We are partnering with a growing metal fabrication manufacturer on a retained search for a Plant Manager to lead its Thomson, Georgia facility.
This is a hands-on leadership opportunity within a site entering a significant growth phase. The operation is ramping production quickly behind several major customer programs and is expected to roughly double in headcount as the facility expands across multiple shifts.
The Plant Manager will have broad ownership of day-to-day operations while helping build the team, processes, accountability, and operating structure needed to support that growth. This is an opportunity for someone who enjoys being close to the floor, developing people, solving problems, and building an operation rather than simply maintaining one.
Responsibilities
Lead all day-to-day manufacturing operations for the Thomson facility
Build, develop, and lead the production organization as the site scales
Support the expansion into multiple shifts, including weekend production
Drive performance across safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost
Establish clear expectations, accountability, and operating discipline across the shop floor
Develop supervisors and front-line leaders as the organization grows
Partner with leadership on staffing, capacity planning, equipment needs, and facility improvements
Identify and implement opportunities to improve throughput, workflow, labor efficiency, and quality
Maintain a visible, hands-on leadership presence throughout the operation
Qualifications
Manufacturing leadership experience as a Plant Manager, Operations Manager, Manufacturing Manager, Production Manager, Supervisor, or similar role
Experience leading hourly manufacturing teams in a hands-on production environment
Background in metal fabrication, welding, machining, heavy equipment, industrial products, or a similar manufacturing setting strongly preferred
Strong technical aptitude and understanding of manufacturing processes
Demonstrated ability to build teams, develop people, and improve operational performance
Comfortable operating in a growing environment where processes and structure are still being developed
Strong problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills
Bachelor’s degree not required; technical education, associate degree, apprenticeship experience, or equivalent manufacturing experience will be considered
The Branch Operations Manager will direct and supervise the staff and day-to-day operations in the assigned branch location, ensuring delivery of quality customer service and achievement of sales or productivity goals.
SkyWater is partnering with a growing medical device manufacturer in Upstate New York to hire a Product Development Engineer for their engineering team! Our client recently received FDA approval for a key product line and is entering an exciting growth phase, scaling from small-batch manufacturing into a commercialized business with an expanding product pipeline. This is a great opportunity to help build and shape the product development function from the ground up, working on new IP and next-generation product designs. We’re looking for a hands-on Engineer with 3-5 years of medical device (or similar regulated industry experience) product development or design experience, and strong SolidWorks skills. If you’re looking for an opportunity to join an innovative, growing organization where your work can make a big impact, then please submit your resume today to be considered for this exciting opportunity!
SkyWater Search Partners has been retained by a privately held, Wisconsin-based manufacturing and distribution organization to identify its next Chief Financial Officer.
Over the last 50+ years, our client has grown its operations from a single manufacturing & service business into a diversified portfolio of manufacturing, distribution and fabrication companies serving commercial, industrial, and residential markets throughout North America. Today, the organization generates over $500M in revenue annually through the disciplined operation of a large number of business entities across the United States and Canada, combining the entrepreneurial culture of a family-owned business with the scale and complexity of a multi-entity enterprise.
The Chief Financial Officer opportunity has become available due to the planned retirement of a long-tenured executive after several decades of service with the organization. Reporting directly to the President and serving as a key member of the executive leadership team, the CFO will oversee all aspects of the company’s finance and accounting function while acting as a trusted strategic advisor to executive leadership and ownership. Our client is seeking a forward-thinking finance executive who can build upon an already strong financial foundation, and play a critical role in leading the company through its next phase of growth. The ideal candidate will bring a balanced background in financial leadership, manufacturing operations, business partnership, and strategic decision-making, with experience supporting acquisitions, driving operational improvements, and influencing business performance across a diversified portfolio of operating companies.
