Job Description

Plant Manager (Progression Role to Director of Operations)

Location: Oxford, MS (initial), with long-term relocation likely to Jacksonville, FL

Travel: Full-time in Oxford for onboarding phase (minimum 3 months); 25–50% travel long-term

Compensation: $120,000–$150,000 base + ~20% bonus

Industry: Agricultural Inputs / Biostimulants / Sustainable Ag Manufacturing

Company Overview:

Our client is a rapidly growing, vertically integrated manufacturer of patented humic and fulvic acid-based agricultural products, serving the regenerative and sustainable farming sectors. Headquartered in the Southeast, the company operates five facilities across the U.S. and Canada and is pursuing an aggressive M&A strategy to expand capabilities and control raw material sourcing.

Position Overview:

This is a high-impact Plant Manager role with a defined progression path to Director of Operations. The successful candidate will begin by leading and stabilizing operations at the Oxford, Mississippi production facility, where they will oversee a full-scale, 24/7, high-volume manufacturing operation. After establishing strong performance in Oxford, the individual will be promoted to Director of Operations with responsibility for all three U.S. manufacturing sites: Oxford (MS), Jacksonville (FL), and Shelby (MT).

This opportunity is ideal for a seasoned operations leader with plant-level experience, strong multi-shift management skills, and the ability to scale systems and teams across multiple facilities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead day-to-day operations at the MS facility, overseeing 3 shifts and high-volume production across 20+ SKUs
• Drive a turnaround effort focused on safety, quality, on-time delivery, labor utilization, and plant organization
• Establish lean manufacturing practices and enforce standard operating procedures across production, R&D/lab, logistics, and maintenance
• Build, coach, and hold accountable a diverse team of supervisors, leads, and hourly employees (~150 across all sites)
• Partner cross-functionally with engineering, R&D, finance, supply chain, procurement, and quality teams to drive site performance
• Support integration of future acquisitions into the operational footprint, ensuring alignment without sacrificing independence
• Lead plant-level Sales & Operations Execution (S&OE) meetings to align supply with demand
• Manage plant budgets, resource planning, and labor costs in partnership with corporate finance
• Ensure site-level compliance with safety, environmental, and internal quality standards
• Represent operations leadership in executive meetings and corporate reviews
• Uphold company values and promote a culture of accountability, transparency, and growth

Role Progression Plan:

1. Phase 1 – Proving Ground: Serve as Plant Manager in MS to lead an operational reset and stabilization effort.
2. Phase 2 – Promotion: Upon successful performance, be promoted to Director of Operations , overseeing all three facilities.
3. Phase 3 – Long-Term Placement: Future base location likely Jacksonville, FL, but flexibility exists depending on organizational needs.

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience in plant operations or production leadership roles
• Experience managing multi-shift, 24/7 manufacturing operations with high employee counts
• Background in agricultural, chemical, or industrial manufacturing environments preferred
• Proven success leading cross-functional teams and driving operational turnarounds or scale-ups
• Deep knowledge of Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and performance metrics
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence and align teams across facilities
• Proficient in ERP systems and Microsoft Office Suite
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Agriculture, Business, or related field preferred
• Willingness to travel as needed (initially 100% to MS, then 25–50% across Canada and US annually)

Benefits:

• 401k contribution match
• PTO
• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Relocation assistance

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