Assistant Plant Manager

Omya; Superior (AZ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

401(k) with Company match

Paid Time Off & Holidays

Overtime opportunities

Job summary

Omya's Superior, AZ facility seeks a Deputy Plant Manager to lead production operations, drive reliability, and develop people within a food-grade, pharmaceutical, and mineral manufacturing setting.

This role partners with the Plant Manager to push performance, safety, and continuous improvement, with a clear path toward broader plant leadership opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field.
• 7–10 years of progressive manufacturing or industrial operations experience.
• 3–5 years of leadership in production/plant management.
• Experience in GMP, FDA-regulated or quality-driven environments preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily production activities to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable operations.
• Partner with Plant Manager to execute site objectives and continuous improvement plans.
• Coordinate production, maintenance, quality, warehouse, and supply chain activities.
• Drive Lean manufacturing, problem solving, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop supervisors, operators, and production personnel through coaching.
• Support budgeting, CAPEX, and capital project planning.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, GMP, and customer quality requirements.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Root cause analysis

People development

Operations leadership

GMP knowledge

SAP ERP

Budgeting

Communication

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

SAP ERP

Job description

BASIC FUNCTION:Based at our Superior, Arizona production facility, the Deputy Plant Manager is responsible for supporting the overall leadership, performance, and continuous improvement of the site while directly leading production operations.This role serves as the operational partner to the Plant Manager and plays a key role in strengthening day-to-day execution, improving reliability, developing people, and driving operational excellence across a food-grade, pharmaceutical, and industrial mineral manufacturing environment. The position combines hands-on production leadership with broader plant management responsibilities and is designed as a development path toward future plant leadership roles. The USAZ site operates under stringent food safety, quality, environmental, and safety standards including FSSC 22000, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001.RESPONSIBILITIES:Operations LeadershipLead daily production activities to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable operationsPartner with the Plant Manager to execute site objectives, operational priorities, and continuous improvement plansCoordinate production, maintenance, quality, warehouse, and supply chain activities to achieve production, cost, and service targetsImprove operational discipline, shift execution, communication, and accountability across the plantMonitor KPIs and operational performance, identifying opportunities to improve productivity, reliability, and profitabilitySupport the transition from reactive operations toward a more structured, performance-driven operating modelProvide leadership presence on the production floor and support off-shift operations as requiredAct as site operational leader in the absence of the Plant ManagerContinuous Improvement & ReliabilityDrive Lean Manufacturing, root cause analysis, problem solving, and continuous improvement initiativesAnalyze production, quality, downtime, maintenance, and cost data to identify trends and improvement opportunitiesPartner with maintenance and technical teams to improve equipment reliability and plant performanceLead or support process optimization, capacity improvement, and operational excellence projectsPromote visual management, standard work, performance boards, and daily operational reviewsPeople LeadershipDevelop a culture of accountability, teamwork, engagement, and operational excellenceLead, coach, and develop supervisors, operators, and production personnelSupport workforce planning, recruiting, onboarding, succession planning, and employee development initiativesConduct performance reviews, establish development plans, and provide ongoing coaching and feedbackPromote cross-training and the development of future shift leaders and operational talentHealth, Safety, Environment and QualityPerform all work in compliance with health and safety standards, environmental requirements, and quality systemsChampion a strong safety culture focused on hazard identification, risk prevention, and employee engagementEnsure compliance with food safety, pharmaceutical, GMP, and customer quality requirementsSupport internal and external audits, corrective action programs, and management system complianceReinforce high standards for housekeeping, documentation, traceability, sanitation, and operational disciplineBusiness & Plant Management SupportSupport budget development and management of operational costs, including labor, maintenance, and consumablesParticipate in capital project planning, implementation, and commissioning activitiesCollaborate with regional and functional teams to achieve operational and strategic objectivesAssist in developing long-term organizational capability and succession plans for key operational positions.QUALIFICATIONS:EducationBachelor's Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Industrial Technology, or related discipline preferredEquivalent combination of education and industry experience will be considered.ExperienceMinimum 7-10 years of progressive manufacturing or industrial operations experienceMinimum 3-5 years of leadership experience in a production, operations, maintenance, or plant management environmentExperience in mineral processing, food, pharmaceutical, chemical, bulk material handling, or other regulated manufacturing environments preferred.Proven track record of leading teams, improving plant performance, and implementing operational improvementsExperience supporting GMP, food safety, FDA-regulated, or quality-driven manufacturing environments is considered a strong assetKnowledge and Skills:Strong leadership and people development capabilitiesDemonstrated ability to build high-performing teams and drive accountabilityStrong understanding of manufacturing operations, equipment reliability, and maintenance coordinationExperience implementing Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologiesStrong analytical and problem-solving skillsUnderstanding of OPEX, CAPEX, budgeting, and operational performance metricsExcellent communication and interpersonal skillsAbility to manage multiple priorities and perform effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing environmentProficiency with Microsoft 365 and ERP systems such as SAPWorking Conditions:Industrial manufacturing environment with exposure to dust, noise, moving equipment, and varying temperaturesSignificant time spent on the production floor interacting with employees and operationsOccasional off-hours, weekend, and emergency support requiredAbility to travel periodically for training, benchmarking, or operational meetingsWHY CANDIDATES JOIN OMYA:Join a global leader in industrial minerals and specialty materialsPlay a key leadership role within a unique food-grade and pharmaceutical manufacturing operationBe part of a site transformation focused on operational excellence, reliability, and sustainable growthWork alongside experienced professionals across operations, engineering, maintenance, quality, and continuous improvementOpportunity to develop toward future Plant Manager and broader operational leadership positionsCompetitive compensation, benefits, and career development opportunities within an international organizationGlobal company with operations in more than 50 countries140+ years of industry leadershipInternal advancement opportunitiesMedical, Dental & Vision Insurance401(k) with Company matchPaid Time Off & HolidaysOvertime opportunitiesSafety-first environmentCompany values driven organizationEOE