General Manager

General Manager - Industrial Operations & Processing

Location: Central Illinois (Onsite)

About the Opportunity

A growing industrial processing and manufacturing organization is seeking a General Manager to lead day-to-day operations at a high-volume production facility. This individual will be responsible for overseeing production, labor management, safety, maintenance coordination, financial performance, continuous improvement, and employee development.

This is an ideal opportunity for a hands-on operational leader who enjoys being visible on the floor, leading teams, improving processes, and driving results. The company is open to leaders from manufacturing, industrial processing, logistics, distribution, recycling, building materials, and related operational environments.

Key Responsibilities

Operations Leadership

• Lead all day-to-day facility operations, ensuring safe, efficient, and productive performance.
• Oversee production, labor planning, staffing, scheduling, and employee development.
• Drive productivity, throughput, quality, and operational efficiency initiatives.
• Monitor KPIs and implement continuous improvement programs to enhance performance.
• Partner with transportation, logistics, maintenance, and commercial teams to support facility goals.
• Manage facility budgets, labor costs, operating expenses, and overall financial performance.
• Support capital projects and operational improvement initiatives.

Safety & Compliance

• Foster a safety-first culture focused on accountability and continuous improvement.
• Ensure compliance with company safety policies and regulatory requirements.
• Lead safety meetings, training, audits, incident investigations, and corrective actions.
• Hold leaders and employees accountable to established safety standards.

Leadership & Culture

• Build, coach, and develop a high-performing operations team.
• Communicate goals, expectations, and performance results effectively.
• Promote a culture of accountability, teamwork, and operational excellence.
• Support employee engagement, succession planning, and workforce development efforts.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of leadership experience in manufacturing, industrial processing, recycling, waste management, logistics, distribution, building materials, or related industries.
• Experience managing production teams, supervisors, and frontline employees.
• Strong understanding of operational KPIs, labor management, and process improvement.
• Experience managing budgets, operating expenses, and financial performance.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced industrial environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading multi-shift operations.
• Knowledge of maintenance operations and industrial equipment.
• Manufacturing leadership experience strongly preferred.
• Experience working around forklifts, heavy equipment, transportation, or logistics operations.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent operational leadership experience.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Opportunity to lead an established facility with significant operational responsibility.
• Hands-on leadership role with direct impact on performance and culture.
• Strong visibility with regional and executive leadership.
• Growth-oriented organization investing in operational excellence and expansion.
• Competitive compensation package including bonus opportunity.