Manufacturing Company – General Manager

A service-driven industrial and consumer manufacturing company, our client has grown to become one of Canada’s largest corrugated box manufacturers. With multiple offices and manufacturing locations both in the United States and Canada, our client now seeks a General Manager to lead one of its businesses located in Southern Ontario.

Scope of Position

The General Manager will be responsible for providing strategic direction to our client’s integrated manufacturing operations and sales team while ensuring that the plant operations meet production and sales demands in a cost-optimized, safe, and environmentally responsible manner.

Reporting to the President, the General Manager will be responsible for a $100 million revenue business with a headcount of 225 people overseeing all sales, business development, production, finance, and operations by clearly defining goals and objectives that promote and maintain an atmosphere of efficiency and continuous improvement in all areas of business and operations.

Functional Tasks

• Manage and oversee all business operations including but not limited to sales, production, quality, finance, corporate strategy, and human resources.
• Ownership of the Profit & Loss (P&L) responsibility, actively strategizing, organizing, and executing the business plan to align with group company’s financial and strategic objectives.
• Harness existing relationships within the company’s network to develop a comprehensive business plan for the facility while focusing on fostering long-term, high-value partnerships as well as local relationships.
• Provide recommendations for capital investments that align with the company’s overarching goals.
• Collaborate with other company leaders to achieve collective objectives and utilize the full range of capabilities available within the company’s network.
• Through effective sales leadership and team support, develop and execute a growth plan while identifying opportunities to deliver solutions to both existing and new customers and suppliers.
• Collaborate with other leaders to effectively allocate resources that strike a balance between strategic objectives and financial returns while ensuring efficient asset utilization.
• Establish and implement manufacturing and business processes that drive operational excellence, adhering to company policies and procedures. Foster an environment of lean/continuous improvement, increased efficiencies, and reduced costs.
• Understand and address critical factors related to plant operations, including capital projects, hiring, performance, environmental concerns, safety, and budgeting, to make sound decisions that impact the local site.
• Maintain and develop effective analysis and reporting tools to communicate plant performance to internal and external stakeholders.
• Identify and nurture future leaders, cultivating bench strength within the organization.
• Apply a deep understanding of people and performance management processes to set expectations and conduct regular performance reviews with all direct reports.
• Collaborate with the Health & Safety department to continually enhance safety discipline, practices, and policies.
• Leverage a strong understanding of labor relations and unions to effectively address relevant issues, such as collective agreements and grievances.
• Promote a culture rooted in customer-centric behaviors and problem-solving.

Competency Profile

The following competencies listed below define the role of General Manager.

Customer Focus
Personally, demonstrates that external and internal customers are a high priority. Identifies customer needs and expectations and responds to them in a timely and effective manner. Anticipates and prevents delays or other things that can adversely affect the customer.
Keeps customers informed about the status of pending actions and audits customer satisfaction with products or services.

Decision Quality
Gather enough information to allow a pragmatic assessment of risks and benefits of alternative approaches in any decision. Stays focused on objectives and considers both the short-term and longer-term impact of decisions and keeps objectives in mind throughout the process. Communicates the impact and implications of decisions. Completes the appropriate level of due diligence required to make a quick, accurate decision.

Drive For Results
Achieves results within established timelines. Understands and demonstrates that intentions, activities, and results are not the same. Pursues everything with energy, drive, and a need to finish; does not give up before finishing, even in the face of resistance or setbacks; consistently challenges self and others for results.

Leadership
The expectation of leadership is not reserved solely for only those who are in positions of authority, but for all employees. They demonstrate high integrity and are motivated by wanting to make a real difference to people by delivering a high-quality service for their customer and the organization. In positions of authority they: invest in development for the right people and identify and develop future leaders, and coach and provide candid feedback to others. They are visible and they model behaviors, competencies and values expected and inspire others to undertake challenging tasks and projects.

Teamwork
Is an effective team player who adds complementary skills and contributes valuable ideas, opinions, and feedback. Communicates in an open and candid manner and can be counted upon to fulfill any commitments made to others on the team. Ensures the right stakeholders are informed and involved where necessary. Is ready to “roll up their sleeves” as necessary.

Think and Act like an owner.
Thinks and cares about the organization like an owner. Commits to and upholds organizational values, and core behaviors even under difficult circumstances. Demonstrates a strong sense of responsibility and dedication to the
success of the organization. Takes appropriate risks, holds self and others accountable for measurable, high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results and openly raises a challenge even if others don’t.

Preferred Experience / Education

The following describes industry and functional experience/qualifications important to success in the role.

• A minimum of 15 years’ manufacturing production experience.
• Proven business leadership in a market-focused, multi-functional organization of significant size.
• Demonstrated expertise in P&L management, production, finance, and sales within a technical, customer-centric manufacturing environment.
• Engineering-related university degrees (e.g., Mechanical, Process) are an asset.
• Track record in leading operations-focused teams, including performance and conflict management.
• Proficiency in implementing best practices in operations management, encompassing asset optimization, cycle time reduction, waste reduction, workforce flexibility, training, and recruitment.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to build strong relationships among diverse internal and external stakeholders.

Key Success Factors

• Ability to grow and develop business for the division.
• Positive safety performance without safety incidents.
• Maximized production volume adhering to quality standards at the lowest possible cost.
• Well trained operations crew that are motivated to achieve safety, quality, and environmental targets.
• Strong employee development and engagement, creating accountability and coordination across teams to achieve objectives.
• Positioning the business to be at the forefront of technology and efficiency to provide customers with the highest possible value.
• Highly competitive compensation and benefits package.