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Job Description
General Manager at Axios Professional Recruitment General Manager at Axios Professional Recruitment in Smyrna, Michigan Posted in 15 days ago.
Type:
full-time
Job Description:
Axios Professional Recruitment is partnered with a growing organization in the brass manufacturing industry seeking a General Manager to support the launch and leadership of a brand-new facility. Successful candidates will bring deep expertise in brass machining and manufacturing processes, along with strong operational leadership and business development capabilities within a start-up style environment. This is a highly visible leadership role requiring a hands-on leader who can balance technical engineering expertise with strategic business management. Responsibilities Facility Launch & Operational Leadership Lead the redevelopment and operational launch of the manufacturing facility, including equipment implementation, process development, staffing, and production readiness. Provide full P&L responsibility for the business unit, including budgeting, forecasting, capital planning, cost control, and profitability improvement initiatives. Oversee daily operations through a team of department leaders including engineering, finance, maintenance, operations, and production. Lead hiring, organizational development, and workforce planning efforts as the facility continues to scale, including recruitment of operators, engineers, and leadership personnel. Partner closely with the current Plant Manager to ensure a successful leadership transition and knowledge transfer. Lead capital equipment planning, purchasing, installation, and implementation to support operational growth, efficiency improvements, and capacity expansion. Drive successful launch of new customer programs while ensuring quality, timing, and customer expectations are achieved. Build and maintain strong customer relationships by supporting program launches, resolving technical challenges, and ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction. Utilize deep knowledge of brass machining, brass alloys, tooling, feeds/speeds, and manufacturing processes to drive operational success and continuous improvement. Support business development initiatives and collaborate with sales teams to identify opportunities within the domestic brass machining market. Ongoing Business & Plant Leadership Establish and drive the strategic direction for the business unit to support profitable growth and long-term operational success. Oversee new business assessments and support sales growth initiatives to ensure profitable expansion opportunities. Champion company strategies and continuous improvement initiatives throughout the organization. Lead lean manufacturing and operational excellence initiatives focused on quality, cost reduction, productivity, safety, customer satisfaction, and on-time delivery. Manage plant performance metrics including EBIT, ROIC, sales growth, operational cost improvement, and successful new product launches. Maintain and improve plant profitability through operational efficiencies, cost management, and productivity improvements. Conduct weekly and monthly forecasting, production planning, and capacity reviews to ensure operational and customer requirements are achieved. Lead the annual business planning and budgeting process. Provide leadership for employee relations through effective communication, coaching, training, mentoring, and team development initiatives. Lead cross-functional problem-solving efforts to drive operational improvements and strengthen working relationships across departments. Ensure compliance with quality standards, OSHA regulations, environmental requirements, company policies, and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations. Determine operational staffing and headcount needs to support production and business objectives. Identify and lead capital investment and continuous improvement projects that support long-term operational growth and efficiency. Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Business, or related field preferred. Minimum 7-10 years of leadership experience within a machining or manufacturing environment. Strong expertise in brass machining is required; experience with bronze, copper, and aluminum machining is also highly valued. Demonstrated understanding of the brass manufacturing market, customer base, and industry trends. Experience leading manufacturing operations with full P&L responsibility; experience leading facility startups, operational turnarounds, or redevelopment initiatives preferred. Strong engineering and technical manufacturing background with hands-on operational leadership experience. Experience managing customer relationships and supporting successful program launches in demanding manufacturing environments. Demonstrated success building and developing teams within a growing or evolving organization. Strong knowledge of lean manufacturing principles, Kaizen, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies. Excellent communication, leadership, organizational, and decision-making skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously. Willingness to travel nationally as needed to support customers, business development, and operations. Preferred Leadership Profile Hands-on operational leader with strong technical credibility and brass machining expertise. Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to build, launch, and scale manufacturing operations. Strong relationship builder capable of working effectively with customers, employees, and leadership teams. Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving, start-up style manufacturing environment. Driven leader with the ability to lead change, develop teams, and execute strategic growth initiatives successfully. Axios Professional Recruitment - an entirely employee-owned company - is the largest independent employer in West Michigan. Our mission is to match people with meaningful, long-lasting, and enjoyable careers, not just a job. Since 1988, we've helped match over 300,000 people just like you with top employers across West Michigan.
