Plant and Production Manager

In this role you will lead the plant’s operations, ensuring safety, quality, delivery, and cost targets while implementing the ZF Production System. You will develop and coach the plant leadership team, foster a high-performance culture, and drive strategic plans aligned with the company’s operational excellence goals. You will manage cross-functional functions and build strong relationships with customers and stakeholders to enable successful product launches and sustainable results. This is a hands-on, impact-focused leadership position at a key manufacturing site.

• Lead and oversee plant operations across EHS, Production, Quality, Logistics, Technical Management, and Lean Manufacturing to ensure compliance and operational excellence.
• Deploy people, equipment, infrastructure, and materials to meet customer requirements and launch readiness.
• Develop, coach, and inspire plant leadership to foster accountability, problem-solving, and continuous improvement.
• Drive safety, quality, delivery, productivity, cost, and financial targets in line with strategic objectives.
• Lead implementation of the ZF Production System and continuous improvement initiatives for long-term competitiveness.
• Develop and execute the plant's operational and strategic plans including resource and capacity planning.
• Build and maintain relationships with customers, employee representatives, and key stakeholders.
• Ensure operational stability through performance management and daily reviews across plant operations.

• University degree in engineering, economics, manufacturing or comparable area
• Multiple years of experience in operations and relevant functions
• Proven leadership experience including coaching/mentoring
• Experience in project management
• Lean management, lean manufacturing and continuous improvement
• Transformation competence and organizational development skills
• Coaching and mentoring plus business/finance management acumen
• Results/process/problem solving orientation with knowledge in safety, quality, delivery, production and launch readiness
• Fluent in English and German

• strong leadership and inspiration
• excellent communication
• collaboration and teamwork
• Lean Manufacturing
• Continuous Improvement
• Project Management