Plant Director

Who will you be working with? You will work with a cross-functional manufacturing leadership team responsible for delivering high-quality railway products to customers across Europe and global markets. The team includes production supervisors, manufacturing engineers, quality professionals, supply chain specialists, maintenance teams, and EHS leaders. Collaboration with corporate functions, including Finance, HR, Engineering, Quality, and Operations leadership, is essential to ensure operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and business growth. How will you make a difference? As a Plant Director, you will be responsible for leading all manufacturing activities within the plant while driving world-class performance in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Inventory, and Cost (SQDIC). The Plant Manager will oversee production planning, welding operations, CNC machining, and final mechanical/electrical assembly processes to ensure customer commitments are met safely and efficiently. This role provides strategic and operational leadership for the facility, ensuring compliance with railway industry standards and local regulations while fostering a culture of continuous improvement. You will partner closely with Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, and HR teams to develop talent, optimize production performance, manage budgets, and execute operational strategies that support business objectives. The position reports to the Regional Operations Leader and provides regular operational, financial, and performance updates to senior leadership. What do we want to know about you? • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or a related technical field. • Minimum of 7-10 years of progressive operations management experience within a heavy fabrication, industrial manufacturing, or complex production environment. • Demonstrated leadership experience managing large manufacturing teams and multiple production functions. • Proven experience within the railway, automotive, aerospace, or similarly regulated manufacturing sectors. • Strong knowledge of certified welding processes, CNC machining operations, and multi-stage assembly environments. • Practical expertise in Lean Manufacturing methodologies, including Value Stream Mapping, SMED, Kaizen, 5S, and Six Sigma principles. • Experience managing operational budgets, capital expenditures (CapEx), and operational expenses (OpEx). • Working knowledge of international quality standards, preferably IRIS / ISO TS 22163 and welding certification requirements such as EN 15085. • Fluency in English and Polish, both written and verbal. • Proficiency with ERP systems such as SAP or Oracle and advanced Microsoft Office skills. • Excellent leadership, communication, problem-solving, negotiation, and strategic decision-making capabilities. What will your typical day look like? Operational Leadership & Execution • Lead all plant operations, including production planning, welding, CNC machining, and final mechanical/electrical assembly activities. • Monitor and drive performance against SQDIC objectives and implement corrective actions when required. • Manage plant resources to ensure production targets, customer commitments, and operational goals are consistently achieved. • Develop and manage operational budgets, workforce planning, capital investment projects, and cost optimization initiatives. • Coordinate with Engineering, Supply Chain, and Quality teams to improve efficiency and support business objectives. Quality, Safety & Compliance • Champion a zero-harm culture by enforcing Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) policies and compliance with Polish regulations. • Ensure adherence to railway industry quality standards, customer requirements, and certification obligations. • Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen, and Six Sigma methodologies. • Drive root cause analysis and corrective action processes to improve quality, safety, and productivity. Team Management & Development • Lead, coach, and develop production supervisors, engineers, technicians, and operators. • Partner with Human Resources to support workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, development, and retention strategies. • Conduct performance reviews and succession planning to build organizational capability. • Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performance work environment aligned with company values and Polish labor requirements. • Maintain effective communication across all levels of the organization and support positive employee relations. Legal authorization to work in the EU is required. We will not sponsor individuals for employment visas, now or in the future, for this job opening. A strong candidate has been identified, but that all interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.