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Plant Manager

Oshkosh Corporation · Appleton, WI · $103,300–$177,700 a year · Full time

Posted Jul 20, 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 the largest plant or operation you've led. How many people, how many shifts, and what did you change while you were there?

What they are checking: Whether their past scope truly matches leading large teams across multiple production areas.

Walk me through an operational transformation you led. What resistance did you hit and how did you work through it?

What they are checking: Whether they can drive real change through people, not just announce a new program.

Tell me about a serious safety incident on your watch. What did you do in the moment and afterward?

What they are checking: Whether they treat safety as personal, find root causes and change systems rather than blame individuals.

How do you develop the supervisors and managers who report to you?

What they are checking: Whether they build leadership depth so the plant runs well even when they are not on the floor.

How do you stay connected to what's actually happening on the floor across shifts?

What they are checking: Whether they spend real time on the floor and earn the trust needed to hear about problems early.

What would you do

How do you rank safety, quality, delivery, cost and engagement when they pull against each other?

What they are checking: Whether they hold safety and quality firm when delivery pressure is high, and can explain that to their teams.

You start here and delivery is behind, overtime is high and morale is low. What do you do in your first 90 days?

What they are checking: Whether they diagnose before acting and build trust with the floor while fixing the biggest problems.

A customer's fire truck has a quality issue found at final inspection, and it's due to ship this week. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they refuse to ship a known defect on life-safety equipment and still manage the customer impact.

How do you work with engineering, supply chain and sales when a design change or late part threatens the build schedule?

What they are checking: Whether they can solve cross-functional problems instead of defending their own department's numbers.

Business demand drops sharply for a quarter. How do you adjust the plant without losing the people you'll need later?

What they are checking: Whether they can flex capacity thoughtfully and protect skills in a business with changing demand.

About the work

Pierce is high-mix and low-volume, with almost every truck customized. How does running that kind of plant differ from a high-volume line?

What they are checking: Whether they understand that scheduling, standard work and labor balancing look very different in custom builds.

What daily metrics do you look at, and how do you use tiered meetings or visual management to act on them?

What they are checking: Whether they run the plant through a disciplined management system rather than reacting to whoever is loudest.

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The full job description

As published by Oshkosh Corporation.

About Pierce, an Oshkosh company At Pierce Manufacturing, we build trucks that protect people and communities around the world. To our team, there is no room for anything less than providing the absolute best. Since 1913, building truck bodies on Model T Ford chassis in an old converted church has evolved to creating highly customized, carefully designed and engineering pumpers, aerials, tankers and rescue units that have no equal. Today, you'll find more than 30,000 Pierce apparatuses on the road that are making a difference in people's lives, every day. To us, every step in the process of building our trucks is personal. From innovation and expertise, to the customization and service. Our trucks are designed to perform under the toughest conditions. The Plant Manager is responsible for leading manufacturing operations within a highly complex, high-mix, low-volume production environment. This leader will oversee large teams across multiple production areas, drive operational performance, and ensure alignment with organizational goals related to safety, quality, delivery, cost, and employee engagement. The ideal candidate brings proven plant leadership experience within large-scale manufacturing organizations and has successfully led teams through operational transformation, process improvement initiatives, and changing business demands. YOUR IMPACT These duties are not meant to be all-inclusive and other duties may be assigned. • Lead manufacturing operations across designated production areas while ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality execution. • Champion a safety-first culture where employee wellbeing is prioritized and operational decisions are made with safety at the forefront. • Develop and inspire large teams by fostering accountability, engagement, collaboration, and continuous growth. • Drive operational excellence initiatives that improve productivity, throughput, quality, and customer satisfaction. • Lead through ambiguity and organizational change while maintaining focus on business objectives and employee engagement. • Partner closely with production, materials, quality, engineering, supply chain, and business leaders to achieve operational goals. • Identify and eliminate operational constraints, bottlenecks, and inefficiencies throughout the manufacturing process. • Establish performance expectations and utilize key metrics to drive accountability and results. • Support strategic planning initiatives that position the organization for future growth and operational success. • Lead continuous improvement activities utilizing Lean manufacturing principles and problem-solving methodologies. • Develop leadership talent throughout the organization through coaching, mentoring, and succession planning. • Foster strong communication across all levels of the organization to ensure alignment and effective execution. • Support customer commitments by balancing safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives. • Build strong cross-functional partnerships to effectively navigate organizational complexity and drive business results. • Serve as a visible leader on the manufacturing floor, actively engaging employees and reinforcing company values. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, or a related field. • 10+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience. • 5+ years of leadership experience within a plant, manufacturing, operations, or production leadership role. • Experience leading large teams within a complex manufacturing environment. • Experience driving operational performance through metrics, accountability, and continuous improvement initiatives. • Demonstrated success leading cross-functional teams and influencing stakeholders across multiple functions. STANDOUT QUALIFICATIONS • Plant Manager, Senior Plant Manager, Director of Manufacturing, Director of Operations, or equivalent leadership experience. • Experience within high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environments. • Experience within custom-engineered, capital equipment, heavy equipment, specialty vehicle, aerospace, defense, agricultural equipment, construction equipment, transportation, or industrial manufacturing industries. • Proven ability to lead organizations through transformation, growth, or significant operational change. • Strong background in Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, Kaizen, Value Stream Management, or Operational Excellence initiatives. • Experience leading large, multi-shift manufacturing operations. • Demonstrated ability to develop high-performing leadership teams and drive employee engagement. • Strong executive presence with exceptional communication, influence, and relationship-building skills. • Proven track record of driving safety, quality, delivery, and productivity improvements. • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, highly visible manufacturing environment where priorities evolve rapidly. #LI-TM1 OSK1917 Pay Range: $103,300.00 - $177,700.00 The above pay range reflects the minimum and maximum target pay for the position across all U.S. locations. Within this range, individual pay is determined by various factors, including the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate's experience, education and skills, as well as the equity of pay among team members in similar positions. Beyond offering a competitive total rewards package, we prioritize a people-first culture and offer various opportunities to support team member growth and success. Oshkosh is committed to working with and offering reasonable accommodation to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to disability for any part of the employment process, please contact us at corporatetalentacquisition@oshkoshcorp.com. Oshkosh Corporation is a merit-based Equal Opportunity Employer. Job opportunities are open for application to all qualified individuals and selection decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other protected characteristic. To the extent that information is provided or collected regarding categories as provided by law it will in no way affect the decision regarding an employment application. Oshkosh Corporation will not discharge or in any manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with Oshkosh Corporation's legal duty to furnish information. Certain positions with Oshkosh Corporation require access to controlled goods and technologies subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations or the Export Administration Regulations. Applicants for these positions may need to be "U.S. Persons," as defined in these regulations. Generally, a "U.S. Person" is a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or an individual who has been admitted as a refugee or granted asylum.

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