Manager, Plant Operations
Colgate Palmolive
Bowling Green, KY · Posted October 9, 2026
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Operations jobs in the rankings
Rankings about operations jobs
- Best cities for operations jobs #1 New York (1,429 openings)
- Best cities for operations pay after cost of living #1 Reston ($177k)
- Most requested AI skills in operations jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (2.5%)
- AI tools named most often in operations jobs #1 Claude (0.28%)
- Employers with the most operations jobs #1 Amazon (1,480 roles)
How AI is used in this kind of work
AI use among industrial production managers is little observed so far. Measured exposure for industrial production managers: 1% (little observed).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
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About the job
Relocation Assistance Offered Within Region Job Number #171969 - Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States
Who We Are
Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company operating in over 200 countries specializing in Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, Skin Care, and Pet Nutrition. Our products are trusted in more households than any other brand in the world, making us a household name!
Join Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for people, their pets, and our planet. Guided by our core values—Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous—we foster a culture that inspires our people to achieve common goals. Together, let's build a brighter, healthier future for all.
Scope of Responsibility:
The Sr. Manager, Plant Operations is responsible for the overall management of production within the plant site. Successful management of production areas will be accomplished through active involvement and development of work teams, appropriate coaching and feedback, effective resource utilization and visible team leadership. This strategic role includes leadership of day-to-day operations through Operations Team Leaders, as well as continuous improvement processes and programs through Operations Area Leaders.
Core Responsibilities:
Lead continuous improvement for plant processes, asset utilization, and operational efficiency
Drive improvement in team performance through effective communications to all levels of the Operations team
Foster and develop productive partnerships with Engineering, EHS, Quality Systems, Finance and HR departments
Effectively manage employee relations and performance management issues in coordination with Human Resources
Drive Continuous Improvement initiatives in EHS, Quality, and Factory Performance and Reliability to enhance business performance
Provide leadership necessary for the development of salaried and non-exempt salaried employees in an effort to promote a well-trained, highly motivated workforce
Support Environmental Health Safety (EHS) initiatives.
Support the Quality initiatives that will support effective implementation of new product start-up; on-time completions of bi-annual Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) review with teams; and Quality audit preparation initiatives.
Implement the standards of Factory Performance & Reliability (FP&R) within the teams, with focused emphasis in regards to People Capability, Visual Workplace, Autonomous Maintenance, Planned Maintenance, Continuous Improvement, Production Planning and Standard Daily Meeting.
Assist the plant to achieve Funding-the-Growth (FTG) Savings by decreasing total labor costs and active participation in the plant FTG ideation session.
Education:
Bachelors of Science or Bachelors of Arts required; Engineering degree preferred .
Experience:
10 or more years of progressive supply chain experience of which five years must be in production/operation management
Project or process engineering experience in a manufacturing environment;
Experience within or demonstrated understanding of the Quality function within a manufacturing environment;
Demonstrated strong written and verbal communications skills
Strong coaching and feedback skills required in a high performance work systems environment
Demonstrated ability to prioritize multiple initiatives and manage in ambiguous situations
Preferred Qualifications:
MBA or Supply Chain related post graduate degree
Compensation and Benefits Salary Range $124,000.00 - $174,000.00 USD
Pay is determined based on experience, qualifications, and location. Salaried employees may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, profit-sharing, and long-term incentives for Executive-level roles.
Benefits: Salaried employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, basic life insurance, paid parental leave, disability coverage, and participation in the 401(k) retirement plan with company matching contributions subject to eligibility requirements. Additional benefits include a minimum of 15 vacation/PTO days (hourly employees receive a minimum of 120 hours) and 13 paid holidays (vacation days are prorated based on the employee's hire date within the calendar year). Paid sick leave is adjusted based on role and location in accordance with local laws. Detailed information regarding paid sick leave entitlements will be provided to employees upon hiring and may be subject to adjustments based on changes in legislation or company policies.
Our Commitment to Inclusion Our journey begins with our people—developing strong talent with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to best serve our consumers around the world and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels a true sense of belonging. We are dedicated to ensuring that each individual can be their authentic self, is treated with respect, and is empowered by leadership to contribute meaningfully to our business.
Equal Opportunity Employer Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.
Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please complete this request form should you require accommodation.
For additional Colgate terms and conditions, please click here .
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