Senior Site Manager

Confidential; Cedar Rapids (IA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential in Cedar Rapids, IA is seeking a Senior Site Manager to lead a personal care manufacturing facility, delivering safe, high‑quality products on time and at target cost. You will provide strategic and hands‑on leadership across manufacturing, maintenance, engineering, and quality to optimize performance.

The ideal candidate has 8–12+ years of operations leadership, a Lean mindset, and a track record of developing teams, managing budgets, and driving continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, or a related field.
• 8–12+ years of progressive manufacturing and operations leadership experience.
• Experience leading a manufacturing facility or manufacturing operation.
• Experience managing production, maintenance, engineering, safety, quality, and/or warehouse functions.
• Demonstrated success improving productivity, efficiency, and cost.
• Strong understanding of Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and direction for daily plant operations and manufacturing activities.
• Ensure production schedules are achieved while maintaining quality, safety, service, and cost objectives.
• Optimize production capacity, labor utilization, equipment effectiveness, and manufacturing flow.
• Partner with Supply Chain and Planning to align production plans with customer demand and inventory requirements.
• Identify and eliminate operational bottlenecks and constraints.
• Manage production changeovers, line utilization, downtime, and throughput.
• Support new product introductions, product transfers, equipment installations, and process changes.
• Maintain a safety‑first culture and ensure compliance with OSHA and applicable requirements.
• Oversee safety training, inspections, incident investigations, and corrective actions.
• Drive continuous improvement in safety performance and reduce workplace injuries and incidents.
• Partner with Quality and Regulatory teams to ensure adherence to manufacturing standards.
• Promote a culture of quality ownership throughout manufacturing.
• Lead a culture of continuous improvement across the facility.
• Establish and monitor KPIs for safety, quality, delivery, productivity, downtime, scrap, and cost.
• Improve OEE, throughput, yields, and labor productivity.
• Identify opportunities for automation, process improvement, and technology implementation.
• Oversee preventive and corrective maintenance programs to maximize equipment reliability and uptime.
• Own plant operating performance and contribute to overall company financial objectives.
• Develop and manage the plant operating budget.
• Monitor labor, materials, overtime, scrap, utilities, maintenance, and other costs.

Skills

Leadership

Operational leadership

Lean manufacturing

Continuous improvement

KPI development

Budget management

Cross-functional collaboration

Change management

Safety compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, or related field

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

The Senior Site Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, performance, and operational success of the personal care manufacturing facility. This position provides strategic and hands‑on leadership across manufacturing, production planning, maintenance, engineering, warehouse, safety, quality, and continuous improvement to ensure the site consistently delivers high‑quality products safely, efficiently, on time, and at the targeted cost.

The successful candidate will be a visible, hands‑on leader who can balance day‑to‑day execution with long‑term operational strategy and organizational development.

• Provide overall leadership and direction for daily plant operations and manufacturing activities.
• Ensure production schedules are achieved while maintaining quality, safety, service, and cost objectives.
• Optimize production capacity, labor utilization, equipment effectiveness, and manufacturing flow.
• Partner with Supply Chain and Planning to align production plans with customer demand and inventory requirements.
• Identify and eliminate operational bottlenecks and constraints.
• Manage production changeovers, line utilization, downtime, and throughput.
• Support new product introductions, product transfers, equipment installations, and process changes.

Safety & Compliance

• Maintain a safety‑first culture and ensure compliance with OSHA and applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
• Oversee safety training, inspections, incident investigations, and corrective actions.
• Drive continuous improvement in safety performance and reduce workplace injuries and incidents.
• Ensure compliance with applicable personal care, GMP, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
• Partner with Quality and Regulatory teams to ensure adherence to manufacturing standards.

Quality

• Partner with Quality leadership to ensure products are manufactured consistently to established specifications.
• Promote a culture of quality ownership throughout manufacturing.
• Ensure timely investigation and resolution of deviations, non‑conformances, complaints, and corrective actions.
• Drive root‑cause analysis and sustainable corrective actions.

Continuous Improvement & Lean Manufacturing

• Lead a culture of continuous improvement across the facility.
• Implement Lean principles including 5S, visual management, standard work, waste reduction, root‑cause analysis, and performance management.
• Establish and monitor KPIs for safety, quality, delivery, productivity, downtime, scrap, and cost.
• Improve OEE, throughput, yields, and labor productivity.
• Identify opportunities for automation, process improvement, and technology implementation.
• Oversee preventive and corrective maintenance programs to maximize equipment reliability and uptime.
• Partner with Engineering and Maintenance on equipment and facility improvement plans.
• Establish capital expenditure priorities based on safety, capacity, reliability, productivity, and ROI.
• Ensure capital projects are completed on time and within budget.
• Support equipment qualification, commissioning, and production start‑up activities.
• Own plant operating performance and contribute to overall company financial objectives.
• Develop and manage the plant operating budget.
• Monitor labor, materials, overtime, scrap, utilities, maintenance, and other manufacturing costs.
• Identify cost‑reduction opportunities without compromising safety, quality, or customer service.
• Provide regular reporting and recommendations to senior leadership.

People Leadership & Organizational Development

• Build and lead a high‑performing manufacturing leadership team.
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, goals, and performance expectations.
• Develop supervisors and managers through coaching, training, and succession planning.
• Maintain appropriate staffing levels and organizational structure.
• Partner with Human Resources on recruiting, employee relations, performance management, workforce planning, and training.
• Foster accountability, teamwork, communication, respect, and continuous improvement.
• Maintain a visible presence on the plant floor and engage employees at all levels.

Cross‑Functional Leadership

• Partner closely with Supply Chain, Quality, R&D, Regulatory, Finance, Sales, and Human Resources.
• Ensure effective communication between plant operations and corporate leadership.
• Participate in S&OP and long‑range capacity planning.
• Support strategic initiatives, acquisitions, product transfers, and growth initiatives.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field.
• 8–12+ years of progressive manufacturing and operations leadership experience.
• Experience leading a manufacturing facility or manufacturing operation.
• Experience managing production, maintenance, engineering, safety, quality, and/or warehouse functions.
• Demonstrated success improving productivity, efficiency, and cost.
• Strong understanding of Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Strong financial and analytical capabilities.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and motivate manufacturing teams.

Preferred

• Experience in personal care, cosmetics, or beauty
• Experience with GMP environments.
• Experience with filling, blending, batching, packaging, or liquid/cream/gel manufacturing.
• Experience with automation, equipment upgrades, and capital projects.
• Experience supporting new product introduction and manufacturing transfers.