Jobs › Charter Manufacturing

Plant Manager

Charter Manufacturing · Woodstock, IL · $142,600–$178,300 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 16, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a plant you ran. What were your biggest results on safety, quality, delivery and cost?

What they are checking: A track record of improving full plant performance, not just one metric.

Tell me about a team-based continuous improvement effort you led. How did you involve the floor?

What they are checking: Leading improvement with operators rather than doing it to them.

Tell me about a supervisor you developed into a stronger leader.

What they are checking: Developing people, which the posting lists as a core part of the job.

Tell me about a hard decision you made that wasn't popular. How did you handle it?

What they are checking: Decision-making and communication when the right call is unpopular.

What would you do

Your plant missed cost targets three months in a row. Where do you look first?

What they are checking: Structured financial and operational diagnosis of yield, scrap, labor and energy.

How do you build trust with hourly employees when you're new to a plant?

What they are checking: Leadership presence on the floor and honest communication, which shape plant culture.

How do you balance maintenance needs against production pressure?

What they are checking: Protecting long-term reliability instead of running equipment into the ground.

About the work

How do you drive accident prevention so the numbers actually go down?

What they are checking: Real methods such as hazard identification and leading indicators, which the posting calls for.

How do you decide which capital projects to recommend, and how do you build the case?

What they are checking: Capital judgment tied to payback, safety and long-term plant needs.

How do you keep the plant in compliance with environmental and safety programs?

What they are checking: Ownership of compliance as part of daily operations, not a separate department.

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The full job description

As published by Charter Manufacturing.

Charter Manufacturing is a fourth-generation family-owned business where our will to grow drives us to do it better. Join the team and become part of our family! POSITION PURPOSE/MISSION: Provide leadership to achieve plant performance objectives. Manage the operations including production, cost, coordination of raw materials, recommendations for capital expenditures, and maintenance. Establish practices and procedures to ensure the operation runs efficiently and effectively. Ensure all environmental and safety policies/programs are upheld. Work with, train, and develop employees. Foster an environment of trust, teamwork, Continuous Improvement and safety. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: • Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Business, or equivalent combination of education and experience • Ten plus years’ experience in Operations in a related manufacturing environment. • Three plus years’ supervisory experience. • Demonstrated abilities in planning, leadership, delegation, communications, problem solving, and decision making. • Experience with cost reduction methods through process improvements and project management. • Experience with accident prevention and elimination. • Familiarity with Production Control Systems and Resourcing Planning. • Strong management skills in the area of development and implementation of team based Continuous Improvement initiatives. • Demonstrated ability to foster and promote a culture of trust and team work among employees. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: • Master’s Degree in Business (MBA) or related degree. • Experience in a related industry. • Technical competence related to the plants products and processes. • Experience with quality standards such as [At the time of posting modify to the appropriate quality standards for the position] • Proven experience in use of an advanced Manufacturing Information System. MAJOR ACCOUNTABILITIES: • Lead the creation and delivery of strategic initiatives and operating plans that elevate performance beyond world class in the following areas; safety, quality, delivery, customer service, cost, employees and culture development. • Coordinate communication and implementation of the strategic initiatives/operating plans focused on the gain sharing indicators and the Business Plan. • Continually identify, plan, and initiate methods to improve productivity, quality, and reduce costs. • Develop a collaborative, accountable operations/supervision team capable of delivering current and future objectives while demonstrating disciplined operational execution. • Define operational methods and develop supporting procedures. • Develop or participate in developing, managing, and delivering capital and operational expense budget for the plant and ensure operational expenses support revenue and profit goals. • Champion Continuous Improvement and Lean techniques. • Maintain all applicable quality systems standards and procedures. • Develop and administer manufacturing procedures, and practices required to support the Business Plan and to promote a safe/pleasant work atmosphere. • Ensure the plant is clean and organized. • Foster a culture of trust, teamwork, responsibility, Continuous Improvement, safety, and open communications. • Work with the Human Resources to identify the training needs and deliver appropriate training to maintain a competent and motivated workforce; provide for employee cross-training. • Train and develop employees as well as provide oversight and coaching. • Create a safety culture that anchors on behavioral safety to ensure all employees leave in the same condition in which they arrived. • Follow Environmental, Quality and Safety Management System procedures and requirements. • Ability to meet the essential job requirements, with or without reasonable accommodation, as outlined in the job description. POSITION CHALLENGES: • Maintaining high safety and quality standards in the face of ever-increasing productivity demands. • Increasing productivity and controlling the labor budget for the plant while faced with materials, quality, or engineering issues controlled by others. • Communicating the business plan to employees in terms which motivate them to reduce the waste and have a positive effect on gain sharing. The annual hiring range for this position is: $142,600-$178,300. The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate will depend on various factors, including but not limited to job-related skills, experience, and qualifications. Compensation decisions are tailored to the unique circumstances of each position and candidate. We offer comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits, along with a 401(k) plan that includes employer matching and profit sharing. Additionally, we offer company-paid life insurance, disability coverage, and paid time off (PTO).

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