Plant Manager
No salary listed
Expert
Bachelor's
Erie, PA, USA
In Person
Manufacturing & Production Operations
About the job
Requirements
- A bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Supply Chain, Operations Management, or a related field is required.
- At least 10 years of manufacturing leadership experience, including plant management responsibilities, is required.
- Experience leading multi-shift manufacturing operations is required.
- Previous union leadership experience is required.
- Strong understanding of production planning, manufacturing operations, maintenance, supply chain, and continuous improvement is required.
- Knowledge of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations and manufacturing safety programs is required.
- Demonstrated success leading high-performing teams and driving operational results is required.
- Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost management, is required.
- Lean Six Sigma certification and demonstrated experience leading operational excellence initiatives are preferred.
- Experience implementing Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), Visual Daily Management (VDM), and World Class Manufacturing principles is preferred.
- Experience with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, preferably Microsoft Dynamics 365, is preferred.
- Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office applications is preferred.
Responsibilities
- Provide leadership, direction, and coaching to plant operations, planning, maintenance, and support teams.
- Lead a multi-shift manufacturing operation to achieve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity objectives.
- Develop and execute strategic plans aligned with company goals and operational priorities.
- Drive operational excellence through Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, ZEBS methodologies, and continuous improvement practices.
- Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, engagement, and associate development.
- Oversee production planning and scheduling to meet customer demand while maximizing available labor, equipment, and facility capacity.
- Monitor production performance and ensure actual output meets planned schedules and customer expectations.
- Use inventory, demand, and capacity reporting to proactively manage order fulfillment and inventory availability.
- Coordinate manufacturing, purchasing, machining, assembly, and outside processing activities to support on-time delivery objectives.
- Work with Customer Care, Procurement, Production, Quality, and Engineering teams to resolve constraints and improve service levels.
- Ensure compliance with OSHA requirements, environmental regulations, company policies, and safety standards.
- Champion a culture in which safety is the highest priority and continuous risk reduction is expected.
- Partner with Quality teams to maintain product quality standards and drive corrective and preventive actions.
- Lead root cause analysis and corrective action initiatives to eliminate recurring operational issues.
- Accelerate continuous improvement through ZEBS, Kaizen events, Lean Manufacturing, TPM, and problem-solving methodologies.
- Develop and maintain standard work, visual management systems, and KPI-driven management routines.
- Lead plant-wide improvement initiatives targeting productivity, lead time reduction, inventory optimization, and cost savings.
- Use KPI reporting and Visual Daily Management systems to monitor performance and sustain improvements.
- Develop and execute the plant TPM strategy and master plan.
- Implement and monitor OEE programs.
- Manage facility maintenance and computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) operations, including spare parts management and preventive maintenance programs.
- Oversee facility infrastructure, including HVAC, compressed air, wastewater treatment systems, and building maintenance.
- Analyze equipment performance and failures to improve reliability and reduce downtime.
- Develop and manage annual operating and capital budgets.
- Identify, justify, and execute capital improvement projects that support growth, efficiency, safety, and quality objectives.
- Lead capital planning, appropriation requests, and project implementation.
- Monitor spending, manage costs, and drive productivity improvements to achieve financial targets.
- Collaborate with commercial teams, service centers, customers, and third-party sales representatives to meet customer expectations.
- Lead responsive problem resolution for customer concerns and supply chain challenges.
- Partner with Finance, Engineering, Quality, Information Technology, Customer Care, Procurement, and Supply Chain teams to improve business performance.
- Build and develop high-performing teams through coaching, performance management, succession planning, and talent development.
- Lead hiring, onboarding, performance evaluations, and workforce planning activities.
- Champion associate engagement initiatives that foster inclusion, recognition, ownership, and a strong sense of belonging.
- Create an environment that promotes trust, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Desired Qualifications
- A degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering Technology is preferred.
About the company
Zurn Elkay Water Solutions provides a broad range of water management products for commercial, institutional, and residential markets, including filtered bottle filling stations, drinking fountains, sinks, faucets, valves, drainage, and restroom fixtures. Its approach uses a razor-and-blade model, where installing filtered water stations enables ongoing, high-margin revenue from filter replacements. The company combines Zurn’s plumbing expertise with Elkay’s stainless-steel sinks, fixtures, and water coolers to serve education, healthcare, government, hospitality, and residential construction, primarily in the United States with some international locations. Its goal is to deliver safe, efficient water systems and maintenance programs that promote water hygiene and conservation while building recurring revenue streams.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Founded
1900
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Q2 2026 revenue hit $491 million, up 10.5%, and management raised guidance.
- Q2 adjusted EBITDA reached $136 million, with 27.7% margin and $112 million free cash flow.
- 2025 Sustainability Report says 2.4 billion gallons filtered and 20 billion bottles avoided.
What critics are saying
- Q2 2026 free cash flow turned negative $42.7 million, exposing working-capital volatility.
- Q2 2026 10-Q disclosed restructuring actions, workforce reductions, and facility rationalization.
- Failed Intellihot integration destroys ZWS's premium margin story and 2027 valuation rerating.
What makes Zurn Elkay Water Solutions unique
- Zurn Elkay combines plumbing, drainage, and drinking-water systems under one commercial platform.
- Intellihot acquisition in July 2026 expands tankless water-heating into a $1.1 billion market.
- PFAS-certified filters and bottle-filling stations create recurring replacement-filter revenue.
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Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- STD
- LTD
- AD&D
- Life Insurance
- 401(k) Retirement Plan
- 401(k) Company Match
- Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
- Up to 3 weeks starting Vacation (may increase with tenure)
- Paid Holidays