

• Medical insurance with a standard PPO plan, deductibles as low as $1,500, and wellness credit up to $750
• Free concierge primary care
• Voluntary 401(k) plan currently matching up to 12%
• Voluntary dental plan
• Voluntary vision plan
• Free telemedicine services
• Basic life insurance
• Long-term disability coverage
• Short-term disability coverage

What This Job Offers

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