Plant Manager - Manufacturing Operations

Job Description: Plant Manager / Unit Manager

Job Title: Plant Manager – Site Leader
Location: Monroe, NC (Charlotte, NC Metro Area)
Position: Exempt -Full Time with Benefits
Department: Operations / Manufacturing Leader

Position Summary

The Plant Manager oversees all daily operations of a small manufacturing facility and team and ensures production runs safely, efficiently, and in alignment with quality standards, budget expectations, and organizational goals. The Plant Manager provides hands-on leadership, fosters a culture of continuous improvement, and drives operational excellence across all manufacturing processes.

The Arrow Specialties Team's Tensylon® Business is seeking a Unit/Operations Manager ideally with knowledge of polymer processing and fiber technologies. This role’s primary responsibly will be to support end to end new Tensylon® production to include site operations, EHS and budgeting. The role will work closely with site operations in Monroe, NC and external contractors as part of commercial production at the site. This role provides opportunities to interface and collaborate with several different functions across Arrow Specialties USA, LLC/DuPont, including Operations, Contract Management, R&D, Manufacturing Technology, EH&S, Quality, and Product Management. The role will be responsible to ensure general Operational Excellence best practices are in place drive strong EHS, OEE, Quality and Cost performance of the Tenslyon® production facility. The role will work closely with customers, product management, and global applications development teams to adjust the product process and finalize commercial specifications.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

Applies knowledge of the Tensylon® Business polymer processing and fiber technologies to define and implement solutions for EHS, Grow and Improve projects.

Work effectively with operating and maintenance functions.

Develop an understanding of the process technology (relationships between process parameters and product properties)

Leads or Participates in front end loading of capital projects.

Lead or Participates in Process Hazards Analysis (PHAs) for existing or new processes

Prepare technical reports, data summaries, protocols and other technical and regulatory documents as needed.

First contact for escalated troubleshooting for Operations team.

Provide required technical/engineering support for Root Cause Investigations (RCI’s).

Leads or supports raw material qualification or trials for new products.

Validates technical solutions and documents results to drive toward a standardized Process Technology.

Provides technical input for Management of Change.

Lead or Participate in Project Reviews.

Collaborates across MT, Operations, EH&S, R&D, Contract Management and others

Leadership & Staff Management

Supervise, develop, and coach a team of approximately 30 employees, including supervisors and production staff.

Maintain high morale, teamwork, and accountability within the plant.

Oversee staffing, performance evaluations, and employee development plans.

Ensure consistent compliance with company policies and HR standards.

Safety & Compliance

Uphold a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements.

Conduct regular safety audits, risk assessments, and incident investigations.

Ensure proper training, procedures, and documentation are in place to maintain a safe work environment.

Quality Assurance

Ensure products meet internal and external quality specifications.

Partner with Quality teams to resolve defects, implement corrective actions, and maintain certifications (ISO, etc., if applicable).

Support continuous improvement and root cause analysis initiatives.

Financial & Budget Oversight

Manage plant budget, including labor, materials, maintenance, and capital expenditures.

Improve operational cost efficiency without compromising safety or quality.

Forecast resource needs and recommend investments or improvements.

Continuous Improvement

Collaborate with operations leadership to support Lean Manufacturing, 5S, and other process improvement initiatives.

Drive innovation, automation opportunities, and waste-reduction strategies.

Promote a culture focused on problem-solving and operational excellence.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

Work closely with Supply Chain, Engineering, HR, Finance, and other teams to support business needs.

Communicate effectively with senior leadership regarding performance, challenges, and opportunities.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Operations Management, Business, or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.

5+ years of manufacturing leadership experience

Skills & Competencies

Strong people and operations leadership, decision‑making, and communication skills.

Solid understanding of production planning, equipment maintenance, and quality systems.

Ability to manage budgets, analyze data, and drive results.

Work Environment

Manufacturing plant environment with exposure to machinery, noise, and varying temperatures.

Requires walking, standing, and occasional lifting up to 50 lbs

May require off‑shift or weekend availability as needed to support operations

More about our team:

Arrow Specialties – Aramids is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability or any other protected class. If you need a reasonable accommodation to search or apply for a position, please contact our Talent Acquisition team for additional information.

Learn more about
Nomex , Kevlar and Kevlar EXO by clicking on these links.

We offer a comprehensive pay and benefits package and is proud to offer a comprehensive, integrated total rewards package, which includes competitive pay and benefits.