Plant Manager

LHH Recruitment Solutions; Oak Lawn (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision

401K + Match

Paid sick leave

Job summary

LHH Recruitment Solutions seeks an experienced Plant Manager in Oak Lawn, IL to lead all aspects of operations for a high-volume food manufacturing facility. You will oversee production, maintenance, warehousing, quality assurance, inventory control, and continuous improvement initiatives to meet company goals and customer expectations.

Salary ranges from $120,000 to $160,000 annually with a 15% bonus, commensurate with experience.

Qualifications

• 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.

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 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 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 to support business objectives.
• Lead safety programs, audits, inspections, and corrective actions to ensure a safe work environment.

Skills

Leadership

Food safety

Regulatory compliance

Budget management

Continuous improvement

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Cross-functional teamwork

ERP systems

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science or related field

Tools

ERP systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

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.

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

Medical, Dental, and Vision

401K + Match

Paid sick leave where applicable by state law.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

To read our Candidate Privacy Information Statement, which explains how we will use your information, please navigate to https://www.lhh.com/us/en/candidate-privacy

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