Plant Operations Leader - Lean, Growth & Excellence

Wealth Recruitment, LLC; Texas; On-site; USD 160,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus up to 16%

20 days PTO

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Job summary

Wealth Recruitment, LLC is assisting a global manufacturer in Anderson, South Carolina to identify an accomplished Operations Manager to lead manufacturing operations, including Production, Scheduling, Maintenance, Tooling, Engineering, and Continuous Improvement. The role emphasizes safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost improvements.

The ideal candidate will have 5+ years of manufacturing operations leadership in automotive/plastics environments, a Bachelor's degree in a related

Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing operations leadership.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Manufacturing/Operations or related field.
• Knowledge of IATF 16949 and ISO 9001 quality-management systems and OSHA/EPA requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead production, scheduling, maintenance, tooling, and engineering.
• Improve plant performance through Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Manage operational KPIs and budgets across safety, quality, delivery, productivity and cost.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, ISO, and IATF requirements.
• Develop and coach high-performing cross-functional teams.
• Lead capital projects for new equipment, tooling, and manufacturing technologies.

Skills

Operations leadership

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma

Kaizen

Budget management

Cross-functional leadership

People development

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Manufacturing/Operations

Job description

Our client is a forward-thinking global manufacturer specializing in the design, development, and production of high-quality plastic components and assemblies for the automotive, industrial, and healthcare sectors. With advanced expertise in blow molding and injection molding, the company partners with leading global organizations to bring the vehicles, equipment, and products of tomorrow to life.

Driven by innovation, sustainability, quality, and operational excellence, the organization is entering an exciting period of continued growth supported by significant capital investment, strategic acquisitions, and organic expansion.

To support this growth, the company is seeking an accomplished Operations Manager to lead manufacturing operations at its facility in Anderson, South Carolina.

This is a high-impact leadership opportunity with responsibility for Production, Production Scheduling, Maintenance, Tooling, Engineering, Technical Resources, and Continuous Improvement. The Operations Manager will play a critical role in improving plant performance, developing high-performing teams, and delivering measurable improvements across safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost.

What You’ll Do

• Provide strategic and day-to-day leadership across Production, Scheduling, Maintenance, Tooling, Engineering, Technical Resources, and Continuous Improvement.
• Optimize the use of people, equipment, tooling, technology, materials, and capital to maximize plant performance and manufacturing efficiency.
• Champion Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and continuous improvement initiatives across the operation.
• Identify and implement opportunities to increase productivity, reduce costs and downtime, improve quality, and strengthen manufacturing processes.
• Partner closely with Engineering and Maintenance to improve equipment reliability, preventive maintenance, tooling performance, and overall plant efficiency.
• Lead capital projects involving the evaluation, procurement, installation, commissioning, and optimization of new equipment, tooling, and manufacturing technologies.
• Establish and manage operational KPIs across safety, quality, delivery, productivity, cost, downtime, and equipment performance, taking corrective action when targets are not achieved.
• Ensure compliance with applicable OSHA, EPA, ISO, and IATF requirements and maintain a strong culture of safety and quality.
• Manage departmental budgets and maintain effective control of labor, materials, maintenance, capital expenditures, and other operating costs.
• Partner cross-functionally with Materials Management, Human Resources, Quality, and Environmental Health & Safety.
• Develop productive relationships with suppliers, contractors, vendors, and external service providers.
• Recruit, coach, mentor, and develop high-performing teams while creating a culture of accountability, collaboration, employee engagement, and continuous improvement.
• Support workforce planning, performance management, talent development, and succession planning to strengthen long-term organizational capabilities.
• Partner with senior leadership to develop and execute operational strategies aligned with the company's growth objectives.

What We’re Looking For

The ideal candidate is a hands-on manufacturing leader who combines strong operational expertise with the ability to develop people, improve processes, and drive sustainable performance.

• 5+ years of manufacturing operations leadership experience, ideally within automotive, plastics, injection molding, and/or blow molding environments.
• Previous automotive manufacturing leadership experience is highly desirable.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related discipline preferred.
• Demonstrated experience leading multiple manufacturing functions, including Production, Maintenance, Engineering, Tooling, Scheduling, and Continuous Improvement.
• Strong knowledge of IATF 16949 and ISO 9001 quality-management systems.
• Understanding of ISO 14001, ISO 45001, OSHA requirements, and EPA regulations.
• Proven success implementing Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and structured continuous improvement methodologies.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing KPIs, production and capacity planning, scheduling, equipment reliability, and operational performance management.
• Experience overseeing preventive maintenance programs, tooling performance, facility requirements, and major capital investment projects.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing budgets and controlling labor, material, maintenance, capital, and operating costs.
• Proven ability to lead and develop cross-functional teams, manage competing priorities, and deliver measurable operational improvements.
• Excellent communication, coaching, performance-management, and succession-planning skills.

The company offers a highly competitive compensation package designed to attract an experienced manufacturing leader:

• Base Salary: $160,000–$180,000 annually, negotiable based on experience
• Annual Performance Bonus: Up to 16%
• Paid Time Off: 20 days
• Comprehensive company holiday calendar
• Family health insurance plan
• Competitive 401(k) matching program
• Excellent opportunities for professional development and long-term career advancement

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Operations Manager, Plant Operations Leader, Manufacturing Manager, or Senior Manufacturing Operations professional who wants to take ownership of a broad operational function and make a measurable impact within a growing global manufacturing organization.