Assistant Plant Manager

Your Opportunity

The Herff Jones Cap & Gown team, based in Arcola, IL is looking for an Assistant Plant Manager. Reporting to the Plant Manager, the Assistant Plant Manager will support day-to-day manufacturing and distribution operations for the site. This leader plays a critical role in driving safety, efficiency, and service excellence, particularly during our seasonal peak.

What You'll Be Doing On A Daily Basis

• Partner with the Plant Manager to drive daily EHS risk management and injury prevention initiatives across the site.
• Work closely with customer service, sales, and operational leaders to manage inventory levels and customer requirements while supporting a balanced scorecard: Safety, Quality, Delivery, Inventory, and Cost.
• Support site-level OTD, manufacturing schedule attainment, and adherence to operational targets.
• Assist the Plant Manager in achieving financial objectives through budgeting, workforce planning, scheduling, and managing seasonal staffing requirements.
• Provide regular operational updates and metrics to the Plant Manager and other C&G leaders.
• Actively lead daily walkthroughs, with a strong understanding of critical metrics, performance drivers, and operational troubleshooting.
• Support continuous professional development and accountability across department leaders.
• Assist in coordinating day-to-day plant operations, focusing on communication, achieving goals, customer requirements, and scheduling for maximum efficiency and quality.
• Lead assigned operational projects and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Other leadership duties as assigned.

What You'll Bring to the Table

• 5–7 years of leadership experience in manufacturing, distribution, materials, or a similar function.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, supply chain, operations or a related field.
• Demonstrated success leading continuous improvement efforts with measurable financial impact.
• Ability to connect with and influence employees at all levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated success with inventory management and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience supporting budgets, staffing plans, and KPI-driven performance.
• High level of personal and team accountability.
• Strong communication and leadership skills; bilingual English/Spanish capabilities a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to lead effectively in high-pressure environments.
• Strong sense of urgency and desire to exceed expectations.
• Experience conducting staffing analysis, managing operational costs, and implementing programs in manufacturing or warehouse environments.
• Proven ability to execute projects and initiatives with measurable cost and time savings.

Physical Requirements

Daily activity includes but is not limited to lifting, carrying, sitting, grasping, reaching, standing, kneeling, walking, bending, twisting. Reading, communication, math. Working at a computer for extended periods of time. Ability to regularly lift/move up to 50lbs. Noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to above.