Plant Operations Manager

About the Role

As a Plant Operations Manager, you will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight to drive excellence across our production departments. You will be responsible for cultivating a high-performing culture, optimizing manufacturing processes, and ensuring we meet our safety, quality, and financial goals.

Responsibilities

• Champion a safety-first culture by integrating rigorous safety protocols into daily operations and leading root cause investigations.
• Direct production activities for multiple product lines, ensuring optimal resource utilization and schedule attainment.
• Mentor and develop a diverse team of employees, fostering an inclusive environment that prioritizes professional growth and accountability.
• Implement Lean Manufacturing and Kaizen methodologies to eliminate waste, improve throughput, and enhance process capability.
• Analyze key operational metrics to identify trends, mitigate downtime, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Manage departmental budgets and controllable costs to maximize profitability and operational efficiency.
• Collaborate with cross-functional leadership to translate strategic objectives into actionable, high-impact execution plans.

Qualifications

Required Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Management, or a related field.
• 5+ years of manufacturing experience with at least 2 years in a leadership or supervisory capacity.
• Proven track record of building and managing high-performing, cross-functional teams.
• Strong proficiency in data analysis, statistical methods, and structured problem-solving (e.g., 5 Whys).
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all organizational levels.

Preferred Skills

• Direct experience in plastic extrusion or thermoforming processes.
• Deep understanding of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and food/beverage industry standards.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Excel for reporting and forecasting.