Description

The Plant Manager is responsible for leading all manufacturing operations within the facility, ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality production. This role oversees daily plant performance, drives continuous improvement, and fosters a positive, collaborative relationship with unionized employees and union leadership. The ideal candidate is a hands-on, strategic leader with deep experience in manufacturing and a proven track record of success in unionized environments.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

  • Oversee all plant operations, including production, maintenance, quality, safety, and logistics.
  • Develop and execute production plans to meet customer demand, cost targets, and delivery timelines.
  • Monitor KPIs such as OEE, scrap, throughput, downtime, and labour efficiency.
  • Ensure compliance with all regulatory, safety, and environmental standards.

People & Labour Relations

  • Lead and mentor a diverse workforce, including supervisors, skilled trades, and unionized employees.
  • Build strong, respectful relationships with union representatives.
  • Interpret and apply collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) consistently and fairly.
  • Participate in grievance resolution, labour‑management meetings, and contract negotiations as required.
  • Promote a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement.

Continuous Improvement & Strategy

  • Champion Lean, Six Sigma, and other CI methodologies to reduce waste and improve productivity.
  • Identify operational bottlenecks and implement sustainable solutions.
  • Lead capital projects, equipment upgrades, and process optimization initiatives.
  • Develop long‑term operational strategies aligned with corporate goals.

Business Management

  • Manage plant budgets, cost controls, and financial performance.
  • Forecast labour, materials, and production needs.
  • Drive cost‑reduction initiatives without compromising safety or quality.
  • Prepare and present operational reports to senior leadership.

Qualifications

  • 7–10+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing.
  • Proven success managing in a unionized environment (required).
  • Strong knowledge of Lean manufacturing, CI tools, and modern production systems.
  • Experience with safety programs, quality systems (ISO, HACCP, IATF, etc. if relevant), and regulatory compliance.
  • Excellent communication, conflict‑resolution, and relationship‑building skills.
  • Ability to lead through influence, develop teams, and drive cultural change.
  • Post‑secondary education in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or related field (preferred).

Please send resumes to