Plant Operations Leader

RHI Magnesita•East Canton, OH

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Assistant Operations Manager plays a critical role in supporting day‑to‑day plant performance while helping drive long‑term operational excellence. This position works closely with employees at all levels of the plant—from frontline production teams to senior leadership—as well as with regional partners to ensure alignment on safety, quality, and productivity goals. In addition to supporting core operational activities, the role leads and contributes to cross‑functional initiatives that strengthen safety culture, improve workflow efficiency, and enhance financial performance. The Assistant Operations Manager is expected to champion continuous improvement, coordinate key projects, and help translate strategic objectives into practical, measurable results on the plant floor.

Requirements

3-4 years, team leadership in heavy industry
Lean basics, safety systems, production metrics
Coaching, communication, conflict management
Strong safety mindset
Resilient, hands-on, curious & adaptable

Nice To Haves

Engineering or operations degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Monitor key performance indicators and operational dashboards, identifying trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
Coordinate with production supervisors to resolve workflow issues, equipment constraints, and staffing needs in real time.
Support planning and scheduling activities to optimize labor, materials, and equipment utilization.
Ensure compliance with company policies, regulatory requirements, and industry standards across all operational processes.
Champion a strong safety culture by reinforcing safe work practices, leading safety talks, and supporting incident investigations.
Partner with EHS and Quality teams to maintain audit readiness, address non‑conformances, and implement corrective actions.
Conduct routine safety and quality inspections on the plant floor, ensuring adherence to established procedures and standards.
Support training and reinforcement of safety protocols, quality expectations, and operational best practices.
Build strong working relationships with frontline employees, and cross‑functional partners to promote teamwork and accountability.
Provide coaching, guidance, and performance feedback to production teams in partnership with Operations leadership.
Assist in onboarding, training, and skill development initiatives to strengthen workforce capability.
Serve as a communication bridge between plant leadership and frontline teams, ensuring clarity and alignment on goals and priorities.
Lead and participate in continuous improvement initiatives focused on workflow optimization, waste reduction, and process reliability.
Facilitate root‑cause analyses and problem‑solving sessions to address operational challenges and drive sustainable solutions.
Manage or support key projects that enhance plant performance, including equipment upgrades, process redesigns, and technology implementations.
Track project milestones, measure results, and report progress to plant and regional leadership.
Translate plant and regional strategic objectives into actionable plans that drive measurable improvements on the plant floor.
Support development of annual operating plans, budgets, and performance targets.
Analyze operational data to inform decision‑making and recommend changes that improve financial performance.
Collaborate with regional partners to share best practices, align on standards, and support multi‑site initiatives