Plant Operations Manager — Corrugated Packaging

Pratt Retail Specialties, LLC; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Paid vacation

Paid holidays

Parental leave

Job summary

Pratt Industries is seeking a hands-on leader to oversee daily operations in a high-capacity packaging plant. You will coordinate production, quality, and delivery while mentoring supervisors and building a strong shift-team culture.

You will drive continuous improvement, manage budgets, coach leaders, and partner with maintenance and quality to uphold safety, GMPs, and product standards across the operation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, or related field preferred or equivalent experience.
• 3–5+ years in manufacturing with leadership experience; extrusion, bag converting, or paper converting a plus.
• Proven technical leadership using structured problem-solving to deliver measurable results.
• Strong written and verbal communication; ability to work across all organizational levels.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; willingness to learn new systems.
• Coaching, team building, decision-making, and people leadership demonstrated.
• Knowledge of budgeting, strategic planning, resource allocation, HR fundamentals.
• Comfort analyzing complex documents and statistical data; generate reports.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end plant production to exceed customer expectations on output, quality, waste, and OTIF shipping.
• Oversee resource planning and asset utilization to maximize equipment ROI.
• Drive continuous improvement aligned with GMPs and SOPs.
• Develop data-driven KPIs, monitor performance, and implement corrective actions.
• Manage budget adherence, cost control, and expense oversight.
• Recruit, train, engage, and retain a high-performing, customer-focused team.
• Translate department strategy into actionable tasks with owners and deadlines.
• Coach supervisors on problem solving and accountability; mentor future leaders.

Skills

Leadership

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Coaching

Team building

Budgeting basics

HR fundamentals

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Lead Daily Operations in a High-Performance Packaging Plant

Step into a pivotal role reporting to the Plant Manager where you orchestrate production, quality, and on-time delivery—while staying close to the action on the plant floor. You’ll partner with supervisors and teams to uncover process improvements, reduce downtime and waste, elevate quality, and strengthen safety—mentoring emerging leaders as you go.

A day in the life

• Walk the floor, check critical lines, and align teams on production priorities for the shift.
• Review performance metrics, scrap trends, overtime, and shipment status—triggering corrective actions where needed.
• Coach supervisors on problem-solving and accountability; develop future leaders through hands-on mentoring.
• Partner with maintenance and quality to optimize equipment capability and product standards.
• Host quick stand-ups to cascade goals, division initiatives, and updates to employees.

What you’ll lead

• End-to-end plant production to exceed customer expectations on output, quality, waste, flexibility, and OTIF shipping.
• Resource planning and allocation to fully utilize assets and maximize return on equipment.
• Continuous improvement programs aligned with division strategy, GMPs, and SOPs.
• Data-driven systems that set standards, track KPIs, and drive productivity, quality, and safety gains.
• Budget awareness and expense control throughout the year; cost-avoidance and product-improvement initiatives.
• Talent decisions: recruit, train, engage, and retain a high-performing, customer-focused team.
• Vision into action: translate department strategy into clear tasks with owners and dates.

Safety leadership

• Champion OSHA compliance and plant safety protocols (e.g., lockout tag out) and act as a visible safety role model.
• Participate on the Safety Team/Committee and set safety as a core strategic priority.
• Hold leaders accountable for safety outcomes and drive proactive improvements across operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, or related field preferred; or equivalent experience.
• 3–5+ years in a manufacturing setting; extrusion, plastic bag converting, or paper converting experience is a plus.
• Proven technical leadership using structured problem-solving to deliver measurable results.
• Effective working independently and across all organizational levels; strong written and verbal communication.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and eagerness to learn new systems.
• Strengths in coaching, team building, decision-making, and people leadership; leads by example and creates accountability.
• Working knowledge of budgeting, strategic planning, resource allocation, and HR fundamentals.
• Comfort analyzing complex documents and statistical data; ability to create or request system-generated performance reports.
• Outstanding organization, prioritization, and time management.

Language, math, and reasoning

• Read and interpret business journals, technical procedures, and governmental regulations; write reports, correspondence, and procedures; present to employees, management, clients, customers, and the public.
• Facility with mathematical concepts and numeric analysis.
• Define problems, gather data, establish facts, and draw sound conclusions; interpret complex technical instructions in written or diagram form.

Technical knowledge

• Translate equipment design/capability into efficient operations; coach teams on best practices.
• Understand cost drivers to reduce overall expense and pinpoint improvement opportunities.
• Budget development, adherence, and analysis; quality standards and systems.
• Regulatory awareness including wage and hour, environmental and waste minimization, company policies, and personnel requirements (OSHA, DEQ, EEO).

Physical demands

Regularly talk and hear; frequently stand, walk, and sit; occasionally use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Able to lift and/or move up to 50 lbs. Vision requirements include close, distance, color, peripheral, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work environment

Exposure to moving mechanical parts is routine; frequent wet/humid conditions; occasional work at heights; exposure to fumes/airborne particles and vibration. Noise level is typically loud.

About Pratt Industries

Pratt Industries is America’s 5th largest paper and packaging company with more than 9,000 green-collar employees committed to sustainability. With advanced corrugated packaging operations across 20+ states—including modern, cost-effective paper mills and a network of sheet and box plants—we deliver creative packaging solutions and champion recycling by harvesting the urban forest.

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive pay and a comprehensive package: medical, dental, vision, life, disability, All State, Pre-Paid Legal, 401(k) with company match, paid vacation, paid holidays, and childbearing and parental leave.

EEOC Statement