Our client, a small but fast-growing contract manufacturer serving the tea and nutraceutical industries is seeking a Plant Operations Manager. As Plant Operations Manager, you’ll play a key leadership role in scaling our operations, developing our people, and strengthening our culture of excellence and continuous improvement. If you thrive in a hands-on environment where leadership, communication, and data-driven decisions make a real impact — we’d love to meet you.

The Plant Manager oversees all aspects of daily manufacturing operations — particularly blending and packaging — ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality production. This role emphasizes leadership, communication, and quantitative decision-making. The ideal candidate builds strong teams, implements Lean Manufacturing practices, and fosters a culture of accountability, safety, and growth. This is a hands-on leadership position that requires both operational excellence and strategic vision to support continued expansion.

Key Responsibilities

1. Production Planning and Scheduling

• Develop production schedules based on customer demand, manpower, resource availability, and capacity.

• Ensure operations run smoothly and production deadlines are consistently met.

2. Managing Production Teams (Blending and Packing)

• Oversee supervisors, machine operators, and assembly line workers.

• Ensure staff are trained, motivated, and working efficiently to meet targets.

• Implement and sustain visual management and daily accountability systems that reinforce performance discipline.

3. Maintaining High Quality Assurance Standards

• Ensure all workers are trained in basic SOPs and product specifications.

• Maintain adherence to all quality and safety standards in finished products.

4. Ensuring Workplace Safety

• Champion a zero-incident safety culture aligned with GMP, HACCP, SQF, and OSHA standards.

• Enforce safety protocols and create a safe working environment to prevent incidents and hazards.

5. Optimizing Production Efficiency

• Drive measurable improvements in throughput, yield, and labor efficiency using Lean Manufacturing and data-driven performance metrics.

• Establish, monitor, and continuously improve KPIs for productivity, quality, and cost reduction.

• Develop and maintain effective capacity planning to optimize labor, equipment, and material utilization.

6. Cost Management and Budgeting

• Be fully accountable for plant operating budgets, including cost control, margin improvement, and capital planning.

• Manage resources effectively, minimize waste, and ensure operations remain within budgeted cost parameters.

7. Inventory Management and ERP Utilization

• Utilize NetSuite ERP systems and data analytics to improve scheduling, identify bottlenecks, and enhance operational visibility.

• Maintain accurate inventory tracking and reporting.

8. Equipment Management

• Ensure operators properly run and maintain equipment.

• Coordinate with the Maintenance team to ensure regular preventive maintenance (PMs) and timely service or repair to minimize downtime.

9. Reporting and Performance Analysis

• Monitor KPIs, analyze production data, and prepare reports for management to inform decision-making.

10. Collaboration with Other Departments

• Work closely with Engineering, Quality, R&D, Warehouse, Sales, and Supply Chain to align production with customer priorities and delivery goals.

• Lead and support new product introductions and commercialization in collaboration with R&D, Quality, and Sales.

11. Fostering Continuous Improvement

• Lead or participate in facility expansion, automation, and process modernization projects to support company growth.

• Promote a proactive, problem-solving environment where teamwork and communication drive operational excellence.

Skills Needed

• Leadership Skills

• Problem-Solving Skills

• Technical Knowledge

• Computer Skills (ERP systems and Microsoft Excel proficiency)

Minimum Qualifications

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) required.

• 10+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing operations, including at least 3 years in a management or supervisory role.

• Proven success leading teams in a food, beverage, or nutraceutical production environment.

• Strong understanding and hands-on implementation of Lean Manufacturing methodologies.

• Deep working knowledge of process improvement tools such as Six Sigma, Kaizen, or 5S.

• Demonstrated experience developing, managing, and being accountable for operating budgets.

• Knowledge of capacity planning and ability to align schedules and resources with business demand.

• Experience implementing data-driven management systems and using ERP or MES dashboards for performance tracking.

• Excellent quantitative, analytical, and organizational skills.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills for effective cross-departmental and remote coordination.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and ERP systems (NetSuite, SAP, or similar).

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Food Science, Operations Management, or a related field preferred (or equivalent experience).

Preferred Qualifications / Nice-to-Haves

• Experience building and scaling teams in a growing manufacturing environment.

• Experience with beverage or nutraceutical manufacturing processes (not bottling).

• Background in performance evaluation, budgeting, and cost analysis.

• Demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and develop future leaders.

• Strong “outward mindset” — balancing personal performance with the success of the broader team.

• Exposure to agricultural, mechanical, or farm-based work environments (valued for practical problem-solving skills).

• Experience with OEE improvement, automation, or continuous improvement projects.

Additional Information

This is an on-site position only; remote work is not available.

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Plant Operations Manager