Manufacturing Manager
Job Description
Location: Kentucky
Salary Range: $135,000 – $170,000
Industry: Injection Molding
- Financially healthy and stable organization with a strong industry reputation
- Collaborative, people-first culture that values input, innovation, and teamwork
- Clear path for upward mobility into senior leadership roles
- Opportunity to have a significant impact on a high-volume, technically complex manufacturing operation
- Lead and manage plant operations involving injection molding, assembly lines, paint lines, quality assurance, maintenance, and engineering.
- Drive productivity, efficiency, and operational excellence across all departments.
- Maintain clear communication between departments to ensure cohesion and timely output.
- Directly manage and develop a team of supervisors and department leads supporting 200–250 personnel.
- Foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment that supports employee engagement and retention.
- Oversee staffing levels, training, and performance evaluations to ensure optimal workforce readiness.
- Monitor daily production targets and KPIs; identify and resolve bottlenecks.
- Champion continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, Six Sigma, 5S, etc.) to drive efficiency and waste reduction.
- Collaborate with engineering and quality teams to support new product introductions and process changes.
- Uphold all safety protocols and ensure OSHA and environmental compliance.
- Maintain rigorous quality standards in alignment with customer and automotive industry requirements.
- Partner with the Quality team to address customer complaints, non-conformances, and corrective actions.
- Support plant budgeting and capital planning processes.
- Contribute to strategic planning and long-term growth initiatives at the site level.
- Work closely with executive leadership to identify opportunities for facility and operational improvement.
- 7+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing leadership, ideally within the injection molding or automotive sector.
- Proven experience managing large-scale operations (200+ employees) across multiple departments.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing systems, KPIs, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Exceptional leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or a related field preferred.
Meet Your Recruiter
Erik Butzen
Technical Recruiter
Erik Butzen is a skilled and compassionate Senior Recruiter passionate about empowering individuals to advance in their careers. With two years of dedicated service at Sterling, Erik has already significantly impacted the organization's talent acquisition efforts.
Having honed his expertise over five years in the field of recruiting, Erik possesses a deep understanding of the industry's intricacies. His journey began with the desire to assist individuals in finding opportunities that would propel their professional growth forward.
As a Senior Recruiter, Erik takes great pride in his ability to help people make meaningful advancements in their careers. Whether it's guiding a candidate through the interview process, providing valuable insights into the job market, or matching the right talent with the perfect role, Erik is committed to positively impacting the lives of those he interacts with.
One of Erik's most valuable pieces of advice to both hiring managers and fellow recruiters is to ask a lot of questions. Understanding the needs and expectations of both candidates and employers is essential to finding the best fit for both parties.