Area Operations Manager

Linde Gas & Equipment; Hillside (IL); On-site; USD 125,000 - 155,000; Full time

Job summary

Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. Hillside, IL is seeking an Area Operations Manager to lead a team of Plant Operation Managers and oversee plant operations, distribution, safety, compliance and quality across the network.

The role emphasizes Lean & Six Sigma, continuous improvement, KPI reporting, and close coordination with sales, logistics, engineering, HR and finance to deliver operational plans and achieve annual goals. Travel up to 50% is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.
• 5–10 years management experience required.
• Cylinder gas and Dry Ice operations experience required.
• Strong written & verbal communication skills required.
• Strong MS Office skills required.
• Ability to travel a minimum of 50%.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of Plant Operation Managers and be directly responsible for Plant Operations, Distribution, Safety (Personal and Operational), Compliance, and Quality.
• Oversee all production and distribution activities for plants, including all distribution for internal shuttles throughout the markets.
• Responsible for safety and compliance with internal standards and applicable regulations.
• Manage Productivity, Lean & Six Sigma initiatives; work with region Productivity management; develop continuous improvement projects with retail and plant operations teams.
• Create and manage operational plans and goals, monitor performance against goals, and develop yearly plant management goals.
• Utilize Best Practices and facilitate safety trend reporting, KPI reporting, and regional operational reporting.
• Coordinate with sales, ensure communication plans, monitor trends, develop procedures, and manage KPI reporting.
• Staff, train, coach, conduct performance reviews and corrective actions; ensure compliance and collaboration across operations, logistics, engineering, HR and finance.]
• Ensure cross-functional alignment and drive efficiency improvements across the network.

Skills

Leadership experience

Travel willingness

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

5-10 years management experience

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. Hillside, IL, United States | req34593

Area Operations Manager

What you will enjoy doing

• You will lead a team of Plant Operation Managers and be directly responsible for Plant Operations, Distribution, Safety (Personal and Operational), Compliance, and Quality.
• Oversees all production and distribution activities for plants, including all distribution for internal shuttles throughout the markets.
• You will be responsible for safety and compliance (internal Linde standards, FDA, Federal, State, and local regulations for the division).
• Manages Productivity, Lean & Six Sigma initiatives; works directly with the region Productivity management team; and develops continuous process improvement projects with retail and plant operations teams.
• Creates and manages operational plans, develops documented operational planning and goals, and develops yearly plant management operational goals while managing performance against those goals.
• Continues to utilize current US Central Best Practices, including facilitating Weekly Plant Expense Management Review Calls, managing Regional Monthly Safety Trend Charts, managing and distributing Monthly Plant KPI Actuals Charts, and providing Monthly Regional Vice President Operational Reporting.
• You will coordinate and facilitate activities and commitments with the sales organization, ensure strategies are appropriately formulated and communication plans are provided, monitor trends, develop procedures, take actions that set precedents, and manage KPI reporting.
• Staffs, trains, coaches, administers performance reviews and corrective actions for subordinate employees, ensures direct staff does the same throughout the operations organization, ensures compliance with all applicable internal and external standards, works with strategic independence while conferring with Region and Senior Management on complex assignments, and coordinates operations and project work with logistics, engineering, human resources, and finance.

What Makes You Great

• You will need a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required
• 5-10 years management experience
• You need cylinder gas and Dry Ice operations experience required
• Strong written & verbal communication skills
• Strong MS Office skills
• You will need the ability to travel a minimum of 50%

Why you will love working with us

Linde is a leading global industrial gases and engineering company with 2025 sales of $34 billion. We live our mission of making our world more productive every day by providing high-quality solutions, technologies and services which are making our customers more successful and helping to sustain, decarbonize and protect our planet.
Linde serves a variety of end markets such as chemicals & energy, food & beverage, electronics, healthcare, manufacturing, metals and mining. Linde’s industrial gases and technologies are used in countless applications, enabling space exploration and launch technologies, delivering ultra-high-purity and specialty gases for semiconductor manufacturing, providing life-saving medical oxygen and enabling clean hydrogen production and carbon capture to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Linde also delivers state-of-the-art gas processing solutions to support customer growth, efficiency improvements and emissions reductions.

What we offer you!

At Linde, the sky is not the limit. If you’re looking to build a career where your work reaches beyond your job description and betters the people with whom you work, the communities we serve, and the world in which we all live, at Linde, your opportunities are limitless. Be Linde. Be Limitless.
Linde offers competitive compensation and an outstanding benefits package. Enjoy access to health, dental, disability, and life insurance, paid holidays and vacation, an employee discount program, and opportunities for educational and professional growth. Additional compensation may vary depending on the position and organizational level. Build your future with us while making an impact every day!
Pay range: $125,475 - $155,000 yearly, based on experience

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other reason prohibited by applicable law.

Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. The company is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.

*The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position. Therefore employees assigned may be required to perform additional job tasks required by the manager.