HW Plant Manager

Gal Manufacturing, a Vantage Elevation Company • Quincy, IL

22h • $110,000 - $140,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Plant Manager leads all aspects of an assigned manufacturing value stream at Hollister-Whitney and serves as a key member of the site leadership team. The role is accountable for safety, quality, delivery, productivity, cost, and employee engagement, while developing supervisors, team leads, and production employees. It is a hands-on position requiring a consistent presence on the manufacturing floor and close collaboration with Engineering, Quality, Materials, Supply Chain, Maintenance, Environmental Health and Safety, Human Resources, and Customer Service. The successful candidate uses data, Lean principles, and disciplined execution to achieve sustainable results, with the opportunity to grow into broader plant leadership responsibilities over time.

Vantage Elevation, LLC is a North American manufacturer of elevator components and systems. It comprises eight business units and employs more than 900 people across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing, Business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and manufacturing leadership experience.
• 8–10 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
• At least five years of experience leading supervisors and hourly production teams.
• Demonstrated success leading production in a heavy industrial manufacturing environment, such as metal fabrication, machining, welding, capital equipment, industrial equipment, or engineered products manufacturing.
• Proven ability to improve safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and overall production performance.
• Experience implementing Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong business acumen and ability to manage operational metrics, budgets, and financial performance.
• Demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and develop employees and frontline leaders.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and ability to lead effectively through change.
• Proven ability to influence others and drive accountability across functional boundaries.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and ERP systems.

Nice To Haves

• MBA or advanced technical degree.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
• Experience with Infor, SAP, Oracle, or a comparable ERP platform.
• Experience working within an ISO 9001 quality management system.
• Experience in a union manufacturing environment.
• Multi-site manufacturing leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily production activities for an assigned manufacturing value stream, ensuring production plans are carried out safely, efficiently, and in line with customer commitments.
• Drive performance in safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and employee engagement using operational metrics and corrective action.
• Maintain a visible presence on the manufacturing floor, remove production barriers, and optimize labor, equipment, materials, and other resources.
• Lead, coach, and develop Production Supervisors, Team Leads, and hourly employees, establishing clear expectations and accountability.
• Build a culture of safety, quality, collaboration, respect, and continuous improvement, while ensuring compliance with OSHA requirements and company policies.
• Lead safety observations, incident investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective actions to reduce workplace hazards, defects, scrap, and rework.
• Champion Lean Manufacturing practices, including Kaizen events, waste reduction, and efforts to improve throughput, OEE, labor utilization, inventory accuracy, and first-pass yield.
• Manage labor efficiency, overtime, productivity, manufacturing costs, departmental budgets, and improvement opportunities that support profitability.
• Partner with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Materials, Maintenance, EHS, Human Resources, and Customer Service to resolve challenges and meet business objectives.
• Lead organizational change with urgency, sound judgment, and focus on employees and customers.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary of $110,000–$140,000, commensurate with experience, qualifications, and market conditions.
• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• Health Savings Account (HSA).
• 401(k) with company match and non-elective contribution.
• Generous paid time off (PTO).
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Annual Incentive Compensation Program (ICP).
• Career development and growth opportunities.

What This Job Offers

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