Job Summary
The Manufacturing Engineering Lead / Facilities Area Lead is a site-based leadership role at Kokomo Components responsible for leading both Manufacturing Engineering and Facilities operations. This position provides day-to-day leadership for safe operations, manufacturing engineering execution, facilities performance, environmental compliance, cost management, and team development in a complex, non-traditional GM manufacturing environment.
The role requires a visible, hands-on leader who can operate effectively across a broad scope, make sound independent decisions, and deliver safe, compliant, and cost-effective results. This leader also supports demolition activity, new product development, and enterprise commitments while building clarity, structure, and accountability across the site.
Key Responsibilities
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Lead day-to-day operations with a strong focus on safety, compliance, and environmental stewardship across facilities, demolition activity, and manufacturing engineering work.
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Ensure compliance with GM safety requirements , Workplace Safety System elements, technical standards, labor agreement requirements, and safe work practices.
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Provide leadership for manufacturing engineering activities supporting launch readiness, equipment and automation performance, process capability, quality, throughput, and continuous improvement.
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Drive structured problem solving, root cause analysis, issue containment, engineering changes, and implementation of lessons learned.
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Serve as the site lead for facilities and site services , including utilities, powerhouse, co-generation, wastewater treatment, housekeeping, and overall facility sustainment.
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Ensure reliable facility operations that support uptime, maintenance effectiveness, energy supply, cleanliness, compliance, and operational readiness.
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Lead site execution of cost, budget, and operational performance by managing expenses, identifying savings opportunities, and advancing cost reduction actions through established GM processes.
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Support new product development , launch execution, and enterprise commitments through alignment with floor processes, technical readiness, and cross-functional collaboration.
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Lead and develop salaried employees, skilled trades, technical resources, and third-party providers to strengthen organizational capability and execution.
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Partner across functions to drive business processes, site services, and long-term improvement initiatives with clear ownership and follow-through.
Required Qualifications
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Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or equivalent experience.
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Minimum 5 years of experience in a manufacturing plant environment.
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Minimum 5 years of facilities, maintenance, or related leadership experience.
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Significant experience in manufacturing engineering with strong business systems knowledge.
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Demonstrated ability to lead salaried employees, skilled trades, and cross-functional teams .
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Strong problem-solving, analytical, communication, and interpersonal leadership skills.
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Ability to lead effectively through ambiguity and manage a broad, evolving scope.
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Working knowledge of GM manufacturing systems and processes .
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Ability to work overtime and support shift assignments as needed.
Preferred Qualifications
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10+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, facilities, or maintenance leadership in a manufacturing environment.
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Strong knowledge of facilities systems, plant infrastructure, building design, codes, and specifications .
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Experience with process improvement, structured problem solving, SPC, throughput improvement, tooling/fixture design, and launch support .
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Experience leading automation, innovation, or site improvement initiatives .
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Experience supporting demolition activity, environmental compliance, and new product program execution in a complex plant environment.
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Proven ability to influence across functions and translate broad responsibility into clear execution.
