Good Pay! Good Benefits! Good People! Knife River is a PEOPLE-first company. Our team members are key to our success, and we are committed to giving them the tools, training, and time to do their jobs productively and go home safely each day. Please consider joining our growing team today!
At Knife River, we take care of our team because we know it’s our people who make us successful. We are one of the 10 largest construction materials producers/contractors in the Country. Our goal is to build strong teams that, in turn, build strong communities. We are also a publicly traded company on the NYSE with the ticker symbol KNF and part of the S&P MidCap 400 index.
ROLE OVERVIEW:
The Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day performance of multiple ready-mix concrete plants and fleet operations throughout Northern California. This role provides leadership to plant managers, dispatchers, drivers, and production teams while ensuring safe, efficient, and profitable operations.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who can balance operational demands, employee development, customer expectations, regulatory compliance, and financial performance. Success in this position requires strong industry knowledge, sound decision-making skills, and the ability to build productive relationships across operations, sales, maintenance, and executive leadership.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Operations Leadership
- Provide leadership and oversight for ready-mix production, fleet operations, and plant performance across assigned Northern California locations.
- Ensure all facilities operate safely, efficiently, and in compliance with company standards and regulatory requirements.
- Monitor production schedules, plant capacity, dispatch activities, and delivery performance to meet customer expectations.
- Partner with sales and operations teams to align production resources with market demand and project requirements.
- Identify opportunities to improve productivity, reduce operational costs, and enhance overall operational performance.
Safety & Compliance
- Promote a strong safety culture throughout all operations.
- Ensure compliance with OSHA, Cal/OSHA, DOT, environmental, and company safety requirements.
- Lead incident investigations, corrective action plans, safety meetings, and ongoing safety training programs.
- Conduct regular site visits and operational audits to identify risks and drive continuous improvement.
Plant & Fleet Management
- Oversee plant maintenance programs to maximize equipment reliability and minimize downtime.
- Coordinate with fleet maintenance teams to ensure trucks and mobile equipment remain safe, compliant, and operational.
- Monitor inventory levels of cement, aggregate, admixtures, fuel, and other critical materials.
- Ensure plants, yards, equipment, and fleet assets are maintained in a professional and organized manner.
Team Development
- Recruit, develop, mentor, and manage plant managers, supervisors, drivers, dispatch personnel, and production employees.
- Establish clear expectations, provide coaching, and conduct performance evaluations.
- Foster a positive, accountable work environment focused on teamwork, communication, and employee growth.
- Support workforce planning, succession planning, and employee retention efforts.
Quality Control
- Partner with quality control personnel to ensure products consistently meet customer specifications and industry standards.
- Monitor production processes and batching accuracy.
- Support root cause analysis and corrective actions when quality concerns arise.
- Drive consistency across all operational locations.
Financial & Business Performance
- Manage operational budgets and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to safety, production, quality, maintenance, and profitability.
- Review labor, material, maintenance, and transportation costs to identify improvement opportunities.
- Assist in annual budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning activities.
- Support business growth initiatives and capital improvement projects.
Customer Relations
- Maintain strong working relationships with customers, contractors, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
- Address operational issues promptly and professionally.
- Support customer satisfaction efforts through reliable service, quality products, and responsive communication.
Additional Responsibilities
- Participate in special projects and strategic initiatives as assigned.
- Travel regularly to plant locations throughout Northern California.
- Provide operational support during peak production periods, emergencies, or other business-critical situations.
Qualifications & Experience
Required:
- Minimum 5 years of progressive leadership experience in ready-mix concrete, aggregates, construction materials, or related heavy industrial operations.
- Demonstrated experience managing multiple facilities, plants, or operational teams.
- Strong understanding of ready-mix concrete production, dispatch, fleet management, maintenance practices, and quality control.
- Knowledge of OSHA, Cal/OSHA, DOT, environmental regulations, and industry best practices.
- Proven ability to lead teams, manage change, and drive operational improvements.
- Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Effective verbal and written communication skills.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and operational management systems.
- Valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record.
Preferred:
- Bachelor’s degree in construction management, Engineering, Business Management, Operations Management, or a related field.
- Experience managing operations across multiple locations.
- Experience with budgeting, forecasting, and KPI-driven performance management.
- Knowledge of California construction and ready-mix markets.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to travel frequently between plant and operational locations throughout Northern California.
- Ability to work outdoors in varying weather conditions.
- Ability to walk uneven terrain, climb stairs, ladders, and plant structures as needed.
- Ability to occasionally lift up to 50 pounds.
- Must be able to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) and safely access production facilities.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Knife River is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, age, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status or any other protected category under applicable state/federal laws.
Subject to pre-employment drug testing and background checks.
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This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
