Plant Director 3656460

Plant Director

Bartlett, IL (Fully Onsite)

Bilingual English - Spanish mandatory. Do not apply if you are not fluent in Spanish.

Industry : Mandatory food and beverage or pet food manufacturing.

Company Overview

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

• Cross-functional collaboration

• Humility and hands-on leadership style

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly operational and hands-on Director of Plant Operations 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 Plant director 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 3 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 international or multi-site manufacturing organizations

• Strong background managing large-scale production environments with multiple production lines

• Experience within 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 manufacturing-related systems/applications

• Ability to work flexible hours when operationally required

Key Leadership Competencies

• Hands-on, shop floor-oriented leadership

• Strong operational presence and accountability

• Ability to balance strategy and execution

• Problem-solving and decision-making skills

• Adaptability in fast-paced environments

• Collaborative, cross-functional mindset

• Strong communication and team development abilities

• Continuous Improvement mindset

• Ability to drive change and operational efficiency

Compensation

• ABS (DOE)

• Bonus: 20%

• Full Benefits Package (Medical, Dental, Vision, 401k Match, PTO, Relocation, Visa sponsorship for Mexican, Italian or Canadian citizens)