Plant Manager

Overview

FG Automotive is on a mission to make the world safer, healthier and more productive through advanced filtration technology (automatic transmission and EV filters) and desiccant components for automotive safety.  With manufacturing locations in the United States, Japan, China, Germany, Hungary and Mexico, our engineered solutions allow OEM’s to meet ever-increasing system cleanliness requirements that result in higher efficiency vehicles which exceed environmental standards.

We are seeking a Plant Manager in our Des Plaines, Illinois location. Reporting to the North American General Manager, the Plant Manager ensures the manufacturing of products is produced efficiently, safely, and meets the organization's quality standards at the lowest possible cost, while maintaining a high level of employee morale. This involves developing and implementing policies and procedures for production methods, quality, and safety. You will also be responsible for implementing solutions to continuously improve the production process using the Lean Manufacturing principles.

Responsibilities

The primary focus of this position is to give direction and guidance, and to contribute to the development of immediate staff and all facility personnel.  You support an atmosphere that champions teamwork and employee involvement as they plan, organize, direct and provide the leadership necessary for achieving plant and goals in the area of Safety, Quality, Employee Relations, Performance, and Cost. 

Responsibilities:

• Broad Spectrum Oversight
  • Direct responsibility for across Manufacturing, Maintenance, Quality, Purchasing, Shipping and Receiving and Health and Safety
• Operational Excellence
  • Spearhead the drive for zero accidents, defect-free products, on-demand delivery at minimized cost. Strive for executional excellence by eradicating waste and enhancing customer satisfaction.
• Leadership and Employee Development
  • Offer direction, mentoring, and leadership to managers and supervisors.
  • Prioritize, delegate, and supervise daily operations to ensure goals in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Inventory and People are achieved within budgetary constraints.
  • Advocate for employee growth, satisfaction, and retention
• Safety & Compliance
  • Champion a SAFETY-FIRST culture, being an integral part of the safety leadership team, orchestrating an exhaustive safety program ensuring 100% OSHA compliance.
  • Monitor the Quality Management System ensuring adherence to ISO 9000 requirements. 
• Budgetary Responsibilities
  • Oversee budgeting processes including direct/indirect manning, expense budgets, and capital budgets. Diligently measure and control variances against set budgets. 

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a technically inclined field. 
• Experience: Minimum of 8 years related to Plant or Operations Management with a background in automotive manufacturing and/or engineering processes. 
• Character: An entrepreneurial, action-oriented leader with a high degree of business, financial acumen, and a passion for driving change. 
• Communication: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Leadership: Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to motivate and develop a high-performing team.

Core Competencies Required:

• Technical Mastery:
  • Profound engineering know-how, with a grasp on foam pouring and converting processes (preferred). 
• Strategic Thinking:
  • Acumen to predict long-term market shifts, identify capacity needs, and craft strategic plans accordingly. 
• Analytical & Problem-Solving:
  • Strong aptitude for data analysis, backed by exemplary problem-solving skills. 
• Leadership & Collaboration:
  • Proven experience in guiding and developing high-performance teams. Ability to communicate persuasively and credibly. 
• Continuous Improvement:
  • Understand Lean Manufacturing and DMAIC deeply. Six Sigma Green or Black Belt is preferred. 

More About Filtration Group

Filtration Group is on a mission to make the world safer, healthier and more productive. With a passionate workforce, global footprint and world class engineering and manufacturing capabilities, we are driving innovation and developing solutions across a broad spectrum of applications in the fast-growing and rapidly-evolving global filtration industry. We are committed to maintaining an entrepreneurial culture built on a foundation of trust and in which our leaders exhibit a strong bias for action.   

The Company began in 2009 and has rapidly grown organically and through a thoughtful acquisition strategy to be a global leader in the highly attractive filtration industry. Filtration Group has the broadest portfolio of solutions in the industry and has had a particular focus on building a leading platform of solutions focused on the Life Sciences and Indoor Air Quality end markets which are rapidly growing in the current market environment. Filtration Group produces mission critical products with high replacement rates.  Over 80 percent of the Company’s revenue comes from replacement / consumable products, many of which are specified into customer’s products or processes.  With revenues over $2 billion, Filtration Group is consistently recognized as the fastest growing and one of the largest filtration businesses in the world and has a global footprint of 141 facilities in 28 countries. Filtration Group has over 10,000 employees who are united in their Mission to make the world safer, healthier and more productive.