About Careertakes

👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Consumer Goods Manufacturing.

Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.

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Role Overview

This Start‑Up Leader role supports a confidential client’s North Chicago manufacturing plant. You will own and lead change management, start‑up execution and validation for projects in your area — from definition and strategy through post‑start‑up closeout. The role focuses on driving reliable, safe and timely launches that meet technical readiness and operational success criteria.

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What You’ll Do

• Own the start‑up charter and lead site/module/initiative start‑up team(s).
• Lead GSUM+ (Global Start‑Up Management) processes and ensure timely completion of GSUM+ tasks on the Change Dashboard.
• Chair Daily Direction Setting (DDS) and coordinate status, risks and issue resolution with operations.
• Develop and manage Integrated Start‑Up Plans, TT&T (Training, Transfer & Tracking) plans, and manufacturing readiness activities.
• Lead validation planning and execution (IQ/OQ/PQ) and manage change control for assigned projects.
• Define and track pre‑production budgets and cost performance.
• Initiate and lead Process Risk assessments and coordinate plant‑level risk mitigation.
• Own reporting to the Change Masterplan and Drive in‑process and output measures through closeout.
• Train and coach team members on GSUM+ control‑based assessments and support GSUM+ training sessions.
• Present project status and results to leadership and cross‑functional stakeholders.

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Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, or a related technical field is preferred.
• Experience: 0–5 years of proven experience in project management, manufacturing operations, change management and/or validation in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment.
• Technical: Familiarity with IWS (Integrated Work System) and plant systems (e.g., Proficy, TrackWise, RTCIS) is preferred.
• Certifications: GSUM+ Intermediate (or ability to achieve quickly), Validations practitioner (IQ/OQ/PQ) qualification (or ability to achieve), EWP Basic (or ability to achieve).
• Skills:
  • Strong change management and GSUM+ process knowledge.
  • Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder alignment skills.
  • Strong analytical, problem‑solving and presentation skills.
  • Budget management and cost tracking experience.
  • Ability to prioritize and manage complex projects and meet deadlines.
• Availability: Ability to dedicate 50%+ of time to start‑up activities depending on initiative complexity.
• Candidate attributes: High standards, collaborative leadership, and willingness to consider relocation opportunities over the course of a career.

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Compensation & Schedule

• Employment type: Full time
• Salary range: $85,000 — $122,200 per year (posted range)
• Other: Total rewards may include salary, bonus (if applicable), and benefits. Specific offers depend on non‑discriminatory factors such as role, location, credentials and experience.

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Location & Eligibility

• Work location: North Chicago, IL (on‑site plant role)
• Immigration sponsorship: Not available for this role.
• Note: This posting has been rewritten and anonymized for Careertakes; the employer is listed as a confidential client.

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Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency

Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.

If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.