Plant Operations Leader — Food Manufacturing

Sterling Engineering; St. Charles (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Sterling Engineering is seeking an experienced Plant Supervisor to lead daily manufacturing operations in a high-volume facility in Illinois. The role oversees Production, Quality, Maintenance, and Sanitation to ensure safety, product quality, and operational efficiency.

The ideal candidate has a hands-on leadership style with a proven track record in food manufacturing and a commitment to developing people and driving continuous improvement. This onsite role emphasizes accountability and safety.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of supervisory or management experience within food or beverage manufacturing.
• Demonstrated experience leading large, cross-functional manufacturing teams.
• Strong understanding of food safety regulations, quality systems, and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
• Proven success in a fast-paced, high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Excellent leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across multiple departments to achieve operational goals.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support daily operations across Production, Quality, Maintenance, and Sanitation teams.
• Manage and develop a workforce of approximately 50–60 employees, providing coaching, training, and performance management.
• Ensure production schedules are achieved while maintaining safety, quality, and productivity standards.
• Promote compliance with food safety programs, GMPs, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to resolve quality concerns, minimize equipment downtime, and maintain production readiness.
• Monitor operational metrics and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, labor utilization, and overall plant performance.
• Drive a culture of accountability, employee engagement, and continuous improvement.
• Support initiatives that improve safety, quality, throughput, and operational excellence.

Skills

Food manufacturing leadership

GMPs & food safety regulations

Leadership of large teams

Job description

Sterling Engineering is seeking an experienced Plant Supervisor to lead daily manufacturing operations in a high-volume facility in Illinois. The role oversees Production, Quality, Maintenance, and Sanitation to ensure safety, product quality, and operational efficiency.

The ideal candidate has a hands-on leadership style with a proven track record in food manufacturing and a commitment to developing people and driving continuous improvement. This onsite role emphasizes accountability and safety.