***This position offers a highly competitive executive compensation package, including a market-based base salary, annual performance-based incentive opportunity, comprehensive benefits, and if needed, relocation assistance***
***We are currently considering candidates who are based in (or willing to relocate to) Northeast Wisconsin (Appleton, Manitowoc, Green Bay, De Pere, Oshkosh). This is an on-site executive leadership position, and the successful candidate will be expected to maintain a regular presence at the company’s corporate headquarters while traveling periodically to operating locations throughout North America.***
SkyWater has been retained by a private equity backed SaaS company in the Twin Cities Metro to attract and hire a VP of Software Engineering. This is a newly created leadership seat, not a backfill. The company has been around more than 20 years and is looking to shift from a tech-enabled business to a true software and data company.
As the VP, you would own the technology roadmap end to end. That includes leading a team of 15+ engineers, migrating a legacy on-prem environment to the cloud, standing up compliance, and building out new self-serve, BI-driven product tools for customers and their partners. You would work closely with a product leader on the roadmap but own the technology function outright and report into the senior leadership team.
Non-negotiables: hands-on experience taking a company through a real cloud modernization, current and genuine use of AI-assisted development tools and workflows, and the ability to work in office in the Metro (with flexibility).
What makes this worth leaving a current seat for: real ownership of a technology function at a growth-stage company with fresh capital behind it, a builder’s mandate with room to shape the org and the stack from close to scratch, and equity participation tied to the company’s next phase of growth.
Base salary is in the low to mid 200s, with bonus and equity potential. To apply or learn more, reach out confidentially to Zac Kallas at SkyWater Search Partners.
SkyWater has partnered with a global manufacturer with operations across dozens of countries is building a formal customer data function from the ground up, and this is the first hire into it. The company just brought on a counterpart to own supply side master data. Now they need someone to do the same on the customer side: hierarchies, legal entity structures, segmentation, and the master data rules that make the customer record trustworthy across every system that touches it.
This is an individual contributor role reporting to the VP of Data and Analytics, with the CTO directly involved in the hiring. There is no team to inherit and no existing playbook. You would be building the customer MDM function and the data quality standards largely from scratch. A separate team owns broader data governance, so this role stays focused on the customer domain specifically.
What is required: manufacturing or B2B industry experience, hands on MDM work (Informatica or a comparable platform), advanced SQL for data quality analysis and root cause work, and comfort operating without a fully built structure around you.
Compensation is targeted in the 175 to 180 range with 20 percent bonus potential. Location is SW Metro, four days onsite.
If you are a senior or principal level data professional who wants ownership of a domain from day one rather than inheriting someone else’s mess, reach out confidentially to discuss.
Our client, a highly regarded financial institution in the Twin Cities, is seeking Investment Banking Associates/VPs — this is a fantastic opportunity for someone at a smaller lower-middle-market or boutique to step up to an upper-middle-market shop, or for those at bulge brackets to step into better culture/work like balance.
Compensation will be top-range of middle market investment banking comp and the pedigree of people this firm hires is second to none. Whether you plan on staying in investment banking the rest of your career or will eventually seek exit opportunities into PE/Corp Dev/Corp Finance this is the place to be.
Candidates looking to relocate from other markets are welcome to apply — relocation assistance can be provided. Our client is not offering visa sponsorship at this time.
A privately held company in the western Twin Cities is looking for a senior transportation leader to take ownership of its transportation business.
This person will be responsible for the overall strategy and performance of the transportation operation, including freight brokerage, carrier procurement, load planning, network design, service levels, and profitability. The role will report directly to the President and CEO and will have significant influence over how the business grows.
The company is looking for someone who understands both the operational and commercial sides of transportation. This person should be comfortable setting direction, developing leaders, improving margins, working across departments, and using data and technology to build a stronger and more scalable operation.
Step into an established book of business- Warm clients, a real pipeline, and a desk that’s yours to run.
SkyWater Search Partners is looking to add an experienced Recruiter to our Engineering & Construction practice. This is a unique opportunity to step into an evolving market with an existing book of business, while having the autonomy to build, grow, and shape your own niche within the Engineering & Construction space.
