Plant Operations Leader: Lean, Safe & 24/7 Ready

Ash Grove Cement Company; Bucks Canyon (AL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Medical benefits

Retirement plan

Wellness program

Inclusive culture

Job summary

Ash Grove Cement Company in Alabama is seeking an Operations Manager to lead the production department, ensure safe and environmentally responsible operations, and align with company goals.

You will work with maintenance, quarry, quality teams, develop SOPs, chase efficiency, and act as plant manager's back-up, supporting budgeting and 24/7 operations.

Eligible candidates have 3–5 years in a functional role and a Bachelor's degree or equivalent.

Qualifications

• Experience applying lean tools (5S, visual mgmt) to improve plant efficiency.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience; 3–5 years in production/operations roles.
• Strong knowledge of lean tools and safety practices.

Responsibilities

• Manage all areas of production, including SOPs and staff training.
• Direct shift teams for safety, quality, schedule adherence, labor efficiency, and costs.
• Optimize processes to improve plant efficiencies and develop key performance indicators.
• Collaborate with QC to ensure product quality meets expectations.
• Direct effective use of plant production equipment and personnel.
• Lead department staff through coaching, support, and delegation.
• Assist plant manager in forecasting and improvement planning.
• Develop and maintain a technically advanced, safety-conscious team.
• Establish annual objectives for staff aligned with plant goals and conduct performance reviews.
• Maintain relationships with other departments and management for smooth operation.
• Plan, budget, forecast, and report department performance and costs.
• Meet or exceed annual production volumes; keep costs within budget.
• Ensure timely, on-budget equipment shutdowns and preventive maintenance.
• Assist in hiring new production staff and manage onboarding.
• Apply Six Sigma / 5S principles for organized operations and continuous improvements.
• Create reporting formats to communicate results to plant associates.
• Provide back-up for Plant Manager as needed.
• Implement reporting to track performance and costs daily to annually.
• Record key metrics and use data analysis for continuous improvements.
• Support 24/7 operations with flexible scheduling.
• Develop and maintain safety and environmental programs.
• Plan daily activities and coordinate with Supervisors and teams.

Skills

Lean tools

5S

Root cause analysis

Safety leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Operations planning

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Maximo

ADP

Outlook

Excel

PowerPoint

Teams

Job description

Ash Grove Cement Company in Alabama is seeking an Operations Manager to lead the production department, ensure safe and environmentally responsible operations, and align with company goals.

You will work with maintenance, quarry, quality teams, develop SOPs, chase efficiency, and act as plant manager's back-up, supporting budgeting and 24/7 operations.

Eligible candidates have 3–5 years in a functional role and a Bachelor's degree or equivalent.