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Area Operations Manager

Heidelberg Materials · Fairmount, IL

Apply on Heidelberg ↗
Level
Manager
Team
Production
Travel
50%
Degree
Required
Experience asked
7+ years
Industry
Industrial
Posted
12 days ago

The role in 30 seconds

A management production role at Heidelberg Materials (industrial) in Fairmount, IL.

They ask for
7+ years · degree required
Tools it names
Lean, EHS / safety
Day to day
about 50% travel

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026

Production Engineer roles in Illinois: typical posted base $107k–$152k.

Median of the low and high ends of 25 live postings that list pay, out of 45 production engineer openings in Illinois, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

Illinois plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →

How this role compares

Against 44 other live production postings in Illinois.

Base pay
Not listed in this posting

Typical $101k–$150k, from 22 postings that list pay.

Experience asked
More than usual (7+ vs 5+)

Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

  • ✓ Lean 49%
  • ✓ Team leadership 31%
  • ✓ EHS / safety 29%
  • Six Sigma 27%
  • Root cause 24%
  • New product launch 22%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

It asks for 7+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone doing this work there first.

At a glance

Overnight travel

Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.

How to get in at this plant

Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.

  1. 1

    Pick 2–3 people on the Production team at Heidelberg Materials

    Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.

  2. 2

    Send a short, curious note

    One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.

  3. 3

    Turn a reply into a short call

    Questions worth asking about this team:

    • What does a normal week look like on your team?
    • The posting says about 50% travel. Between which sites?
    • How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
  4. 4

    Apply with someone vouching for you

    If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.

  5. 5

    Bring proof to the interview

    One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.

Area Operations Manager at Heidelberg Materials in other locations

Heidelberg Materials lists this title in 2 places. Pick the plant you can get to.

Full description from Heidelberg MaterialsAs posted on their careers site.Show

requirements

(e.g., permits, stormwater, air, reclamation); maintain audit reediness and partner with EHS on inspections a reporting.

  • ✓Lead and develop plant/site leadership teams; set expectations, coach performance, support staffing plans, and build a culture of accountability, engagement and continuous improvement.
  • ✓Own operating budgets for assigned area. Review monthly results, identify variances, and implement cost-control actions to effectively scale to current sales demands.
  • ✓Identify and execute continuous improvement initiatives (lean/CI) that improve throughput, yield, energy efficiency, and quality; standardize best practices across sites.
  • ✓Lead CAPEX scoping for site improvements (safety, compliance, plant upgrades); develop business cases, manage project execution, and ensure start-up meets performance targets.
Show full description ↓

Line of Business: Service & Support

About Us

Heidelberg Materials is one of the world's largest suppliers of building materials. Heidelberg Materials North America operates over 450 locations across the U.S. and Canada with approximately 9,000 employees.

What You'll Be Doing

  • •Lead several sites with six direct reports and 100 indirect reports. Demonstrate safety as a core value across assigned operations; conduct field observations, safety meetings, incident investigations, and ensure corrective actions are completed and sustained. Ensure compliance with MSH, DOT, and environmental

What Are We Looking For

  • •Bachelor’s degree in Mining/Engineering, Operations/Industrial Management, Business, or related field; equivalent experience considered
  • •7+ years of operations leadership experience in aggregates/mining or related heavy industrial operations; multi-site leadership preferred
  • •Strong working knowledge of MSHA and a demonstrated ability to lead safety culture and regulatory compliance
  • •Experience managing budgets and cost drivers; ability to improve productivity, reliability, and cost per ton
  • •Strong leadership, communication, and collaboration skills with the ability to develop teams and lead change

Conditions of Employment

  • •Successful candidate must submit to post-offer pre-employment physical examination, drug/alcohol screen, and background check
  • •Some positions require FMCSA-regulated ongoing drug and alcohol testing

Work Environment

  • •Must be willing to travel regularly within the assigned area (typically 50%–75%), mostly day trips and occasional overnight trips.

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