Plant Unit Operations Manager (Lean Manufacturing)

Is this you?

• When a thermoforming cell drops throughput by 10% on a weekend, you stabilize, diagnose with 5 Whys, and implement corrective and preventive actions—without compromising safety or GMPs.
• You can lead 150+ people across multiple lines in a 24/7 operation, keeping safety, quality, delivery, people, and cost in balance.
• You turn strategy into step-by-step execution and communicate clearly with operators, supervisors, and senior leadership.

The challenge

Guide assigned departments, product lines, or profit centers in a food-grade plastics environment—where extrusion and thermoforming meet high expectations. You will be the operational heartbeat and a cross-trained backup to the Plant Manager, ready to step in as needed.

What you’ll do

Lead with safety

• Integrate safety into every decision and activity; rigorously apply policies, procedures, standards, and regulations.
• Identify and resolve unsafe conditions and practices; lead investigations, root-cause analysis, and follow-through on corrective actions.
• Partner with EHS and the Plant Manager to set goals and elevate plant safety culture through coaching and floor presence.

Run production with precision

• Plan, schedule, and monitor daily production to hit targets for safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and efficiency.
• Optimize resources—people, equipment, materials, methods—to meet customer and business commitments.
• Track efficiency, downtime, throughput, labor utilization, scrap, and schedule attainment; act quickly when results drift.
• Communicate priorities, risks, and performance transparently across all levels.

Grow people and capability

• Recruit, onboard, and develop a high-performing team; set expectations and hold leaders and employees accountable.
• Mentor supervisors and emerging leaders; delegate meaningful work to speed capability and succession.
• Build an inclusive, respectful, collaborative culture; resolve performance/behavior issues promptly with HR partnership.

Elevate quality and improvement

• Ensure conformance to customer specs, internal standards, and GMPs.
• Contain, investigate, and correct quality issues using data, statistical tools, and structured problem solving.
• Lead Lean/Kaizen initiatives to eliminate waste, enhance process capability, improve productivity, and sustain via standards, training, audits, and accountability.

Deliver business results

• Manage operational and financial performance, including labor, scrap, productivity, efficiency, downtime, overtime, and material usage.
• Provide timely, accurate reporting; leverage insights to anticipate challenges and allocate resources smartly.
• Translate strategy into clear action plans with ownership, follow-through, and measurable outcomes.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Plant Manager.

What you bring

• Bachelor’s degree preferred in Industrial Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years in manufacturing, including at least 2 years in a supervisory/leadership role.
• Proven application of statistical methods, data analysis, root cause analysis, and process improvement.
• Computer proficiency (Microsoft Office Suite) and the ability to learn company-specific systems and technology.
• Demonstrated success building and leading high-performing teams; excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Ability to make sound, timely decisions and lead effectively in a fast-paced plant environment.

Domain expertise and tools

• Leadership / People Management
• 5 Why (Root Cause Analysis Method)
• Food and Beverage Manufacturing
• Kaizen
• Lean Manufacturing Principles
• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
• Budgeting / Forecasting Experience
• Plastic Extrusion Experience
• Thermoforming Experience
• Microsoft Excel
• Presentation skills