Plant Manager at Tallulah Hardwood Products LLC — Tallulah, LA

If you are passionate about making a difference and leading a team, keep reading! New ownership of a successful sawmill operation is looking for a Plant Manager that can bring their knowledge to bear in moving the company exponentially forward. We are looking for that one special leader with the desire to elevate our organization and make it the best it can be.

Job Title: Plant Manager

Job Location: Tallulah, Louisiana

Position Description:

The Plant Manager plays a crucial role in leading the mill’s associates. With a belief of treating associates as the company’s most valuable assets, and following the Golden Rule, you will lead an already productive workforce that currently functions without constant oversight, and have them exceed their own expectations. As the senior management person on-site, much independence is given and trust required.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Reports to the offsite owner, so must be able to manage independently.
• Prior production management experience required – with positive cultural change experience a plus.
• Influences effective decision making while encouraging participation, fostering collaboration, and promoting open discussion.
• Develops resolutions to problems that require the frequent use of creativity and innovation.
• Exercises judgment within broadly defined policies and practices using professional principles and company objectives to resolve issues.
• Manages projects and completes tasks without oversight.
• Acts independently to determine or develop methods and procedures on new or special assignments; informs within strategic conversations, and leads tactical ones.
• Mentors and trains others in sound approaches and standards for solving problems.
• Brings a paper-based production system onto a cloud-based ERP system.
• Installs a PM system that effectively increases uptime.
• Takes mill capacity currently at about 30% capacity on a single shift to full capacity by properly maintaining equipment and training new staff.
• Ensures sufficient cross-trained associates so that unexpected absences don’t cause production disruptions.
• Prepares operation/training manuals.
• Ensures that work being performed is within scope and budget.
• Openly states without prompting when a mistake is made and when outside assistance is required.
• Manages Shipping and Receiving
• Is the first line of contact with customer requests or concerns.
• Develops and revises departmental procedures, such as onboarding and training of new hires.
• Compiles information, such as production rates and progress, materials inventories, materials used, and customer information, so that status reports can be completed.
• Runs weekly and monthly operational performance reports.
• Examines documents, materials, or products and monitors work processes to assess completeness, accuracy, and conformance.
• Recruits new hires timely and ensures that the plant is always adequately staffed.
• Creates staff schedules in accordance with plant operation needs.
• Assists Office Manager in reconciling attendance data and submitting payroll. Office Manager reports to offsite CFO.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

THE RIGHT STUFF:

• Dedicated to building a Safety Culture
• Strong mechanical skills essential, with PM diligence
• Adherence to an abbreviated 8D Problem Solving mentality
• Experience in leading 5S to those who have not practiced it before
• Problem solving intuitiveness
• Great oral communication both upstream and downstream
• Planning skills
• Organization
• Adaptability
• Dependability – shows up when they are supposed to, does what they are supposed to do
• Ability to BUILD the entire team
• Decision-Making
• Passion for excellence in the associates, in the mill, and in oneself
• Willingness to work hard - to do what it takes to get things done; While at the same time working smart following the Eisenhower Matrix.
• Enjoys challenges as this is a demanding opportunity with many cultural changes to overcome while increasing output.
• Leads by example

WHAT YOU NEED:

• Strong mechanical aptitude
• 10 years of manufacturing experience
• 3 years minimum supervisory experience in a production setting
• Liking challenges is critical, with the energy to get things done in a timely manner.
• Experience training and coaching others, and setting up a mentoring environment for new hires so that turnover is minimal.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to work flexible hours to support production needs.
• Experience staffing associates to keep roster full of trained people.
• An inner drive that takes initiative and completes tasks.
• A desire to be hands-on, out fixing problems & making improvements, only sitting behind a desk minimally to sufficiently plan and log progress.
• Computer experience sufficient to manage a cloud based ERP system and a cloud based PM system.
• Honesty and professionalism dealing with owner, customers, suppliers, and associates.
• Industry Requirement: Experience in sawmills is not required. We hire for aptitude and attitude.
• Educational Experience: We hire for aptitude and attitude, regardless of educational background.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THAT FLEXIBLE EMPLOYER THAT WORKS WITH YOU TO MAKE SUCCESS?

• The owner comes from a background where flexibility can be a win/win. We are looking for that right fit individual and will pay an outsized bonus tied to company profitability.
• If you are at the start of your career with the appropriate background, come grow with us. If you are at the middle of your career and want to work in a place where you have autonomy with huge growth potential, this is the place. Or if you are approaching the end of your career and want to finish on a high note, we are what you have been looking for.

Please submit your resume with salary expectations.