What You’ll Do:
Run a full desk split roughly 50/50 between client development and candidate recruiting
Take over warm, existing client relationships in Engineering & Construction and grow them further
Identify, source, and place top engineering and construction talent for clients across the market
Act as a true talent partner to clients — consulting on hiring strategy, not just filling reqs
Who You Are:
Recruiting experience with at least 3 years of recruiting experience under your belt
Open on desk type, too: corporate/in-house, half-desk agency, or full agency recruiting backgrounds are all welcome
Manufacturing, engineering, or construction recruiting experience is a nice-to-have, not a requirement — we care more about how you operate than which industry you’ve placed into before
Self-motivated and results-driven; you care about outcomes, not activity metrics
Excited by the idea of an established starting point with real room to build something of you
What Sets Us Apart:
Unlimited Earning Potential: One of the most competitive compensation structures in the market, including uncapped commission — earn as much as you’re driven to achieve.
Technology & Marketing Tools: Every recruiter is equipped with AI tools, a LinkedIn Recruiter license, and a fully integrated Bullhorn ATS.
Training & Mentorship: Hands-on training, a structured onboarding program, assigned mentors, monthly company-wide trainings, and an open-door policy for ongoing support.
Referred Revenue Opportunities: Collaboration is core to our success- earn commission on revenue you refer across the organization.
Flexibility: A hybrid work model with coordinated in-office days, unlimited PTO, and a high-trust environment that promotes autonomy and accountability.
Culture: Authentic, collaborative, and fun- quarterly meetings, happy hours, holiday parties, and family events. We also give back through community initiatives like Feed My Starving Children, Adopt-a-Highway, and Smile Network.
Apply online or reach out directly to Jordan McGuire, Recruiting & Development Manager — jmcguire@skywatersearch.com
You’ve worked in an agency. You know the pace, the polish, the pressure of a client call gone sideways. Now build the teams that make agencies great- without the 11pm deck revisions.
SkyWater Search Partners is hiring a full desk Marketing & Creative Recruiter to own client relationships and candidate pipeline, placing account management, strategy, design, and creative talent into top advertising agencies across the Twin Cities and beyond. You’ll step into a practice with warm, evergreen client relationships and an active pipeline ready to work from day one.
What You’ll Do:
Run a full desk- source and screen candidates while developing and managing your own agency client relationships
Recruit for client-service, account management, strategy, design, and creative roles (Assistant Account Executive through Senior Account Manager)
Advise clients who expect polish and fast turnaround; ask smart questions and hold your own with skeptical pushback
Draft your own client and candidate communications – you’ll get real coaching, not a script
Who You Are:
You’ve worked in agency life- account services or a similar client-facing role — and while the pace was intense, you never lost your love for the industry
Poised, gracious, and buttoned-up under pressure- sloppy communication isn’t in your vocabulary
A self-starter who doesn’t need a push to pick up the phone or chase the next lead
Coachable and hungry to build a long-term career here
What Sets Us Apart:
Unlimited Earning Potential: One of the most competitive compensation structures in the market, including uncapped commission — earn as much as you’re driven to achieve.
Technology & Marketing Tools: Every recruiter is equipped with AI tools, a LinkedIn Recruiter license, and a fully integrated Bullhorn ATS.
Training & Mentorship: Hands-on training, a structured onboarding program, assigned mentors, monthly company-wide trainings, and an open-door policy for ongoing support.
Referred Revenue Opportunities: Collaboration is core to our success- earn commission on revenue you refer across the organization.
Flexibility: A hybrid work model with coordinated in-office days, unlimited PTO, and a high-trust environment that promotes autonomy and accountability.
Culture: Authentic, collaborative, and fun- quarterly meetings, happy hours, holiday parties, and family events. We also give back through community initiatives like Feed My Starving Children, Adopt-a-Highway, and Smile Network.
Apply online or reach out directly to Jordan McGuire, Recruiting & Development Manager — jmcguire@skywatersearch.com
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