Supply Chain Operations Manager

Sterling St James LLC; Town of Richfield (WI); On-site; USD 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Sterling St James LLC is seeking an experienced Plant Manager to lead lean manufacturing and end-to-end supply chain operations in Wisconsin. This on-site, full-time role requires steering master scheduling, procurement, inventory control, and outbound logistics to optimize delivery performance and efficiency.

You will mentor shop-floor teams on CI, Kaizen, and 5S while driving cost reductions and CapEx evaluation to scale a world-class production footprint.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of plant management or industrial operations leadership in custom manufacturing or heavy fabrication.
• Verifiable Lean architecture execution using Kaizen events, Value Stream Mapping, and Root Cause Analysis.
• End-to-end supply chain experience including procurement, inventory, shipping/receiving, and scheduling.
• Executive presence to align front-line teams with corporate strategy and drive accountability.
• Citizenship or Green Card with commutable distance to Wisconsin facility.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end plant operations including fabrication, master scheduling, procurement, inventory control, and outbound logistics to ensure high delivery metrics.
• Act as primary Lean mentor on the shop floor, driving CI, Kaizen, 5S, and accountability.
• Collaborate with production managers to diagnose bottlenecks, optimize resource allocation, and improve cross-functional communication.
• Lead cost-elimination efforts through vendor negotiations and waste reduction initiatives to protect margins.
• Define and monitor plant KPIs, assess CapEx needs, and standardize best practices across departments.

Skills

Lean Leadership

Kaizen & 5S

Master Scheduling

Inventory Management

Procurement & Logistics

Cost Reduction

Formal Lean Certification

Tools

ERP/MRP Systems

Heavy Fabrication

Job description

Plant Manager – Lean Manufacturing & Supply Chain Operations

Up to $100,000 Base Salary + Elite Performance Incentive • Wisconsin Facility • 1st Shift • Full-Time / Direct Hire

• Compensation & Performance Incentives: Starting base salary up to $100,000 (scaling with operational leadership depth), backed by an elite performance-based incentive program and full corporate benefits.
• Stability Guarantee: Direct-hire seat with a premier green-tech industrial capital equipment manufacturer featuring an airtight 40-year record of zero layoffs and a recession-proof project backlog.
• 1st Shift On-Site Leadership: Exclusive 1st Shift, 100% on-site leadership role managing an expansive, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Wisconsin.
• Core Leadership Scope: Full operational command across custom industrial fabrication, master scheduling, strategic procurement, inventory control, vendor freight negotiation, Lean/Kaizen deployment, and outbound logistics.
• Strict Requirements: U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency (Green Card); 8+ years of progressive plant management or industrial operations leadership in custom manufacturing or heavy fabrication.

If you are a seasoned manufacturing leader seeking to escape the instability of corporate bureaucracy, rotating ownership groups, and unpredictable downsizing cycles, this direct-hire Plant Manager seat is your professional anchor. Operating out of an expansive, highly advanced, and immaculate Wisconsin facility, our client is an established market leader designing and manufacturing innovative, eco-forward industrial capital equipment. In over four decades of business, this elite organization has never executed a single layoff, fostering a transparent, zero-politics culture where operational leaders are given true autonomy. Newly created due to rapid corporate expansion, this high-impact role gives you direct authority to lead a highly skilled team, optimize multi-layered supply chains, and deploy your full Lean toolkit to scale a world-class production footprint.

What You Will Be Doing (Daily Responsibilities)

• Orchestrate End-to-End Plant Operations: Oversee custom industrial fabrication, master scheduling, strategic procurement, inventory control, and outbound logistics to guarantee high delivery metrics.
• Champion Lean Manufacturing & Floor Mentorship: Act as the primary Lean mentor on the shop floor, driving Continuous Improvement (CI), Kaizen initiatives, 5S cleanliness standards, and personal accountability.
• Optimize Production Workflows: Partner closely with production managers to diagnose assembly bottlenecks, refine resource allocation, and bridge communication between engineering and shop floor teams.
• Drive Strategic Cost Elimination: Analyze material yields, negotiate vendor freight programs, and implement root-cause waste reduction strategies to preserve operational margins.
• Establish Operational Metrics & CapEx: Define and monitor plant KPIs, analyze throughput data, evaluate prospective CapEx equipment investments, and standardize best practices across departments.

What We Are Looking For (Requirements & Qualifications)

• Plant Operations Leadership: 8+ years of successful leadership as a Plant Manager or Operations Manager overseeing complex industrial fabrication, capital equipment, or heavy structural assembly operations.
• Lean Architecture Execution: Verifiable track record utilizing Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen events, and Root Cause Analysis to secure measurable efficiency and throughput gains.
• End-to-End Supply Chain Command: Practical experience auditing raw material procurement, inventory management, shipping/receiving protocols, and logistical scheduling.
• Executive Presence & Leadership: Sophisticated interpersonal skills required to align front-line labor teams with executive corporate strategy seamlessly.
• Employment Stability: A rock-solid career background demonstrating long-term organizational dedication and steady multi-year tenure with prior employers (3+ year tenures preferred).
• Location & Authorization: U.S. Citizenship or Green Card holder residing within a comfortable daily commuting distance of the Wisconsin manufacturing facility.

Preferred Technical Assets (Bonus Skills)

• ERP/MRP Systems Depth: Direct experience driving master production scheduling and material inventory workflows within enterprise ERP environments (e.g., SAP, Infor, Epicor, JobBOSS).
• Heavy Fabrication Background: Practical familiarity with structural steel welding, CNC machining cells, fluid power assemblies, and large-scale mechanical integration.
• Formal Lean Certifications: Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt, or formal Lean Enterprise certifications.