Plant Operations Leader: Transformation for Growth

Express Employment; North Dakota; On-site; USD 136,000 - 206,000; Full time

Job summary

Express Employment is seeking a Plant Manager in Grand Forks, ND, to lead a large-scale production facility during a growth phase. This hands-on, strategic leader will drive safety, quality, productivity, and customer satisfaction while building leadership across the organization.

The role emphasizes turning around operations, implementing Lean and continuous improvement, and delivering measurable profitability.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading manufacturing operations in a Plant Manager, Operations Manager, Director of Operations, or similar leadership role.
• Demonstrated success driving plant improvement, operational turnarounds, or significant performance gains.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to motivate and develop teams.
• Experience managing through change and creating a culture of accountability.
• Background in manufacturing, processing, packaging, industrial production, or related industries.
• Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, Six Sigma, or operational excellence experience preferred.
• Strong business acumen with experience managing budgets and operational performance metrics.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, Business, or related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and day-to-day leadership for all plant operations
• Drive safety, quality, productivity, cost control, and customer satisfaction initiatives
• Lead operational turnaround and continuous improvement efforts
• Develop and execute plant strategies that improve performance and profitability
• Build, mentor, and develop leaders throughout the organization
• Establish a culture of accountability, engagement, and operational excellence
• Utilize operational metrics and data to improve efficiency, reliability, and throughput
• Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment across the business
• Manage operational budgets, capital projects, and resource planning
• Champion Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives

Skills

Leadership

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Operational excellence

Budget management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Job description

Express Employment is seeking a Plant Manager in Grand Forks, ND, to lead a large-scale production facility during a growth phase. This hands-on, strategic leader will drive safety, quality, productivity, and customer satisfaction while building leadership across the organization.

The role emphasizes turning around operations, implementing Lean and continuous improvement, and delivering measurable profitability.