Plant Operations Leader — Manufacturing Excellence

Index Search Group; DeKalb (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Index Search Group is representing a DeKalb, Illinois based wire and cable manufacturer seeking two Plant Managers to lead daily operations, safety, quality, and delivery. This hands-on role requires developing supervisors, solving complex problems, and building accountability across the plant floor.

The successful candidate will balance immediate production demands with longer-term improvements in equipment reliability, workforce capability, and customer service, while partnering with

Qualifications

• Significant manufacturing leadership experience with plant/production operations.
• Experience leading supervisors and hourly employees in a fast-paced manufacturing facility.
• Strong understanding of production, safety, quality, maintenance, labor management, and customer delivery.
• Experience using operational KPIs to identify problems, establish priorities, and improve results.
• Background in continuous, process-oriented, or complex multi-step manufacturing is strongly preferred.
• Experience in wire and cable, metals, extrusion, drawing, stranding, cladding, or related manufacturing environment is a plus.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, 5S, root cause analysis, and structured continuous improvement methods.
• Experience improving equipment reliability, production flow, labor performance, and operating discipline.
• Strong leadership, communication, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to balance urgent production needs with longer-term operational improvements.
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams and communicate effectively with plant employees and senior leadership.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations, manufacturing, business, or a related field is preferred. Equivalent manufacturing leadership experience may also be considered.
• Ability to work on-site in DeKalb, Illinois.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership for daily plant operations, including production, safety, quality, maintenance, staffing, and customer delivery.
• Establish clear operating priorities and ensure supervisors and employees understand performance expectations.
• Build a culture focused on safety, accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Monitor plant performance using metrics such as throughput, schedule attainment, scrap, labor efficiency, downtime, quality, and OEE.
• Identify production constraints and implement practical solutions that improve flow, capacity, and equipment utilization.
• Partner with Maintenance to strengthen preventive maintenance, improve equipment reliability, and reduce unplanned downtime.
• Work closely with Quality to ensure products consistently meet customer specifications and internal standards.
• Coordinate with planning and scheduling teams to align customer demand with labor, materials, equipment capacity, and production priorities.
• Develop supervisors and other plant leaders through coaching, performance management, and clear expectations.
• Support recruiting, onboarding, training, retention, and workforce planning for hourly and salaried employees.
• Lead Lean Manufacturing, 5S, root cause analysis, and other continuous improvement initiatives.
• Evaluate staffing, equipment, layout, and capital needs required to improve performance and support future growth.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA requirements, company policies, and established manufacturing practices.
• Communicate plant performance, operating risks, and improvement priorities to senior leadership.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and efficient manufacturing environment.

Skills

Leadership

Manufacturing KPIs

Lean Manufacturing

5S

Problem solving

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering/related field

Job description

Index Search Group is representing a DeKalb, Illinois based wire and cable manufacturer seeking two Plant Managers to lead daily operations, safety, quality, and delivery. This hands-on role requires developing supervisors, solving complex problems, and building accountability across the plant floor.

The successful candidate will balance immediate production demands with longer-term improvements in equipment reliability, workforce capability, and customer service, while partnering with