Plant Manager

Smartsearchonline; Ventura (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Smartsearchonline in Ventura, CA seeks a Plant Manager to own facility operations, lead cross-functional teams across manufacturing, quality, maintenance, materials, and other plant support functions to ensure efficiency, on-time delivery, and safety. The role reports to senior leadership and drives sustained improvement.

The position requires 5+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership, hands-on floor presence, Lean/CI experience, ERP/MRP proficiency, and the ability to manage budgets and

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience overseeing plant, production, or manufacturing operations with increasing levels of responsibility.
• Strong understanding of production planning, labor management, quality, cost control, and operational KPIs.
• Experience managing budgets and plant operating expenses; direct P&L exposure is highly valued.
• Demonstrated success leading and developing managers, supervisors, and production teams.
• Ability to identify operational problems, establish priorities, and drive solutions through completion.
• Experience with Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or process optimization is preferred.
• Comfortable working in a hands-on environment with daily production floor interaction.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership for manufacturing and plant operations.
• Coordinate production, quality, maintenance, materials, and supporting functions to keep operations aligned.
• Ensure production goals, customer commitments, quality expectations, and delivery requirements are consistently achieved.
• Track plant performance and use operational data to identify bottlenecks, cost concerns, and opportunities for improvement.
• Manage staffing levels, labor utilization, operating expenses, and departmental budgets.
• Develop supervisors, managers, and other key employees while establishing clear expectations and accountability.
• Support hiring, training, performance management, and workforce development across the facility.
• Lead initiatives focused on improving throughput, reducing waste, strengthening quality, and increasing operational efficiency.
• Maintain a strong presence on the manufacturing floor and stay closely connected to daily production challenges.
• Partner with leadership on business priorities, operational planning, and longer-term improvement initiatives.
• Build strong relationships with important customers and support the resolution of production, delivery, or service concerns.
• Maintain a safe and compliant workplace while reinforcing established environmental, quality, and regulatory standards.

Skills

Leadership experience

Manufacturing operations

Lean manufacturing

P&L exposure

People development

Budget management

ERP/MRP

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Job description

Job Details

Vice President of Operations Ventura,CA

Job Category: Management

Position Type: Direct

Duration: Direct

Shift: 1

We are partnering with a specialized manufacturing company seeking a Plant Manager to take ownership of its facility operations and overall performance. This role is designed for an experienced manufacturing leader who is equally comfortable setting operational direction and being visible on the production floor. The Plant Manager will lead a cross-functional operation spanning manufacturing, quality, maintenance, materials, and other plant support functions. This individual will be responsible for ensuring the facility operates efficiently, meets production and customer commitments, controls costs, and maintains strong safety and quality standards. This is a high-impact leadership position with regular interaction with senior company leadership and significant influence over how the operation continues to develop.

What You'll Own

• Provide overall leadership for manufacturing and plant operations.
• Coordinate production, quality, maintenance, materials, and supporting functions to keep operations aligned.
• Ensure production goals, customer commitments, quality expectations, and delivery requirements are consistently achieved.
• Track plant performance and use operational data to identify bottlenecks, cost concerns, and opportunities for improvement.
• Manage staffing levels, labor utilization, operating expenses, and departmental budgets.
• Develop supervisors, managers, and other key employees while establishing clear expectations and accountability.
• Support hiring, training, performance management, and workforce development across the facility.
• Lead initiatives focused on improving throughput, reducing waste, strengthening quality, and increasing operational efficiency.
• Maintain a strong presence on the manufacturing floor and stay closely connected to daily production challenges.
• Partner with leadership on business priorities, operational planning, and longer-term improvement initiatives.
• Build strong relationships with important customers and support the resolution of production, delivery, or service concerns.
• Maintain a safe and compliant workplace while reinforcing established environmental, quality, and regulatory standards.

What We're Looking For

• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience overseeing plant, production, or manufacturing operations with increasing levels of responsibility.
• Strong understanding of production planning, labor management, quality, cost control, and operational KPIs.
• Experience managing budgets and plant operating expenses; direct P&L exposure is highly valued.
• Demonstrated success leading and developing managers, supervisors, and production teams.
• Ability to identify operational problems, establish priorities, and drive solutions through completion.
• Experience with Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or process optimization is preferred.
• Comfortable working in a hands-on environment where leadership requires regular interaction with employees on the production floor.
• Experience using ERP/MRP platforms and operational reporting tools.

Preferred Background A bachelor's degree in engineering, manufacturing, business, operations, or a related discipline is preferred, although equivalent manufacturing leadership experience will also be considered. Experience within technically complex manufacturing- such as advanced materials, semiconductor-related production, chemical processing, or similar industrial environments-is a plus but not required. Spanish-speaking ability is also a plus.

Work Environment This position requires regular time within an active manufacturing facility in addition to office-based leadership responsibilities. Appropriate PPE and safety procedures apply within designated production areas. Some flexibility outside of standard business hours may occasionally be required to support plant operations, customers, or business needs.

Pay: $180,000-$200,000 #MCTA1