Plant Manager

Plant Manager

St. Cloud Window | Sauk Rapids, MN | Onsite | Reports to CEO

Position Summary

St. Cloud Window is seeking a highly driven, hands-on Plant Manager to lead manufacturing operations, continuous improvement initiatives, facility expansion efforts, and organizational development during a period of significant growth. This role is responsible for delivering world-class performance in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and employee engagement while building the operational systems necessary to scale business 10X.

The Plant Manager will provide leadership across all manufacturing functions, including production, quality, maintenance, materials, shipping, and continuous improvement. The successful candidate will be equally comfortable on the production floor solving daily challenges and in strategic planning sessions developing long-term growth initiatives.

This position requires a proven manufacturing leader with deep expertise in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma methodologies, capacity planning, operational excellence, and organizational development. Experience within the fenestration, architectural aluminum, glass, building products, or engineered-to-order manufacturing industries is strongly preferred.

Who We Are

At St. Cloud Window, we manufacture high-performance aluminum windows and doors that help our customers build exceptional spaces. Our success is built on four core values:

Safety First - We believe every employee deserves to go home safely every day.

Teamwork - We win together through collaboration, accountability, and respect.

Relentless Improvement - We continuously challenge ourselves to improve processes, products, and people.

Customer Driven - We make decisions with our customers' success at the forefront.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

· Provide overall leadership and direction for all manufacturing operations.

· Ensure daily execution of production schedules while maintaining safety, quality, delivery, and productivity targets.

· Establish operational systems capable of supporting aggressive business growth.

· Develop and execute strategic plans that align manufacturing capabilities with company growth objectives.

· Drive accountability through structured performance management systems and KPI dashboards.

· Lead daily management meetings and implement visual performance management throughout the facility.

· Develop annual operating plans and departmental objectives.

Business Growth & Scaling

· Lead the transformation of manufacturing operations to support 10X growth in annual revenue.

· Design scalable manufacturing processes, organizational structures, and operating systems.

· Evaluate capacity constraints and develop plans for future growth.

· Lead facility expansion, equipment acquisition, automation, and capital investment initiatives.

· Establish production systems that can accommodate increasing demand without sacrificing quality or customer service.

· Develop succession plans and organizational structures to support a larger operation.

Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

· Champion a culture of continuous improvement throughout the organization.

· Lead and mentor teams using Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies.

· Facilitate Kaizen events and cross-functional improvement initiatives.

· Utilize DMAIC methodology to solve complex operational challenges.

· Implement and sustain best practices including:

o 5S

o Standard Work

o Visual Management

o Value Stream Mapping

o Root Cause Analysis

o Daily Management Systems

o Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)

o A3 Problem Solving

· Establish processes for monitoring, sustaining, and auditing improvements.

· Drive measurable improvements in productivity, throughput, quality, and operating costs.

Quality Leadership

· Ensure products consistently meet customer requirements and company quality standards.

· Partner with Quality leadership to reduce defects, warranty claims, and customer complaints.

· Promote proactive quality systems and preventive problem-solving methodologies.

· Lead corrective and preventive action processes.

· Drive continuous improvement of quality management systems.

Safety & Environmental Leadership

· Maintain a culture where safety is the highest priority.

· Ensure compliance with all OSHA, environmental, and regulatory requirements.

· Lead accident prevention efforts and root cause investigations.

· Establish accountability for safety at all levels of the organization.

· Drive continuous improvement in safety metrics and employee engagement.

Financial Management

· Develop and manage departmental operating budgets.

· Drive improvements in gross margin and manufacturing profitability.

· Monitor labor efficiency, material utilization, inventory performance, and conversion costs.

· Identify opportunities for cost reduction and operational efficiencies.

· Evaluate and prioritize capital expenditure based on strategic business needs.

People Leadership

· Lead, coach, and develop supervisors, managers, and future leaders.

· Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability and continuous improvement.

· Drive employee engagement, retention, and leadership development initiatives.

· Conduct performance reviews and establish development plans.

· Foster effective communication and collaboration across all departments.

EOS Leadership

· Support and operate within the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS).

· Utilize scorecards, Rocks, accountability charts, and Level 10 Meeting disciplines.

· Drive execution through measurable objectives and accountability systems.

· Partner with senior leadership to maintain organizational focus and traction.

Required Qualifications

Education

· Bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations management, manufacturing, business, or related field preferred.

· Equivalent combination of education and relevant manufacturing leadership experience will be considered.

Experience

· Minimum 10 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.

· Minimum 10 years leading a manufacturing facility, business unit, or major production operation.

· Proven experience scaling manufacturing operations and leading organizational growth.

· Demonstrated success building systems and organizational structures required to support rapid business expansion.

· Experience in engineered-to-order, made-to-order, or project-based manufacturing environments.

· Experience within the fenestration, architectural aluminum, curtain wall, storefront, glass fabrication, building products, or related industries strongly preferred.

Continuous Improvement Requirements

Candidates must possess one of the following:

· Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification or higher; or

· A minimum of 10 years of documented DMAIC-based continuous improvement leadership experience with measurable business results.

Technical Knowledge

· Advanced understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles and operational excellence systems.

· Proven expertise in DMAIC methodology and statistical problem solving.

· Strong understanding of manufacturing metrics and KPI management.

· Experience with ERP systems, production scheduling, and inventory control.

· Knowledge of maintenance systems, preventive maintenance, and equipment reliability.

· Understanding capacity planning, labor planning, and facility utilization.

· Strong financial acumen including budgeting, labor absorption, inventory management, and profitability analysis.

Leadership Competencies

· Strategic thinker with the ability to execute at a tactical level.

· Strong coaching and leadership development capabilities.

· Proven change management and organizational transformation experience.

· Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.

· Ability to influence and build alignment across all levels of the organization.

· Results-oriented mindset with strong accountability.

Preferred Qualifications

· Black Belt certification.

· Experience leading a manufacturing operation through significant revenue growth.

· Experience implementing automation and advanced manufacturing technologies.

· Knowledge of aluminum windows, doors, curtain walls, or glazing systems.

· Experience operating within an EOS company.

· Experience in private equity-backed or rapidly growing manufacturing organizations.

Why Join St. Cloud Window?

This is a unique opportunity to lead the operations transformation of a growing fenestration manufacturer. The Plant Manager will play a critical role in shaping the future of the organization, building systems, developing people, driving operational excellence, and creating the foundation for substantial long-term growth.

If you are a hands-on leader who thrives on building teams, improving processes, and scaling manufacturing operations, we encourage you to apply.

Pay: From $110,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance

Experience:

• progressive manufacturing leadership: 10 years (Required)
• DMAIC-based continuous improvement: 10 years (Required)

License/Certification:

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (Required)

Location:

• Sauk Rapids, MN 56379 (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Sauk Rapids, MN 56379 (Required)

Work Location: In person