Operations Manager
Smurfit Westrock · Low Moor, VA
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Production
- Degree
- Required (or equivalent experience)
- Experience asked
- 7+ years
- Industry
- Packaging
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A management production role at Smurfit Westrock (packaging) in Low Moor, VA. Develop, coach, and lead production teams through training, performance management, succession planning, and employee engagement initiatives.
- They ask for
- 7+ years · degree required (or equivalent experience)
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S, OEE, Automation
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Production Engineer roles in Virginia: typical posted base $114k–$170k.
Median of the low and high ends of 14 live postings that list pay, out of 35 production engineer openings in Virginia, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Virginia plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 34 other live production postings in Virginia.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Less than usual (7+ vs 8+)
Typical $114k–$160k, from 12 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 8+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Team leadership 57%
- New product launch 37%
- ✓ Lean 31%
- EHS / safety 26%
- Root cause 20%
- ✓ Six Sigma 20%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Kaizen, 5S, Extrusion, Painting / coating, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
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
Pick 2–3 people on the Production team at Smurfit Westrock
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 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
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 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
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.
Operations Manager at Smurfit Westrock in other locations
Smurfit Westrock lists this title in 2 places. Pick the plant you can get to.
Full description from Smurfit WestrockAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Required Qualifications
- ✓Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and manufacturing leadership experience.
- ✓Minimum of 7 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, including responsibility for production operations and employee management.
- ✓Experience leading plant operations in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- ✓Demonstrated knowledge of safety, quality, production planning, and operational excellence principles.
- ✓Proven ability to lead, develop, and motivate teams while fostering a culture of accountability and engagement.
- ✓Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and decision-making skills.
- ✓Experience managing budgets, controlling costs, and driving operational performance improvements.
- ✓Proficiency with manufacturing systems, reporting tools, and Microsoft Office applications.
- ✓Ability to work onsite and provide leadership support across operational schedules as needed.
Preferred Qualifications
- ✓Certification in Lean Six Sigma or other continuous improvement methodologies.
- ✓Experience leading continuous improvement initiatives such as Kaizen, 5S, or similar programs.
- ✓In-depth knowledge of extrusion coating processes, converting operations, equipment, and materials.
- ✓Experience with capital project management, equipment upgrades, and manufacturing process automation.
- ✓Background in paper, packaging, coatings, converting, or related manufacturing industries.
- ✓Demonstrated success improving productivity, quality performance, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Position: Operations Manager
Location: Low Moor, VA
The Opportunity
When you join Smurfit Westrock, you will be joining a team that creates sustainable paper and packaging solutions that help move the world forward. As the Low Moor Operations Manager, you will lead all aspects of our extrusion coating and converting operations, ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality production. You will work closely with production, engineering, maintenance, quality, and supply chain teams to achieve operational excellence and meet business objectives. This role is critical in driving plant performance, developing employees, fostering continuous improvement, and ensuring exceptional customer satisfaction through reliable manufacturing operations.
How you will impact Smurfit Westrock
- •Lead all plant operations to achieve safety, quality, production, and financial performance objectives.
- •Ensure compliance with all safety regulations, environmental requirements, and company policies while promoting a culture of safety throughout the facility.
- •Direct and coordinate daily production activities to meet customer demand, production schedules, and key performance indicators.
- •Support and strengthen quality systems to ensure product consistency, customer satisfaction, and adherence to established specifications.
- •Conduct regular operational reviews, audits, and inspections to identify improvement opportunities and implement corrective actions.
- •Develop, coach, and lead production teams through training, performance management, succession planning, and employee engagement initiatives.
- •Drive continuous improvement efforts through Lean manufacturing, waste reduction, productivity enhancements, and process optimization.
- •Partner with engineering and maintenance teams to improve equipment reliability, manage capital projects, and support preventative maintenance programs.
- •Manage plant operating expenses, monitor material utilization, and implement cost-control strategies to improve overall profitability.
- •Analyze and communicate plant performance through regular reporting of production metrics, quality results, operational efficiencies, and continuous improvement outcomes.
- •Ensure accurate documentation of production activities, inventory management, regulatory compliance, and equipment maintenance records.
- •Demonstrate a commitment to safety, quality, continuous improvement, and alignment with Smurfit Westrock's values of safety, loyalty, integrity, and respect.
What we offer
- •Corporate culture based on integrity, respect, accountability, and excellence.
- •Comprehensive training with numerous learning and development opportunities.
- •An attractive salary reflecting skills, competencies, and potential.
- •Benefits package to include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401k with match, tuition reimbursement, employee discounts, employee referral bonus, and much more!
- •A career with a global packaging company where Sustainability, Safety and Inclusion are business drivers and foundational elements of the daily work