Plant Operations Director

Description

We are seeking a Plant Director with strong manufacturing experience to lead, structure, and scale our high-performance trailer manufacturing operations—fully built using composite materials. This role will be pivotal in translating the company’s strategy into operational results: greater efficiency, improved quality, reduced waste, on-time delivery, industrial safety, and continuous improvement. The Plant Director will be responsible for coordinating departments including receiving, tooling, laminating, infusion, final assembly, riggers/rigging teams, and shipping—ensuring each stage of the process operates in an orderly, safe, cost-effective, and quality-compliant manner aligned with Pangolin’s quality standards. This position is designed for an operational leader with strategic vision, hands-on production-floor experience, and the ability to build high-performing teams within a growing plant environment. Key Responsibilities * Lead daily plant operations, overseeing fabrication of master models, molds, composite parts, and final trailer assembly. * Direct and coordinate teams across receiving, tooling, laminating, infusion, assembly, riggers/rigging, and shipping. * Ensure adherence to production plans, orders, delivery schedules, and operational targets. * Implement and maintain Lean Manufacturing methodologies, continuous improvement, 5S, visual control, and operational efficiency. * Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for production, quality, safety, waste, rework, productivity, and on-time delivery. * Oversee quality control programs to ensure products meet engineering specifications and performance standards. * Manage production costs, raw material consumption, inventory, tools, materials, and efficient resource utilization. * Collaborate directly with the CEO/Founder, Engineering Leadership, and Finance Leadership on process improvements, budgeting, new product development, and operational scaling. * Ensure compliance with environmental regulations, industrial safety standards, and applicable requirements for composite material manufacturing. * Identify bottlenecks, operational risks, and improvement opportunities to increase plant profitability and reliability. * Prepare weekly reports on productivity, deliveries, waste, safety, efficiency, and corrective actions. * Promote a culture of order, operational discipline, safety, quality, and accountability within the production team. Requirements * Minimum 7 years of manufacturing leadership experience, preferably in composites, marine, automotive, aerospace, trailer, or heavy machinery industries. * Proven experience managing production teams of 20+ people. * Solid knowledge of composite material processes—including laminating, lay-up, infusion, mold/tooling fabrication, and assembly. * Experience in production planning, cost control, operational efficiency, waste reduction, and continuous improvement. * Knowledge of quality control, time studies, productivity metrics, and on-time delivery performance. * Familiarity with fasteners, adhesives, coatings, mechanical systems, and DC wiring. * Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams across engineering, production, quality, procurement, and finance. * Strong leadership, clear communication, analytical thinking, and high capability to solve problems on the production floor. * Focus on safety, quality, profitability, and goal achievement. Preferred Qualifications * Prior experience with composite materials in marine, automotive, aerospace, or trailer manufacturing. * Experience launching, expanding, or scaling manufacturing plants. * Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, 5S, Kaizen, or other continuous improvement methodologies. * Bachelor’s degree in engineering, manufacturing, industrial, mechanical, mechatronics, or a related technical field. * Technical or conversational English. * Experience working with high-performance processes, structural products, or production under strict quality standards. What We’re Looking For in You We seek a plant leader who maintains a strong presence on the shop floor, possesses strategic vision, and can transform processes. Someone who makes sound decisions, organizes teams, improves KPIs, and keeps operations running safely, with quality and discipline. This role is ideal for a candidate eager to assume a key position in a growing company—directly contributing to building a specialized composite-materials operation and manufacturing innovative, lightweight, and highly durable trailers. Salary: $45,000.00 – $50,000.00 per month Benefits: * Free parking Work Location: On-site employment