Most plant manager briefs open with the company and close with a list of generic responsibilities. The candidate you want, who is currently running a plant and not unhappy, reads that and learns nothing. A useful brief answers the questions that candidate would ask on a first call.
Start with the plant. What does it make, how, and for whom? How many people work there, on how many shifts, and is any of the workforce represented by a union? Is it a single-product plant or a high-mix floor? A plant manager decides within minutes whether they have run something like it.
Then say what is wrong, or what is next. Plants hire managers for different reasons: a turnaround, an expansion, a retirement, a new owner. Candidates are drawn to a clear mandate and wary of vague ones. If the last manager left abruptly, say that you know it and what you changed.
State the reporting line and the authority. Does the manager own the P&L or only cost? Who do they report to, and how often does that person visit? Can they hire and fire supervisors without approval? Can they spend on capital up to a stated amount?
Be honest about location and relocation. If the plant is in a small town, say what the town offers. If you will pay relocation, say so early. This single line removes more wasted conversations than any other.
Finally, give a compensation range you are ready to defend, and say what is flexible. If your range will not attract the person you describe, a good recruiter should tell you so before the search begins, and we do.