Startup Engineering & Operations Manager

Location: Mullins, South Carolina
Relocation Assistance Available

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity to build a manufacturing operation—not simply inherit one.

My client is launching a new manufacturing facility in Mullins, South Carolina, focused on producing proprietary panel products. The plant is currently in startup and commissioning mode, with the first two production lines more than 50% complete. Over the next several years, the operation is expected to grow to nine production lines and approximately 125 employees.

We are seeking a highly hands-on manufacturing leader who can help take the facility from equipment installation and startup through full-scale production.

Initially, this position will operate at the intersection of manufacturing engineering, automation, project management, quality, maintenance, and operations. As the facility grows, the successful individual is expected to assume increasing responsibility for the overall operation, with the goal of progressing into the Plant Manager role within approximately the first year.

For the right candidate, relocation assistance to the Mullins, SC area is available.

Position Summary

The Startup Engineering & Operations Manager will play a critical leadership role in bringing the new facility online and building the systems necessary to support its growth.

Early priorities will include completing production line installation and commissioning, troubleshooting equipment and automation issues, establishing quality and maintenance systems, supporting MRP and production planning processes, and improving equipment reliability and throughput.

This is a highly visible, hands-on position. The successful candidate must be equally comfortable troubleshooting equipment on the plant floor, managing an installation project, working with equipment vendors, developing manufacturing systems, and discussing future plant capacity with senior leadership.

As the operation matures, the position will evolve from a technical and startup-focused role into broader responsibility for the facility, with the expectation that the successful individual will transition into the Plant Manager position.

Key Responsibilities

Plant Startup & Capital Projects

• Lead and support the installation, commissioning, startup, and optimization of new manufacturing equipment and production lines.
• Drive completion and stabilization of the facility's initial two production lines.
• Manage projects associated with future expansion from two production lines to nine.
• Coordinate with equipment manufacturers, contractors, integrators, vendors, and internal resources.
• Identify startup obstacles and take ownership of driving them through resolution.
• Participate in equipment selection, capital planning, installation, and future plant expansion initiatives.

Engineering, Automation & Equipment Reliability

• Troubleshoot complex manufacturing equipment, automation systems, and motion-control applications.
• Diagnose mechanical, electrical, controls, PLC, servo, drive, and process-related equipment problems.
• Lead root-cause analysis and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Establish preventive and predictive maintenance processes.
• Improve machine uptime, throughput, reliability, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
• Develop technical capabilities within the plant organization as the team grows.

Manufacturing Operations

• Establish scalable manufacturing processes, standard work, operating procedures, and performance expectations.
• Help build an operation capable of growing from approximately 25 employees today to approximately 125 employees.
• Develop and monitor plant KPIs around safety, quality, production, downtime, scrap, efficiency, and cost.
• Partner with production employees and leadership to identify bottlenecks and improve manufacturing performance.
• Develop the operational infrastructure necessary to support additional production lines and increased volume.
• Help build a culture centered around safety, accountability, problem-solving, quality, and continuous improvement.

MRP, Production Planning & Materials

• Utilize MRP/ERP systems to support production planning, material availability, inventory management, purchasing, and manufacturing operations.
• Understand and manage the relationship between bills of materials (BOMs), inventory, purchasing, production schedules, and customer demand.
• Help establish scalable material planning and inventory processes as production volume increases.
• Partner with purchasing, operations, and suppliers to ensure appropriate materials are available to meet production requirements.
• Support the implementation, improvement, or optimization of MRP/ERP processes as the facility develops.

Quality Systems

• Lead the development and implementation of the facility's quality management system.
• Establish inspection procedures, process controls, documentation, specifications, and quality standards.
• Develop processes for identifying, documenting, and resolving quality issues.
• Lead root-cause analysis and corrective/preventive action initiatives.
• Build quality processes capable of scaling with the operation while maintaining consistent product performance.

Leadership & Organizational Growth

• Help build the organizational structure required to support a rapidly expanding manufacturing operation.
• Participate in identifying, hiring, developing, and leading key plant personnel.
• Develop frontline leadership and technical capabilities as the workforce expands.
• Work closely with senior company leadership on plant strategy, capacity planning, capital requirements, and operational priorities.
• Assume increasing responsibility for the safety, quality, production, maintenance, engineering, people, and overall operational performance of the facility.
• Progress into the Plant Manager role, with responsibility for leading the Mullins manufacturing operation as it continues to scale.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, or a related technical discipline preferred; significant relevant manufacturing experience can be considered in lieu of a degree.
• 7+ years of progressive experience within a highly automated manufacturing environment.
• Strong hands-on experience with industrial automation and motion-control systems.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot manufacturing equipment involving mechanical, electrical, controls, PLC, servo, and drive systems.
• Experience installing, commissioning, starting up, or significantly expanding manufacturing equipment or production lines.
• Working knowledge of MRP/ERP systems and their application to production planning, inventory management, BOMs, purchasing, and manufacturing operations.
• Experience developing or implementing manufacturing quality systems.
• Strong project-management capabilities with experience coordinating multiple vendors, contractors, technical resources, and operational priorities.
• Demonstrated leadership ability and the potential to assume responsibility for an entire manufacturing facility.
• Ability to operate effectively in an entrepreneurial environment where processes and organizational structures are still being developed.

Preferred Background

Experience in highly automated, continuous-process, or similar manufacturing environments is particularly attractive, including:

• Flooring manufacturing
• Laminate manufacturing
• Acoustic or building products
• Composite materials
• Engineered wood products
• Textiles
• Converting
• Automotive manufacturing
• Other highly automated manufacturing environments

What Success Looks Like

During the initial phase, success will mean getting equipment operational, solving technical problems, establishing fundamental manufacturing systems, and creating stability within a fast-moving startup environment.

As the plant develops, success will expand to include:

• Bringing the initial production lines to stable, reliable production.
• Improving equipment uptime, throughput, quality, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Establishing effective quality, maintenance, MRP, inventory, and production-planning systems.
• Successfully commissioning additional production capacity.
• Building the leadership structure and processes necessary to support approximately 125 employees.
• Developing a scalable operation capable of supporting nine production lines.
• Transitioning into the Plant Manager role, assuming responsibility for the overall operational performance of the Mullins facility.

Work Environment

This facility is currently in startup mode. The position will require significant flexibility and commitment during equipment installation, commissioning, troubleshooting, and production ramp-up. This is not currently a traditional 8-to-5 manufacturing management position.

The right individual will understand that building a new manufacturing operation requires periods of long hours, changing priorities, and hands-on problem-solving. As equipment stabilizes, systems are established, and the organization grows, the position is expected to transition toward a more traditional senior plant leadership role.

Why Join?

Few manufacturing leadership positions provide the opportunity to influence an operation this early in its development.

You will have the ability to help determine how equipment operates, how quality is managed, how production is planned, how maintenance is structured, how employees are developed, and ultimately how the facility itself is run.

The plant has approximately 25 employees today. The vision is approximately 125 employees, nine production lines, and a significantly larger manufacturing operation.

For someone who enjoys building manufacturing operations and wants the opportunity to ultimately lead the facility as Plant Manager, this is a chance to help create the operation you will eventually be responsible for running.

Relocation assistance is available for the right candidate.