A plant manager plays a vital role in every factory. Not only do plant manager lead the department, but factories will also depend on the manager to keep costs low and production running. In short, they make a huge difference, so hiring the right candidate for plant manager is paramount to a manufacturer’s success.
This blog will be the first of a three-part series on hiring a plant manager. In this blog, we will cover everything there is you need to know about writing a job description to find great plant manager candidates and make the right hire for your business.
What is a Job Description?
A job description (JD) summarises the essential responsibilities, activities, qualifications, and skills for a role. It should include important company details such as company mission, culture, and any benefits it provides to employees. It may also specify to whom the position reports and salary range.
An effective job advertisement will provide enough detail for candidates to determine if they’re qualified for the position.
How to Write a Job Description
The key to writing compelling job descriptions is to find the perfect balance between providing enough detail and keeping it concise. If done right, your job description will attract the right candidates by helping them clearly understand the role and culture.
Below, we take a look at the 5 key components every job description must contain.
1. Job Title
- Make your job titles specific. Targeted job titles are more effective than generic ones, so be precise by including key phrases that accurately describe the role.
- Avoid internal lingo that may confuse the job seeker. Stick to standard experience levels like "Senior" rather than "VI" or other terms people are less likely to look for.
- Keep the job title concise. Our data shows job titles that are 80 characters or less receive more clicks.
2. Job Summary
- Open with a strong, attention-grabbing summary. Your summary should provide an overview of your company and expectations for the position.
- Hook your reader with details about what makes your company unique. Your job description is an introduction to your company and your employer brand. Include details about your company culture to sum up why a candidate would love to work for you. 75% of job seekers rated a brief company description as vital information to see in a job description.
- Include an exact job location. Provide an exact job location to optimize your job posting, so it appears higher in job search results.
- Include details about work hours and environment. 86% of job seekers rated work hours and schedule information as essential to see in a job description. Additionally, 80% of job seekers rated work environment details as key information in a job description.
3. Responsibilities and Duties
- Outline the core responsibilities of the position. Make sure your list of responsibilities is detailed but concise. Also, emphasize the duties that may be unique to your organization.
- Highlight the day-to-day activities of the position. This will help candidates understand the work environment and the activities they will be exposed to daily. This level of detail will help the candidate determine if the role and company are the right fit, helping you attract the best candidates for your position.
- Specify how the position fits into the organization. Indicate who the job reports to and how they will function within your organization, helping candidates see the bigger picture and understand how the role impacts the business.
4. Qualifications and Skills
- Include a list of hard and soft skills. The job description should specify education, previous job experience, certifications and technical skills required for the role. You may also include soft skills, like communication and problem solving, as well as personality traits that you envision for a successful hire.
- Keep your list concise. While you may be tempted to list out every requirement you envision for your ideal hire, including too many qualifications and skills could dissuade potential candidates.
5. Salary and Benefits
- Include a salary range. Quality candidates look for opportunities that meet their salary needs. In fact, 87% of job seekers rated salary as important in a job description. Stand out from other employers by adding the salary band to your job description to help attract best fit candidates.
- List out your top perks and benefits. What is in it for the candidate? Job seekers rated employee benefits as key information in a job description.
Plant Manager Job Description Template
A plant manager job description includes a compelling summary of the role, duties and responsibilities and the required skills for the position.
Plant Manager Job Summary
Detail your current state of business so you know what you need in a plant manager.
- The 5/7 year business plan
- The company vision statement
- The company’s business strategy
- HR vision and goals
- Other relevant company stated plans
- How profitable is the company?
- Are you planning for a growing, steady, shrinking business, or a complete turnaround?
If you want a change in direction for your plant, now is the time to identify that change. Changes can include:
- Implementing One Piece Flow
- Gemba Kaizen
- Six Sigma Black Belt
- Outsourcing certain operations
- Automation
Plant Manager Duties and Responsibilities
Part of your plant manager job description should clearly state which departments they would work directly with, for example:
- Manufacturing engineering
- Maintenance
- Quality
- Purchasing
- Planning
- Human resources
Plant Manager Skills and Qualifications
Here are are some of the skills every plant manager should have:
- Engineering
- Gemba Kaizen
- Black Belt
- Organizer
- Manufacturing experience – types of manufacturing
- Language (e.g., English, French, Mandarin)
- Leadership
- Materials management
- Quality control
Final Thoughts
Hiring a plant manager should be a priority for manufacturers, so do take time to make a job description that will attract the right candidates. Use the plant manager job description template we’ve created above as a starting point to attract qualified plant manager candidates.
In the next of our three-part series, we will discuss what to consider when looking for potential plant manager candidates.
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