Manager of Operations, Supply Chain & Manufacturing

LHH

Schaumburg (IL)

On-site

USD 150,000 - 165,000

Full time

4 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

3 weeks vacation

Health insurance

401K

Job summary

LHH Recruitment Solutions partners with a growing organization to recruit a Manager of Operations, Supply Chain & Manufacturing in corrugated and packaging. This hands-on executive bridges plant operations and corporate strategy while leading a team and driving operational excellence.

Based in Schaumburg, IL, this high-visibility role offers strategic impact across production planning, sourcing, inventory, and fulfillment in a large manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in supply chain, business management, or related field.
10+ years of progressive leadership in manufacturing, operations, or supply chain.
Experience in corrugated packaging or paper converting preferred.
Strong ERP, analytics, and supplier-management capabilities.

Responsibilities

Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations with focus on safety, quality, productivity, and service.
Direct production, planning, inventory, and fulfillment to meet demand and capacity.
Drive continuous improvement and cost-optimization initiatives across functions.
Partner with plant leadership to resolve operational challenges and improve performance.
Develop leaders, foster accountability, and promote an inclusive high-performance culture.

Skills

Leadership

Operations

Supply chain

Manufacturing

Lean Sigma

ERP (SAP/Oracle)

Excel

Procurement

Team development

Data analytics

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain

Tools

SAP

Oracle

Job description

LHH Recruitment Solutions has partnered with a growing organization, and they are seeking a motivated Manager of Operations, Supply Chain & Manufacturing - Corrugated and Packaging to join their team. This role will lead a critical business function overseeing production operations, planning, sourcing, inventory management, and fulfillment. This is a highly visible leadership opportunity for a hands-on executive who can bridge plant operations and corporate strategy while developing high-performing teams and driving operational excellence. The successful candidate will lead a large manufacturing organization and play a key role in supporting business growth, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement initiatives.

The Manager of Operations, Supply Chain & Manufacturingis responsible for leading end-to-end operational activities across production, planning, procurement, inventory control, and fulfillment. This leader will ensure alignment between customer demand, manufacturing capacity, material availability, and business objectives while cultivating a culture centered on accountability, engagement, continuous improvement, and respect. The role manages a team of six direct reports and approximately 150 indirect employees across manufacturing, assembly, fulfillment, inventory, planning, and scheduling functions.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

Significant leadership impact across operations and supply chain.
Opportunity to lead a large manufacturing organization.
Highly visible role with executive-level interaction.
Stable and growing manufacturing business.
Strong culture focused on teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Opportunity to influence strategy, drive operational excellence, and build high-performing teams.

Manufacturing & Operations Leadership:

Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations, ensuring safe, efficient, and customer-focused execution.
Direct production teams in achieving operational goals related to quality, productivity, throughput, cost control, and service performance.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance manufacturing efficiency and operational effectiveness.
Partner closely with plant leadership to resolve operational challenges and improve organizational performance.
Establish and monitor key performance indicators related to productivity, service levels, inventory, cost management, safety, and quality.

Supply Chain, Planning & Inventory Management:

Oversee production planning, scheduling, material availability, and inventory strategies to support business objectives.
Ensure demand forecasts are translated into realistic production plans and resource requirements.
Balance customer demand, manufacturing capacity, labor resources, and inventory levels.
Improve inventory health through effective planning, forecasting, and inventory control practices.
Lead capacity planning activities while proactively identifying and mitigating operational risks.

Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management:

Manage sourcing initiatives and supplier relationships across a predominantly domestic supplier network.
Lead supplier negotiations including pricing, contracts, terms, RFQs, and strategic sourcing activities.
Evaluate new suppliers and support sourcing efforts related to new product launches and business growth initiatives.
Develop supplier performance metrics and improvement plans to ensure quality, delivery, and cost expectations are achieved.
Mitigate supply chain risks and maintain continuity of supply.

Leadership & Talent Development:

Develop, coach, and mentor leaders across production, planning, inventory, and supply chain functions.
Foster a culture built on accountability, collaboration, professionalism, and respect.
Create succession plans and leadership development programs for key operational roles.
Ensure effective communication and alignment between manufacturing operations and corporate functions.
Champion employee engagement while maintaining high-performance expectations.

Cross-Functional Business Leadership:

Collaborate with Engineering, Finance, Quality, Customer Service, Product Development, and Commercial teams.
Support new product introduction initiatives through operational readiness, sourcing strategy, and production planning.
Lead continuous improvement and cost optimization projects across operations and supply chain functions.
Utilize data, reporting, and operational metrics to drive informed business decisions.

Leadership Profile:

We are seeking an experienced, highly respected leader who:

Leads with humility, integrity, and accountability.
Earns trust through collaboration rather than authority.
Effectively influences both plant operations teams and corporate stakeholders.
Addresses challenges directly while maintaining professionalism and respect.
Develops people and creates a culture of engagement and continuous improvement.
Holds teams accountable while fostering a positive and inclusive work environment.
Demonstrates strong business acumen and a solutions-oriented mindset.

Qualifications and Skills:

Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain, Business Management, or a related field.
10+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing, operations, supply chain, procurement, or production environments.
Experience within corrugated packaging, paper converting, packaging solutions, consumer products, or related manufacturing industries.
Experience leading large manufacturing teams with both direct and indirect reports.
Strong background working within manufacturing, production, planning, purchasing, and supply chain functions.
Experience negotiating supplier contracts, pricing agreements, RFQs, and strategic sourcing initiatives.
Demonstrated success managing supplier relationships and driving supplier performance improvements.
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and strong analytical capabilities.
Experience utilizing major ERP systems such as Oracle, SAP, or similar enterprise platforms.
Exposure to new product development support and supplier qualification processes.
Background in Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, Six Sigma, or Operational Excellence methodologies.

Compensation Range:

$150,000 - $165,000 + 15% Bonus

Benefits Offered:

3 weeks of vacation, paid sick leave where applicable by state law, Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance Vision Insurance, 401K, and Life Insurance.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

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: