Manufacturing General Manager - Chester County - Korn Ferry

Description

Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm. We work with our

clients to design optimal organization structures, roles, and

responsibilities. We help them hire the right people and advise them on

how to reward and motivate their workforce while developing professionals

as they navigate and advance their careers.

Korn Ferry is currently partnering with a growing Manufacturing company on a General Manager role in Tennessee.

Our client is a U.S.-based engineered components and solutions provider with a long history dating back over 75 years. The company specializes in designing, manufacturing, and supplying a broad portfolio of components and systems tailored to the home comfort, refrigeration, cooking, laundry, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and commercial refrigeration markets. Its product offerings span wire, steel, and glass parts such as shelving and baskets for refrigeration units, oven racks, fan guards and grills, motor mounts, control panels, and other custom components that are integrated into major household and commercial appliances. These products are developed to enhance comfort, convenience, safety, energy efficiency, and product performance for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) across North America and beyond.

The company's capabilities go beyond simple component supply. They provide end-to-end manufacturing solutions that include collaborative design and engineering, prototyping, fabrication, finishing, assembly, and comprehensive customer support throughout the product lifecycle. Its vertically integrated facilities are strategically positioned across North America to offer both local responsiveness and scalable production for high-volume needs. They also develop patented and proprietary technologies such as advanced hydrophobic shelf systems that improve usability and reduce maintenance for consumers.

The company's client base primarily consists of OEMs in the residential and commercial appliance sectors, commercial HVAC manufacturers, and industrial product markets. The company serves more than 200 OEM partners across these industries, supplying components that end up in everyday products used by consumers and businesses alike. Its diversified portfolio also includes industrial mesh, glass lighting covers, and solar energy products that support broader energy efficiency and sustainability goals.

The Opportunity

This is a unique opportunity to join a market leader at a pivotal moment growth across the company. The General Manager will lead and manage business activities to achieve its strategic and operational objectives. The individual will work to meet corporate objectives and customer requirements with a focus on product and process excellence. He/she will lead and manage the business in a manner that will produce desired revenue growth with the balanced interests of the company's owners, employees, and customers.

As a core member of the corporate executive leadership team, the General Manager will be accountable for driving a cohesive, high-performing organization while fostering strong operational performance at the Henderson facility. The ideal candidate will bring years' long expertise in leading large operational teams in a complex industrial manufacturing environment.

The General Manager is expected to exemplify the highest standards of personal and professional integrity and to constructively challenge others through active participation and questioning. The ideal candidate will be a sage counselor to the VP of Latin America and the plant management team driven to making a meaningful contribution to the company.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish strategic targets and top-level goals, including the budget, and show commitment and adherence to them.
• Guarantee consistency and integrity in data and reports in accordance with the company's formal reporting system.
• Establish budgets and operational targets that are aligned with the strategies and corresponding KPIs.
• Ensure a culture that adheres to the QA and HES policy and procedures.
• Apply best practice, including lean principles, and assess the performance.
• Practice continuous improvement.
• Establish strategic targets to improve quality, on-time deliveries, and cost.
• Ensure a culture that adheres to best practices, including data integrity, in the use of BPCS (ERP).
• Build an organization structure that is suitable to meet set targets.
• Recruit and retain top talent in all key positions and coach them towards ambitious targets.
• Bring strong functional leadership and product expertise.
• Take overall responsibility for strengthening the quality and effectiveness of the operation.
• Lead and manage employees by example with a hands-on approach.
• Work closely with the COO, and VP of Latin America on manufacturing plans, goals, and future product innovations.
• Work closely with R&D team to align the right design and pricing for the product.
• Initiate and follow-up internal and external product development programs in cooperation with Sales and R&D.
• Play an active role in senior-level negotiations with customers and manufacturing partners.
• Direct all production control, production process development, quality systems, and shipping/receiving activities.
• Partner with sales team to meet with customers to discuss and set scheduling timelines for product delivery.
• Drive improved operating efficiencies and performance.

The Candidate

The ideal candidate will be a driven, collaborative leader with strong management and change-sponsorship capabilities, with 10+ years of experience leading operational teams in complex industrial manufacturing environments. They will be a strategic problem solver with strong analytical skills, good financial acumen, and hands-on experience across operations, engineering, and operational excellence.

Key Competencies

• Strong management/leadership skills and ability/willingness to sponsor growth initiatives and change.
• Strong performance accountability orientation, both in terms of following through on commitments and deadlines for him/herself, and those for his/her team.
• Strategic and analytical thinker, with the ability to investigate the details and interpret the impact of key business drivers.
• Superior problem solving and decision-making skills.
• Solid financial acumen, coupled with broad business/operations experience.
• Effective multicultural and communications skills.
• The individual must possess the combination of intellectual brainpower, appropriate academic background and great depth of practical experience.
• Collaborative leader. self-confident but with a low ego.
• Helps transform – Effectively drives behavioral change.
• Takes a broad view of issues to manage competing forces and drive understanding motivation and value.
• Excellent time management, planning and organizational skills. Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment, manage multiple priorities and make ongoing decisions. Strong project management, organizational and analytical skills.
• High levels of energy and resiliency, with a willingness to travel when required.

Personal Characteristics

• Highly developed emotional intelligence. leverages deep personal and business relationships into significant business success.
• Personal interests that reinforce connectivity and interaction with the executive team and the rest of organization. and
• Must be an excellent listener, tough-minded, and will offer critical review, but with a strong sense of partnership.
• Willing to provide mentorship and develop the next generation leaders in the company.
• Willing to provide direct guidance and feedback and sharing examples of applied methodology to help solve business problems.
• Strongly, motivated by an opportunity to drive large-scale change over a long period of time.
• High personal standards with a proven track record of integrity, business ethics, and professionalism.
• Committed to making trust the foundation of all relationships and cultivate it every day.
• Convinced that people should be accountable to, and can rely on, each other for honesty and good faith efforts.
• Communications style that is open and authentic.

Professional Qualifications/ Experience

• Bachelor of science in engineering, preferably with master's degree covering production, sourcing, and value chain management.
• Strong experience in manufacturing product engineering, manufacturing engineering, manufacturing management and/or operations of mid-volume / mid-mix manufacturing in a certified manufacturing; organization (ISO9000). Achievements must be strong and documented.
• Experience in both a large- and small-company environment, ideally in leading manufacturing in a rapid growth environment.
• Hands-on experience in lean manufacturing, operational excellence and quality.
• Experience in metal manufacturing processes including cleaning and coating.

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