Plant Manager – Meat Processing Facility | Chicago, IL

Take charge of daily operations at a high-volume meat processing facility in Chicago, where leadership, structure, and performance truly matter. This plant plays a critical role within a fast-expanding national food company, supplying raw and value-added protein products across the region. We’re looking for a sharp, grounded operations leader who can bring consistency, accountability, and energy to a USDA-regulated production floor.

This role is ideal for someone who is hands-on, operationally sharp, and thrives in fast-moving environments where priorities shift, teams need coaching, and efficiency is everything. If you’ve led complex plant operations, managed large teams, and bring a deep understanding of USDA-regulated meat production, this could be your next step.

Compensation: $120,000–$150,000 base + performance bonusLocation: Chicago, IL (Relocation support available)Reporting To: Director of OperationsFacility Type: Raw and further processed meat products

Responsibilities

• Lead all aspects of plant operations—from production flow and labor scheduling to sanitation, yields, and inventory management
• Manage day-to-day output while enforcing safety, quality, and regulatory standards across the facility
• Supervise a leadership team including Production Supervisors, area leads, and over 50 hourly employees
• Identify and eliminate production bottlenecks by applying best practices in labor utilization and process control
• Ensure USDA, GMP, and internal food safety standards are met or exceeded at all times
• Collaborate with QA, maintenance, logistics, and procurement teams to keep the facility running smoothly and meeting service targets
• Review daily and weekly performance metrics and take proactive steps to improve throughput, reduce waste, and manage downtime
• Support hiring, training, and retention of frontline employees and supervisors
• Prepare the operation for continued expansion, including layout improvements, shift structure, and new production lines

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Food Science, Animal Science, or related field preferred (or equivalent experience)
• 7–10+ years of leadership experience in meat processing, protein manufacturing, or USDA-regulated food production
• 5+ years of knowledge of food safety programs, USDA inspection protocols, HACCP, and sanitation standards
• Previous success managing supervisors and large hourly teams in a meat production environment
• Clear leadership presence with a focus on accountability, team coaching, and operational discipline
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, audits, and deadlines
• Familiarity with production reporting systems, scheduling tools, and MS Office