General Manager

KY36-2752424 · Elizabethtown, Kentucky · Neily Horan

Job Description

Job Title: General Manager Location: Kentucky (On-Site)Shift: Currently 1st Shift (Single-Shift Operation)Employment Type: Full-TimeIndustry: Aluminum ManufacturingReports To: Ownership / Executive Leadership (Confidential)Direct Reports: 1 (with planned growth) About the Role Our client is a confidential, Korean-owned manufacturing company with its U.S. headquarters located in Kentucky. This is a rare opportunity to step into a true General Manager role with full ownership of manufacturing operations. The General Manager will lead, direct, and fully own all aspects of production and manufacturing performance. This role offers significant autonomy, decision-making authority, and long-term growth potential as the company expands its U.S. footprint and builds out its leadership and operational structure. This position is ideal for a hands-on manufacturing leader who wants to run the operation like it’s their own, build scalable systems, and grow alongside a company that is actively developing its U.S. portfolio. Key Responsibilities Own and lead all manufacturing and production operations, end-to-end Drive production performance across safety, quality, delivery, and cost Establish, improve, and enforce manufacturing processes, KPIs, and standards Lead daily operations for a 60-employee facility, with planned headcount growth Serve as the primary operational leader for the U.S. headquarters Partner closely with ownership on operational strategy, staffing plans, and growth initiatives Manage production planning, labor utilization, and capacity as the business scales Ensure compliance with safety, quality, and regulatory requirements Lead and develop direct reports and future leadership as the organization grows Act as the senior on-site decision-maker for all manufacturing-related matters Qualifications & Requirements Proven experience leading manufacturing operations (Plant Manager, Operations Manager, General Manager, or similar) Background in metal or aluminum manufacturing strongly preferred Experience owning full production responsibility, not just a function Strong leadership presence with the ability to operate autonomously Comfortable working in a growing, entrepreneurial manufacturing environment Experience building processes and teams as operations scale Ability to communicate effectively across cultures (experience with international or Korean-owned organizations is a plus) Compensation & Benefits Highly competitive compensation (commensurate with senior-level responsibility) 100% company-paid benefits, including: Medical Dental Vision 401(k) with 6% company match No regular travel required (estimated one weekend per year, as needed) Long-term growth opportunity with potential executive-level advancement (including future CMO path within ~5 years) Why This Role True General Manager authority — not a figurehead role Significant autonomy and trust from ownership Stable, single-shift operation with room to scale U.S. headquarters for an international organization Opportunity to help build the future leadership structure from the ground up