Assistant General Manager - Portage, IN

SMS; Portage (IN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonuses

Medical, Dental, Vision

Company-paid life insurance

401(k) with 4% matching

Paid holidays

4 weeks paid vacation

Job summary

SMS Mill Services, LLC is seeking an Assistant General Manager to oversee production, safety, and workforce performance at our Portage steel mill scrap facility. You will work closely with the General Manager to align equipment, crews, and processes with customer and production needs.

The role is hands-on on the shop floor, driving improvements, coaching leaders, and resolving issues in real time to ensure efficient, profitable operations.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED; bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 5+ years in steel mill, scrap recycling, manufacturing, or heavy industrial ops.
• 2+ years in leadership roles (supervisor/manager).
• Strong communication and decision-making skills; ability to multitask.

Responsibilities

• Support daily scrap processing and material movement operations.
• Lead supervisors and hourly workforce, enforce accountability and performance expectations.
• Coordinate with maintenance to ensure equipment uptime and preventive maintenance.
• Promote and enforce safety culture; conduct safety observations and audits.
• Assist in budgeting, cost control, and KPI reporting.

Skills

Leadership

Safety compliance

Operations management

Budgeting & cost control

Education

High school diploma or GED

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

MS Excel

ERP systems

Job description

SMS Mill Services, LLC is a leader in the steel mill services industry prioritizing recycling and environmental/worker' safety and handling all operations with integrity.

SMS Portage is seeking a highly skilled, SAFETY FOCUSED and results-driven Assistant General Manager. This role supports day-to-day operations at our steel mill scrap facility. This role partners closely with the General Manager to oversee production, safety, maintenance, and workforce performance while ensuring efficient, profitable operations.

The Assistant General Manager will be heavily involved on the floor—coaching leaders, resolving issues in real time, and ensuring equipment, crews, and processes are aligned to meet customer and production demands.

SMS provides a comprehensive range of services for steel mill customers. We partner with our customers to design custom, cost-effective solutions, which focus on adding value and achieving goals for the operation and the environment. Our range of services includes, but is not limited scrap yard management, finished or semi-finished product services, melt shop services, logistics/transportation support, and slag processing.

Key Responsibilities

Operations & Production

• Support daily operations across scrap processing, material movement, and loading/unloading activities
• Coordinate with Company Supervisors, Shift Foremen, Scale Operators, and Equipment Operators to ensure production targets are met
• Monitor workflow, identify inefficiencies, and implement process improvements
• Assist in scheduling manpower, equipment, and work priorities

Leadership & Workforce Management

• Provide direct leadership and support to supervisors and hourly workforce
• Reinforce accountability, attendance, and performance expectations
• Assist with hiring, onboarding, training, and employee development
• Address employee relations issues in coordination with HR
• Maintain strong communication across all shifts and departments

Maintenance & Equipment Oversight

• Partner with Maintenance Manager to ensure equipment uptime and reliability
• Support equipment usage scheduling for preventive maintenance and repair schedules
• Help prioritize repairs based on operational impact

Safety & Compliance

• Promote and enforce a strong safety culture and adherence to all policies and procedures
• Conduct safety observations, audits, and incident follow-ups
• Ensure housekeeping and site organization standards are maintained

Financial & Administrative Support

• Assist in managing budgets, production costs, and operational efficiency
• Review reports related to production, downtime, labor, and performance metrics
• Enter production data into KPI trackers
• Support administrative functions including documentation, reporting, and purchase order oversight as needed

Customer & Business Support

• Maintain strong relationships with customers and vendors on-site
• Assist in resolving operational or service-related issues
• Support business growth initiatives and continuous improvement efforts

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; bachelor’s degree preferred
• 5+ years of experience in steel mill, scrap recycling, manufacturing, or heavy industrial operations
• 2+ years of leadership experience (supervisor, foreman, or manager level)
• Strong understanding of heavy equipment operations (loaders, excavators, material handlers, haul trucks)
• Proven leadership, communication, and decision-making skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Intermediate computer skills (reports, email, scheduling, spreadsheets)
• Experience in union environments is a plus

Physical / Work Conditions

• Ability to work in an industrial steel mill scrap yard environment
• Exposure to noise, weather changes, dust, and moving equipmentCombination of office work and frequent time spent on the floor

What we can Offer:

• A comprehensive compensation package to commensurate with experience including bonuses
• Benefits include Medical, Dental, Vision, company-paid life insurance, etc. offered on day 1!
• 401(k) with 4% matching, 100% vested as of first contribution
• Paid holidays, 4 weeks paid vacation
• Work in a dynamic, collaborative, progressive, and high-performing team
• Opportunity to help drive operational improvements and team success
• Opportunity to grow within operational organization

SMS Mill Services, LLC is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. SMS Mill Services, LLC makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.