Plant Superintendent

Job Summary:

• The Plant Superintendent will provide essential management and leadership to achieve safety, quality, and production goals. This role involves leading a team of hourly and salaried employees and being responsible for all aspects of the operation, including safety, production, maintenance, warehouse, budget management, productivity improvements, and quality. The incumbent must be physically able to perform essential job functions, and reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities.
• Responsibilities include managing a staff of 150 hourly and 6 salaried employees, setting direction, deploying resources, and overseeing performance evaluations, pay reviews, hiring, and terminating. This is a critical role within the Insulation Systems Division, involving operations budget/planning, strategic thinking, driving cost reduction, and implementing continuous improvement initiatives such as Six Sigma. A solid understanding of mechanical issues and crank-drive motors is required.
• Preference is given to candidates with engineering backgrounds, as superintendents are highly involved in breakdown-level activities and preventative actions. Experience in coaching and guiding engineers, as well as understanding batching, glass melting, ovens, and furnaces within glass manufacturing, is valuable.
• The Plant Superintendent will oversee the Pipe Production Department, the largest department with 10 production lines and 156 people, including 4 production supervisors, 2 full-time engineers, and a Project Engineer reporting dotted line to this role. This is a union plant (UAW & USW), so understanding the union/grievance process is crucial. The Superintendent must also work across the maintenance organization, with the Maintenance Supervisor reporting dotted line to them and shift mechanics reporting through operations. Knowledge of AC&R and cross-functional collaboration with the maintenance department is necessary.

Your Day-to-Day:

• Maintain departments in proper and safe condition, ensure environmental compliance, oversee programs to safeguard personnel, preserve facilities, and promote good housekeeping.
• Manage the overall activities of the assigned operations to ensure proper workflow, maintenance of production schedules, acceptable quality levels, and inventory levels.
• Utilize facilities, workforce, and analysis of methods and materials to achieve economic operating costs using team management concepts and administration of work rules.
• Manage planning and production to direct production scheduling and ensure efficient production schedules, economic operating efficiencies, process capabilities, and maintenance of current quality systems. Work closely with QA, QC, and engineering to manage the same.
• Develop and implement annual budgets, quality programs, and productivity improvement plans.
• Conduct performance reviews of subordinates and develop and maintain training programs to support the business plan and growth.
• Maintain communications and coordination with other managers within plant operations.
• Coordinate technical activities with Engineering and other departmental units as required.
• Assist in special projects and assignments as specified.
• May act as Plant Manager in their absence.
• May be required to perform other related duties as assigned.

What You Bring to the Team:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering (Mechanical, Chemical, Industrial, or Ceramics) or business management with the ability to demonstrate technical proficiency will be considered with a minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in a manufacturing environment that includes supervisory and management roles.
• Proven leadership and management skills.
• Manages a staff of 150 hourly/6 salaried employees, sets direction, and deploys resources. Responsible for performance evaluations, pay reviews, hiring, and terminating.
• Demonstrated ability to drive change in a heavy industrial environment.
• Demonstrated technical knowledge.
• Demonstrated ability to develop highly efficient teams on the shop floor.
• Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting skills for supporting all aspects of the infrastructure.
• Demonstrated experience in productivity tools such as Lean and/or Six Sigma.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve positive results in the area of safety.
• Basic knowledge of quality management.
• Experience with an ERP system is required, SAP would be preferred.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Proven analytical and quality improvement ability.
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
• Ability to interface at all levels of the organization, both internally and externally.
• Minimal travel required (0–10 days per year).
• Work environment is typical of a manufacturing facility; may be exposed to environmental conditions of cold, heat, high noise levels, moving mechanical parts, heights, dust, mist, gas fumes, extensive walking or climbing, etc.
• May be required to lift, carry, push or pull up to and including 50 pounds.