Operations Manager

Position Summary The Operations Manager leads the day-to-day execution of all manufacturing operations at the South Holland facility. Reporting to the Senior Director of Operations, this role leads the Shift Managers and ensures safe, efficient, compliant, and reliable production across shifts. The position translates plant priorities and the approved production schedule into daily action, coordinates rapid response to operating issues, and builds consistent accountability for safety, food quality, service, labor, yield, throughput, cost, and continuous improvement. Primary Responsibilities Daily Plant Execution Lead daily operations across all shifts and production areas, with clear expectations for startup, staffing, line readiness, changeovers, schedule attainment, and shift handoffs. Execute the Supply Chain-approved production schedule by directing detailed plant sequencing, labor deployment, operating priorities, and recovery actions. Maintain a visible daily presence on the plant floor; identify constraints early, remove barriers, and escalate material risks to the Senior Director of Operations. Coordinate immediate response to downtime, labor gaps, quality holds, sanitation issues, material constraints, and other disruptions to protect safe and timely production. Run daily operating reviews and ensure accurate communication of performance, issues, actions, owners, and follow-up across shifts. Safety, Food Safety and Compliance Make safe work the first operating priority and hold Shift Managers, Production Supervisors, Production Leads and their teams accountable for following safety standards, procedures, training, and escalation requirements. Participate in incident reviews, root-cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions, and verification that actions remain effective. Partner with Safety, Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Sanitation, Maintenance, and Engineering to maintain regulatory, customer, and certification requirements in daily operations. Ensure production teams consistently follow approved process controls, HACCP plans, GMPs, allergen controls, sanitation requirements, standard work, and documentation practices. Stop or adjust operations when employee safety, product safety, quality, or compliance is at risk. Performance and Continuous Improvement Monitor and improve daily and weekly performance for safety, quality, schedule attainment, throughput, yield, labor efficiency, conversion cost, downtime, changeovers, waste, and reliability. Use operating data, floor observations, and structured problem solving to identify gaps, assign countermeasures, and verify sustained results. Apply lean manufacturing, 5S, leader standard work, visual management, and other practical improvement methods to strengthen execution and process discipline. Partner with Maintenance and Engineering on equipment reliability, preventive maintenance access, planned downtime, startup readiness, and implementation of approved plant projects. Support the Senior Director of Operations in operating-plan delivery, budget control, productivity commitments, and implementation of site priorities. People Leadership and Cross-Functional Coordination Directly lead, coach, and develop the Shift Managers and other production leaders; establish clear expectations, decision rights, operating routines, and consistent accountability across shifts. Ensure Shift Managers effectively lead Production Supervisors and that supervisors have the training, tools, coverage, and support needed to lead employees on the floor. Build bench strength through structured onboarding, cross-training, development planning, timely feedback, and succession preparation. Promote respectful employee relations, consistent application of policies and standards, effective communication, and prompt resolution or escalation of workforce concerns. Partner closely with Supply Chain, Quality, Safety, Sanitation, Maintenance, Engineering, Human Resources, Procurement, and other suppo…

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