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Senior Plant Manager 3601846

Job in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, 60290, USA
Listing for: Wetalentia
Full Time position
Listed on 2026-08-19
Job specializations:
  • Manufacturing / Production
    Lean Manufacturing / Six Sigma, Operations Management, Manufacturing & Industrial Operations, Production Manager
Salary/Wage Range or Industry Benchmark: 140000 - 190000 USD Yearly USD 140000.00 190000.00 YEAR
Job Description & How to Apply Below

Our client is a well-established international food manufacturing company with a strong global presence and a rapidly growing footprint in the United States. The organization combines an entrepreneurial mindset with a fast-paced, highly operational environment focused on quality, innovation, and continuous improvement.

This is not a traditional corporate structure.
Leadership is deeply involved in day-to-day operations, priorities may shift quickly, and successful individuals are those who thrive in ambiguity while maintaining strong ownership, accountability, and operational discipline.

The company strongly values:

  • Stability and long-term commitment
  • Adaptability and flexibility
  • Initiative and ownership mentality
  • Direct communication and transparency
  • Humility and hands-on leadership style
Position Overview

We are seeking a highly operational and hands-on
Sr. Plant Manager to lead multiple manufacturing operations and oversee the full production organization within a complex food manufacturing environment.

This role is responsible for driving operational excellence across production, safety, quality, efficiency, continuous improvement, and organizational development
.

The Sr. Plant Manager will serve as a key operational leader, ensuring alignment between manufacturing operations and overall business objectives while maintaining a strong

presence on the production floor.

This is a highly visible leadership role requiring both strategic thinking and daily operational execution.

Key Responsibilities Operations Leadership
  • Lead day-to-day operations across multiple manufacturing facilities within a fast-paced food production environment
  • Maintain a highly visible presence on the production floor and actively support daily operational execution
  • Provide leadership, coaching, and mentorship to production leadership teams
  • Ensure production schedules are executed safely, efficiently, and in alignment with business needs
  • Drive accountability and operational discipline across all levels of manufacturing operations
  • Support organizational development and succession planning within the operations team
Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence
  • Lead and promote Continuous Improvement initiatives focused on productivity, efficiency, waste reduction, and operational performance
  • Drive Lean Manufacturing, Operational Excellence, TPM, RCA, CAPA, and CI methodologies throughout the organization
  • Analyze operational processes and identify opportunities for optimization across production lines and manufacturing systems
  • Establish and monitor operational KPIs, implementing corrective actions when necessary
  • Support implementation of operational improvements, process standardization, and efficiency initiatives
Safety, Quality & Compliance
  • Champion a culture of safety, quality, accountability, and operational ownership
  • Ensure compliance with OSHA, FDA, USDA, GMP, HACCP, and internal food safety standards
  • Partner closely with Quality, Sanitation, Maintenance, and Engineering teams to support operational excellence
  • Lead operational response and follow-up related to safety, quality, and compliance issues
  • Ensure manufacturing operations consistently meet quality standards and customer expectations
Financial & Strategic Responsibilities
  • Manage plant operating budgets and support capital expenditure planning
  • Participate in long-range operational planning and future manufacturing expansion initiatives
  • Drive cost reduction initiatives while maintaining operational performance and product quality
  • Support operational strategies focused on profitability, efficiency, and sustainable growth
Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Collaborate closely with Engineering, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Quality, HR, and Executive Leadership teams
  • Support new product introductions and operational readiness initiatives
  • Participate in operational meetings and leadership reviews as required
  • Foster strong communication and alignment across departments
Qualifications & Experience
  • 10+ years of leadership experience within food manufacturing operations
  • Strong background managing large-scale production environments with multiple production lines
  • Experience with in complex manufacturing environments involving operational variability, multiple SKUs, and fast-paced production
  • Fresh food manufacturing experience strongly preferred
  • Proven experience driving Continuous Improvement and operational efficiency initiatives
  • Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Operational Excellence, TPM, RCA, CAPA, and CI methodologies
  • Demonstrated ability to lead teams, develop people, and build operational structure
  • Strong understanding of OSHA, FDA, USDA, GMP, and HACCP regulations
  • Experience managing plant operations within highly operational and hands-on manufacturing cultures
  • Exposure to capital projects
    , operational planning, and manufacturing expansion initiatives preferred
  • Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Operations Management, Food Science, Engineering, or related field preferred
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office and…
Position Requirements
10+ Years work experience
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