We are looking for an experienced manufacturing management professional to join our leadership team in a structured leadership development position. This is a management role, not an entry-level training position.
The successful candidate will initially work through a structured operational training and development program designed to build a strong understanding of our manufacturing processes, departments, people, equipment, systems, and performance expectations.
This opportunity is ideally suited to a successful Production Manager, Operations Manager, Manufacturing Manager, or similar manufacturing leader who is ready to broaden their experience and prepare for plant-wide leadership responsibility.
The successful candidate will be an active member of the management team and will be expected to contribute to operational performance while learning the business.
The successful candidate will spend approximately 12 months developing broad operational knowledge and leadership capability across the plant. The development program will include hands-on exposure to:
- Multiple manufacturing departments
- Production planning and scheduling
- Safety and regulatory requirements
- Quality systems and customer expectations
- Maintenance and equipment reliability
- Operational KPIs and performance management
- Cost and productivity management
- Customer service and order fulfilment
- Cross-functional plant leadership
Responsibilities During the Development Period
The successful candidate will:
- Work directly with the Plant Manager and Division Manager.
- Rotate through and gain detailed knowledge of the plant's key production departments.
- Learn the operational requirements, constraints, equipment, processes, and KPIs of each department.
- Support Production Managers with daily execution and problem solving.
- Participate in daily and weekly production and operational meetings.
- Monitor production performance, labour utilization, downtime, quality, schedule attainment, and productivity.
- Spend significant time on the manufacturing floor working with managers, supervisors, lead hands, and employees.
- Support operational improvement projects.
- Participate in root-cause investigations and corrective-action plans.
- Gain exposure to maintenance planning, preventive maintenance, breakdown management, and equipment reliability.
- Work with Safety, Quality, Engineering, Customer Service, IT, Accounting, and other support departments.
- Assist with manpower planning, employee development, accountability, and performance management.
- Lead selected projects and operational initiatives as capability develops.
- Gradually assume broader plant-wide responsibilities.
Who We Are Looking For
We are looking for someone who already knows how to manage people and production, and who wants to develop the broader operational knowledge required to help manage an entire manufacturing facility.
The ideal candidate will be:
- Comfortable in a hands-on manufacturing environment.
- Visible and engaged on the production floor.
- Structured and disciplined with follow-up.
- Comfortable holding others accountable.
- Strong at problem solving and decision making.
- Able to work effectively in a fast-changing production environment.
- Analytical and comfortable working with operational KPIs.
- Proactive rather than reactive.
- Interested in understanding how the complete business operates.
- Motivated by continued career development and increased responsibility.
- Humble enough to learn a new operation while experienced enough to contribute immediately.
Qualifications
- 5–10 years of progressive manufacturing experience.
- 3-5 years of manufacturing management or leadership experience.
- Experience leading production employees, supervisors, lead hands, and managing manufacturing departments.
- Strong understanding of production, safety, quality, productivity, and manufacturing KPIs.
- Experience with continuous improvement, Lean manufacturing, root-cause analysis, or similar methodologies.
- Exposure to maintenance or equipment-intensive manufacturing environments is an asset.
- Strong leadership, communication, coaching, and organizational skills.
- Post-secondary education in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business, or a related field is preferred; equivalent manufacturing experience will also be considered.
The Right Career Stage
This opportunity is specifically designed for a manufacturing manager who is ready for the next step toward senior plant leadership.
What Success Looks Like
During the development period, the successful candidate will progressively:
- Learn each major manufacturing department.
- Build credibility with employees and managers.
- Understand the plant's equipment and manufacturing processes.
- Develop strong relationships with Production Managers and support departments.
- Demonstrate effective operational decision making.
- Lead measurable improvement projects.
- Strengthen communication and accountability between departments.
- Develop the ability to manage plant-wide priorities.
