Plant Manager

Plant Manager

LHH is seeking an experienced Plant Manager; in Oak Lawn, IL who will lead all aspects of operations for a high-volume food manufacturing facility, ensuring safe, efficient, and profitable production while maintaining the highest standards of food safety, quality, and employee engagement. This direct hire role oversees production, maintenance, warehousing, quality assurance, inventory control, and continuous improvement initiatives to achieve company goals and customer expectations.

Salary: $120,000 - $160,000 annually (commensurate with experience) +15% bonus

Key Responsibilities

• Direct daily plant operations, including production, packaging, maintenance, sanitation, and warehousing.
• Ensure production targets, quality standards, food safety requirements, and customer commitments are consistently met.
• Monitor and improve key performance indicators (KPIs), including productivity, labor efficiency, yield, waste reduction, downtime, and on-time delivery.
• Lead compliance with FDA, USDA, HACCP, SQF, GMP, OSHA, and environmental regulations.
• Manage plant budgets, operating expenses, and cost-reduction initiatives.
• Develop, coach, and lead supervisors, managers, and hourly team members while fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Drive Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and other process improvement initiatives.
• Oversee preventive maintenance programs to maximize equipment reliability and operational performance.
• Partner with cross-functional teams including Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, Procurement, and Sales to support business objectives.
• Lead safety programs, audits, inspections, and corrective actions to ensure a safe work environment.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or related field.
• 5+ years of leadership experience in food manufacturing.
• 3+ years in a Plant Manager or senior manufacturing leadership role.
• Strong knowledge of FDA, USDA, HACCP, GMP, SQF, and food safety regulations.
• Experience managing budgets, direct-to-consumer food manufacturing, production planning, workforce development, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Proficiency with ERP systems and Microsoft Office.

Key Competencies

Leadership • Strategic Planning • Food Safety & Quality • Process Improvement • Financial Management • Problem Solving • Change Management • Project Management • Communication & Collaboration

Success Metrics

• Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance
• Production Efficiency & Throughput
• Cost Control & Budget Performance
• Employee Engagement & Retention
• On-Time Customer Deliveries
• Quality & Customer Satisfaction
• Safety Performance & Incident Reduction
• Continuous Improvement Results

Benefits

Medical, Dental, and Vision

401K + Match

3 weeks PTO

Paid sick leave where applicable by state law.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

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The Company will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and/or security clearance requirements, including, as applicable:

• The California Fair Chance Act

• Los Angeles City Fair Chance Ordinance

• Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers

• San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance