Plant Manager

Dart Container•Conyers, GA

12d

About The Position

Dart Container is seeking an experienced Plant Manager to lead its Conyers manufacturing operation and improve its performance. The role involves assessing the operation, identifying opportunities, developing the team, setting priorities, and moving quickly from strategy to execution. The successful leader will address operational challenges, accelerate improvement, and deliver sustainable, measurable results. The Plant Manager leads the facility’s overall performance and direction, develops and executes a turnaround and continuous-improvement plan, improves OEE and operational performance—particularly in thermoforming—and strengthens predictive and preventive maintenance. The role uses business and financial acumen, including P&L understanding, to guide decisions; builds and motivates a high-performing leadership team; establishes KPIs; and leads improvement planning and the effective use of the Daily Management System. The Plant Manager is expected to spend time on the manufacturing floor, strengthen employee engagement and accountability, lead change respectfully, and promote safety and Good Manufacturing Practices. The work is split between an office environment, production facility, and/or warehouse. Exposure to extreme heat, loud noise, dirt, dust, odors, and fumes is probable, and personal protective equipment is required in designated areas. The role requires availability to be on call 24/7.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or a related field, with seven years of manufacturing operations management or leadership assignments showing progression in scope and responsibility; an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
Five years of experience managing employees with supervisory responsibilities.
Prior Plant Manager experience.
Experience managing multi-shift or continuous operations.
Knowledge of business and management principles, including planning, resource allocation, cost analysis and budgeting, people management, and leadership guidance.
Strong interpersonal skills and an accessible, approachable manner.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills to persuade and influence individuals, groups, or work teams.
Ability to use business sense and creativity to develop new ideas, approaches, and solutions.
Ability to use logic and reasoning to assess the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Experience using Microsoft Office, including creating basic reports, documents, presentations, and spreadsheets in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Demonstrated project management experience.
Ability to be on call 24/7.
Ability to work across an office environment, production facility, and/or warehouse, with probable exposure to extreme heat, loud noise, dirt, dust, odors, and fumes and use of required PPE in designated areas.

Nice To Haves

Thermoforming experience.
Paper converting, chemical or plastics processing, or packaging industrial experience.
Lean manufacturing experience.

Responsibilities

Lead the overall performance and direction of the manufacturing facility.
Develop and execute a turnaround and continuous-improvement plan with measurable goals, owners, and timelines.
Improve OEE and operational performance, particularly within thermoforming.
Strengthen predictive and preventive maintenance practices and ensure effective execution.
Use business and financial acumen, including P&L understanding, to guide decisions and improve plant performance.
Build, develop, and motivate a high-performing leadership team.
Spend time on the manufacturing floor to understand challenges firsthand and build trust with employees.
Identify operational gaps, prioritize solutions, and drive change with urgency.
Strengthen employee engagement while creating accountability throughout the organization.
Lead change in a way that brings employees along and builds confidence in the direction of the plant.
Establish clear KPIs and use them to measure progress and drive continuous improvement.
Facilitate regular improvement-planning sessions to identify strategic opportunities and develop action plans with measurable outcomes.
Support and reinforce the effective application of the Daily Management System to validate that actions lead to desired performance improvements.
Lead by example to promote employee commitment to safety and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
Understand, support, and follow management expectations in alignment with company values.