Plant Manager

About the Role

What You’ll Do

JOB PURPOSE
The Plant Manager owns the manufacturing floor and the production P&L for an assigned plant or facility: safe, quality-compliant execution of the throughput plan, daily staffing and equipment prioritization, cost and conversion performance, and the plant's monthly operational results and corrective actions. The role leads production, maintenance, and support leaders at the site, applies the Hitchiner Operating System (HOS) daily, and partners with Supply Chain (which owns the schedule) and Key Account Managers (who own the customer) rather than owning either.

JOB DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Plant P&L and Operating Results (25%)

Owns monthly plant P&L results, review, and corrective action against targets set by the General Manager. Manages cost, yield, labor, and overhead; uses coded visibility of Supply Chain- and Sales-driven costs to focus on what the plant controls.

1. Daily Operations and Schedule Execution (25%)

Owns daily plant operations: staffing to plan, production sequencing within the master throughput schedule, equipment uptime, labor overtime and shifts to recover to plan, and floor problem resolution. Requests, rather than decides, deviations from the site master schedule owned by Production Control.

1. Plant Leadership and People (20%)

Leads Managers of Production and Maintenance. Owns hiring within budget, performance management, development, and engagement.

1. Safety, Quality, and Compliance (15%)

Accountable for safety performance and culture on the manufacturing floor, quality control performance, and regulatory and customer compliance at the plant, with EH&S and Quality functional support.

1. Operating System and Continuous Improvement (15%)

Runs HOS tiered daily management, visual management, and structured problem solving at the plant to the enterprise standard. Decides which improvement projects the plant runs and in what order; owns the results.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES 

1. Sets leadership expectations and ensures consistent people management practices
2. Oversees workforce planning, leadership development, and organizational design in partnership with HR team
3. Champions culture, inclusion, and change management initiatives
4. Defines departmental strategy and ensures alignment with organizational priorities
5. Oversees budget planning and resource allocation across teams
6. Establishes and scales continuous improvement frameworks and initiatives across multiple teams or functions
7. Leverages advanced analytics and KPIs to evaluate performance, forecast trends, and inform strategic direction

Who You Are

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and progressively responsible manufacturing leadership experience.
• Ten (10) or more years of progressively responsible manufacturing operations experience, including at least three (3) years leading a plant or a major value stream with P&L accountability; investment casting, foundry, or complex engineered manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience running tiered daily management and structured problem solving on the floor.
• Demonstrated success leading through supervisors and managers in a multi-shift environment.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Comprehensive knowledge of plant operations management, production scheduling execution, maintenance, and plant cost accounting.
• Thorough knowledge of safety, quality, and compliance management in a foundry environment.
• Ability to lead a multi-shift plant organization through subordinate leaders and hold accountability daily.
• Ability to work within a schedule owned by Supply Chain and a customer relationship owned by the KAM while owning the plant's results.
• Strong problem-solving, financial, and decision-making skills under time pressure.
• Strong communication skills at every level of the plant.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Work is performed in office and manufacturing environments. Regular presence in production areas is required, where exposure to noise, elevated temperatures, moving equipment, chemicals, and other conditions typical of an industrial facility may occur. Appropriate personal protective equipment must be worn in designated areas.
• Schedule flexibility required to support multiple shifts, sites, and time zones, including occasional early, late, or weekend availability.
• Regular presence on the production floor across shifts; on-call for plant emergencies.

Why Join Hitchiner?

• Mission-critical manufacturing: We use advanced automation and cutting edge equipment to support industries where precision and reliability matter.
• Internal mobility: We deeply invest in our people, offering training and leadership development opportunities so that employees can grow their careers with us.
• We win together: All full-time employees are eligible to participate in our annual profit-sharing bonus.
• Beautiful location: Fully updated and modernized buildings on a campus offering an onsite restaurant and gym.

Employee Benefits

Full time employees may elect to participate in a number of benefit programs, including Hitchiner’s Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans, flexible spending accounts, and 401(k) Employee Retirement Contribution Plan. The Company provides employees with basic company-paid short-term, long-term, and basic life/AD&D insurance.

Employees also have access to education and tuition reimbursement, wellness rewards, Employee Assistance Program, and our free onsite fitness center.

About Hitchiner

Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Milford, New Hampshire, Hitchiner Manufacturing is the premier supplier of high-volume, complex thin-wall investment castings and fully finished casting-based components to the automotive, aerospace and defense markets.

Additional Information

This position will be posted for at least 5 calendar days. The posting will remain active until the position is filled or a qualified pool of candidates is identified.

Hitchiner Manufacturing is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected status.

This position involves access to technical data, materials, and/or hardware subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Employees must be able to meet export control eligibility requirements as a condition of employment. Who is considered a U.S. Person? A U.S. Person can be one of the following: U.S. Citizen, a U.S. lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder), a refugee or asylee admitted under the U.S. law, or certain protected individuals under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). Learn more about the ITAR here. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Hitchiner participates in the E-Verify program to confirm work authorization for all new hires in accordance with federal law.