Manufacturing Plant Manager

GOSECO International Executive Search® has been exclusively retained by a prestigious and rapidly growing global manufacturing organization to lead the search for their next Plant Manager based in Tijuana, Mexico.
This is a compelling opportunity for a seasoned operations leader with a strong background in discrete manufacturing environments to take on full leadership of a strategically important facility. The role offers the ability to drive operational excellence, lead high-performing teams, and contribute directly to the continued growth and performance of the organization across North America. The company is recognized for its commitment to innovation, customer-centric solutions, and continuous improvement, and is seeking a leader who can elevate plant performance while fostering a culture of accountability, safety, and results.

Company Overview
Our client is a leading, vertically integrated manufacturer of engineered protective packaging solutions serving a diverse base of North American customers across industries such as automotive, electronics, medical, and industrial manufacturing.
The organization operates a multi-site manufacturing network and is recognized for its ability to design, develop, and deliver custom, high-performance packaging solutions that optimize supply chains, enhance product protection, and support sustainability initiatives.

The Plant Manager will provide full operational leadership for a key manufacturing facility in Tijuana, ensuring world-class performance across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people development.
This role is accountable for end-to-end plant performance, including production, engineering, maintenance, quality, and supply chain coordination, while aligning with broader regional and North American operational strategies.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on, high-impact leader with experience in packaging, corrugated, foam, plastics, or engineered manufacturing environments, capable of driving operational excellence, scaling performance, and leading high-performing teams in a fast-paced, customer-centric environment.

Lead all plant operations, including production, maintenance, quality, and logistics
Drive performance against KPIs across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Inventory (SQDCI)
Continuous Improvement & Lean Manufacturing
Champion and implement Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement initiatives
Optimize production flows, material usage, and plant capacity

Customer & Commercial Alignment
Partner with commercial and engineering teams to support custom-engineered solutions and program launches
Ensure responsiveness to customer requirements, delivery timelines, and quality standards
Strengthen leadership bench and succession planning

Own plant-level financial performance, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost management
Safety, Quality & Compliance
Maintain and enhance quality systems aligned with customer and industry standards

10+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing operations

• Proven track record as a Plant Manager or senior operations leader
• Experience in packaging, corrugated, foam, plastics, or engineered manufacturing environments
• Strong background managing multi-shift operations and large teams
• Demonstrated success in Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement environments
• Fully bilingual English / Spanish

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Industrial Management, or related field
MBA or advanced degree is a plus

Experience in fast-paced, customer-driven manufacturing environments
~ Lead a strategically important manufacturing facility within a growing organization
Be part of a dynamic, performance-driven environment with strong leadership visibility
Direct impact on plant performance and broader business success