Plant Operations Leader — Lean Excellence & Growth

KLA Industries; Anderson (SC); On-site; USD 160,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Holiday calendar

Family health insurance

401k retirement plan

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

KLA Industries in Anderson, South Carolina is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead and optimize manufacturing operations, including Production, Maintenance, Tooling, Engineering, and Continuous Improvement, while driving safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives.

You will drive Lean, Six Sigma, and Kaizen initiatives, lead cross-functional teams, and partner with Engineering, Materials, HR, and EHS to advance capital projects and workforce development.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing operations leadership experience.
• Experience in blow-molding or injection-molding environments.
• Strong knowledge of IATF 16949, ISO 9001.
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen.
• Excellent leadership and cross-functional teamwork.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership across Production, Maintenance, Tooling, Engineering, and Continuous Improvement.
• Optimize utilization of personnel, equipment, and capital resources to maximize performance.
• Drive Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen and other CI initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to improve productivity, reduce costs, minimize downtime, and enhance quality.
• Lead capital projects and support procurement, installation, and commissioning of equipment and systems.
• Establish and report on key operational metrics and take corrective actions.
• Ensure compliance with safety, quality, environmental, and regulatory requirements (OSHA, EPA, ISO, IATF).
• Manage departmental budgets and control costs across labor, materials, maintenance, and capital.
• Collaborate with Materials, HR, Quality, and EHS; build relationships with suppliers and vendors.
• Coach and develop cross-functional teams; foster accountability and continuous improvement.
• Support workforce planning, talent development, and succession planning.

Skills

Leadership

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Budgeting

Cross-functional

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Job description

KLA Industries in Anderson, South Carolina is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead and optimize manufacturing operations, including Production, Maintenance, Tooling, Engineering, and Continuous Improvement, while driving safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives.

You will drive Lean, Six Sigma, and Kaizen initiatives, lead cross-functional teams, and partner with Engineering, Materials, HR, and EHS to advance capital projects and workforce development.