Plant Manager

Plant Manager interview questions

Your high-quality new hire is experienced, qualified (think: business admin, engineering or on-the-job training) and has awesome leadership and problem-solving skills, plus a knowledge of managerial processes. They’ll ask smart, relevant and spontaneous questions which show you how much they love their work and how closely their values align to your company’s. 

Top tip: Diversity is key for a thriving workplace. Keep an eye out for management and exec-level candidates from varying backgrounds and aim to eliminate bias from your hiring process.

Role-specific interview questions

• What are a Plant Manager’s daily priorities?
• How does plant quality mean to you? What quality control processes have you implemented in the past?
• How are you qualified for this role?
• How have you used KPIs?
• How would you assess and improve cost efficiency?
• How do you set and evaluate long-term objectives?
• How would you ensure the plant stays on budget?
• How would you allocate resources or responsibilities?
• How do you create a production schedule? What tech would you use?

Behavioral interview questions

• Tell us about your most successful procedure design.
• Describe a time you improved production procedure efficiency. How did you do it? How did your team respond?
• Have you ever discovered quality control issues? What happened?
• Tell us about a time you aced your leadership skills.
• Tell us about a time you resolved a complex problem as a team. 
• Have you ever used tech to improve something in the plant? What happened?
• Describe a time you communicated with another plant to resolve a problem. What obstacles did you face and how did you overcome them?

Problem solving interview questions

• How would you approach consistently underperforming employees?
• How would you persuade unconvinced coworkers about a new system to reduce wasted materials?
• What’s the most challenging thing about team management?
• What would you do if you discovered a flaw in a procedure that might result in plant losses?
• How would you motivate a team when you have a tight production/shipping deadline?