Horizon Ag is seeking an experienced Plant Manager to lead our liquid manufacturing facility in Onawa, Iowa. Reporting to the Liquid Operations Manager, the Plant Manager holds full site-level accountability for safety, environmental compliance, quality, production, cost, reliability, and people – running the facility as a business rather than simply a production line. The role covers the full liquid manufacturing process, from raw material receipt and blending through filling, packaging, and shipment, and leads a team of up to 15 employees. The successful candidate will build a plant that performs reliably and predictably, meeting or exceeding safety, quality, delivery, and financial targets through disciplined daily management and strong, hands-on leadership.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
The Plant Manager performs the following duties personally or through subordinate supervisors, including but not limited to:
Safety, Environmental & Quality
• Enforce all Environmental, Health, Safety, Security and Quality (EHSSQ) programs and build a culture where safe execution is non-negotiable, targeting zero serious incidents through active management of leading indicators (near misses, critical-control effectiveness).
• Operate the site continuously within all environmental permits (emissions, waste, water, process discharge), anticipating risk to achieve zero preventable violations.
• Own manufacturing quality outcomes rather than delegating them to the Quality function – specifications, process capability, deviations, and customer-impacting defects – driving a right-first-time culture that eliminates chronic defects.
• Ensure safe handling, storage, and containment of bulk liquid raw materials and finished product (tanks, totes, drums, bulk tankers), including spill prevention and secondary containment integrity.
Production & Operational Performance
• Deliver ≥95–98% schedule attainment (where inputs and demand support it) by managing day-to-day production operations, true plant capacity, and constraint utilization across blending, mixing, and filling.
• Manage OEE as an economic loss-management tool and treat yield/material loss as lost money, quantifying and closing out every significant loss.
• Maintain accurate, well-rotated inventory of raw materials and finished goods to prevent downtime without overstocking.
• Convert demand into a credible operating plan (S&OP), surfacing capacity, staffing, and material risks before they become missed commitments.
Financial & Cost Management
• Own plant COGS, gross margin, and conversion cost; explain material variances and drive corrective action, with no unexplained surprises against budget.
• Manage material usage and the cost of poor quality (scrap, rework, downgrade, disposal) as financial levers, reducing COPQ year over year.
• Design staffing to business requirements rather than historical headcount; review and approve payroll and overtime with the plant management team.
• Own capital projects as shareholder investment – scope, business case, schedule, and budget – and confirm promised ROI materializes after startup.
Maintenance & Reliability
• Manage plant maintenance responsibilities to ensure predictive and preventive maintenance, along with emergency repairs, are performed effectively; maintain the CMMS (e.g., Maintenance Connection) in the absence of the Assistant Plant Manager.
• Build a reliable plant rather than accepting firefighting by addressing critical equipment failure modes and driving toward a predominantly planned-maintenance environment.
• Manage energy and utilities as a controllable production input, actively reducing intensity and cost.
People Leadership & Development
• Recruit, train, and develop direct reports and frontline supervisors to deliver consistent performance across shifts, with plant performance that doesn't depend on any one individual, including the Plant Manager, being present.
• Coach, counsel, and, when necessary, discipline employees; set clear expectations and hold the team accountable to goals.
• Identify high and low performers, close skill gaps, and build succession coverage for critical roles.
Continuous Improvement, Planning & Risk Management
• Maintain a quantified pipeline of structural improvement opportunities tied to annualized savings and COGS reduction, leading root-cause problem solving that permanently eliminates systemic issues.
• Maintain enough technical depth in liquid blending, mixing, and filling operations to credibly challenge Engineering, Maintenance, and Operations on equipment limitations and constraints.
• Identify operational risks (equipment, people, materials, compliance, supply) before they become failures and maintain credible contingency plans; partner cross-functionally with Quality, Supply Chain, Regulatory, and Commercial teams.
• Translate company strategy into a 1–3 year plant roadmap covering future capacity, cost, technology, and people needs.
• Other duties may be assigned as directed by the Liquid Operations Manager.
Supervisory Responsibilities
Directly supervises up to 7 employees across production, blending/filling, and maintenance functions, and coordinates closely with the Assistant Plant Manager on scheduling, ERP/data administration, and supervisory paperwork. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; and addressing complaints and resolving problems, in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable law.
Key Performance Indicators
• Safety & Environmental — Zero serious incidents (TRIR, severity, near misses); zero preventable environmental violations.
• Quality — First-pass yield, deviations, cost of poor quality (COPQ), and customer complaints – chronic defects eliminated.
• Production & Reliability — Schedule attainment, OEE, capacity utilization, MTBF, and planned-maintenance percentage.
• Financial — Plant COGS, gross margin, conversion cost, budget variance, and material usage variance.
• People — Turnover, engagement, internal promotions, and succession coverage for critical roles.
• Continuous Improvement — Annualized savings and structural year-over-year COGS reduction.
Qualifications
Required
• Bachelor's degree preferred (Engineering, Chemistry, Operations Management, or related field); equivalent experience considered.
• At least 7 years of experience successfully leading a team, ideally in a regulated or process manufacturing environment.
• Experience in a liquid manufacturing, blending, or process industry environment (agricultural inputs, chemicals, or related) strongly preferred.
• Strong mechanical/process aptitude and working knowledge of cost accounting concepts (COGS, gross margin, conversion cost, variance analysis).
• Intermediate-to-advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel); ERP experience (Acumatica or similar) preferred.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously in a constantly changing environment with minimal direct supervision.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including presenting ideas, proposals, and results to management and customers.
Preferred
• LEAN or Six Sigma background and training.
• Experience with preventive/predictive maintenance programs and CMMS systems (e.g., Maintenance Connection).
• Understanding of capital expenditures, business case development, and ROI tracking.
Physical Demands & Work Environment
• Regularly required to stand, walk, and move throughout the production floor for extended periods.
• Occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Exposure to moving mechanical parts, chemical/raw-material handling, and varying temperature and noise levels typical of a liquid blending and filling environment.
• Required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) as designated by site safety policy.
• Some travel between company facilities may be required.
Compensation & Benefits
Compensation: Commensurate with experience. Horizon Ag Products offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical/dental/vision, 401(k), and paid time off benefits.
Horizon Ag Products is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Horizon Ag Products will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.
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