By the Resource Erectors Research Team
In heavy civil and construction materials, operations usually fall into one of two distinct categories: heavy manufacturing or downstream commercial retail.
In pure manufacturing, the plant manager lives in the control room, tracking bulk raw materials, thermal jacket pressures, and automated mixing cycles. In commercial distribution, the store manager focuses on counter sales, inventory turns, contractor accounts, and equipment rentals.
These two operational environments rarely merge under a single roof. But when they do, they form a hybrid commercial manufacturing hub that serves as the lifeblood of regional infrastructure and pavement maintenance contractors.
Running a facility of this scope requires a multifaceted operational general. It demands someone who understands batch-formulation chemistry, tank-farm mechanics, and preventive maintenance, yet can step into the retail showroom to negotiate with commercial paving contractors, manage an inside sales team, and direct rental-fleet logistics.
For leaders who thrive at this cross-section of production and commerce, Resource Erectors is featuring an exclusive executive search: Operations Manager – Batch Plant (Memphis, TN Job #849).
The Dual Anatomy of a Hybrid Pavement Materials Facility
To understand why this leadership role is critical, consider the operational ecosystem of a regional pavement maintenance materials hub:
1. High-Spec Batch Manufacturing & Chemical Formulation
At the site’s core is an industrial blending and batching plant. The facility processes asphalt emulsions, specialized polymer additives, mineral fillers, and slurry sealants.
- Bulk Liquid & Aggregate Handling: Coordinating rail and tanker deliveries of liquid asphalt binders, latex modifiers, and fine aggregates into bulk vertical storage tanks.
- Thermal & Colloid Mill Precision: Managing jacketed heating circuits, high-shear emulsion mills, and automated agitators to guarantee emulsion stability and precise viscosity.
- Quality Control & Spec Adherence: Ensuring finished bulk sealants and packaged drum materials meet federal, state DOT, and municipal performance specifications.
2. Commercial Retail Storefront & Inside Sales Engine
Unlike a closed industrial terminal, this site houses an active commercial contractor store.
- Contractor Relationship Management: Paving contractors, municipal highway crews, and sealcoating specialists pull into the yard daily for bulk tank fills, palletized materials, crack sealants, and specialty tools.
- Inside Sales Leadership: Partnering closely with regional Territory Managers to drive inside retail sales, provide material takeoff estimates, and retain high-volume commercial accounts.
- Inventory & Merchandising: Maintain optimal stock levels through seasonal spikes to eliminate stockouts during peak commercial paving season.
3. Equipment Service Center & Rental Fleet Maintenance
The facility’s dedicated equipment service and rental division is a key revenue driver.
- Rental Fleet Availability: Managing turnarounds for heavy commercial sealcoat squeegee machines, trailer-mounted spray rigs, crack-routing equipment, and hot-pour melters.
- Mechanical Uptime: Directing service technicians to ensure rental machines and customer units undergo strict turnaround inspections, hydraulic servicing, and burner calibrations.
What Top Producers Expect: Core Responsibilities of Job #849
As the Operations Manager for this Memphis facility, you are the single point of command across plant production, retail sales, safety, and P&L performance.
The daily portfolio centers on four operational pillars:
1. Production Leadership & Plant Reliability
You lead day-to-day batching operations, scheduling mixing runs to align with customer demand forecasts while minimizing material waste. You oversee preventive maintenance (PM) programs on bulk pumps, agitator motors, transfer piping, and automated batching valves, preventing unscheduled downtime during the height of the summer paving season.
2. Commercial Sales & Customer Experience
You set the service standard for the retail showroom. By coaching inside sales staff and collaborating with outside sales representatives, you ensure contractors receive rapid yard turnaround, accurate material advice, and transparent pricing.
3. Continuous Improvement and Lean Operations
Operating both a factory and a retail center requires disciplined workflow management. By using Lean, Six Sigma, or 5S methodologies, you streamline yard traffic, optimize warehouse staging, reduce seasonal inventory obsolescence, and cut unit production costs.
4. Zero-Incident Safety & Environmental Compliance
Managing bulk asphalt liquids, hot-pour materials, high-pressure transfer lines, and mobile yard traffic requires strict safety governance. You enforce OSHA compliance, oversee safety training, lead daily shift meetings, and ensure strict adherence to environmental stormwater and spill-prevention (SPCC) regulations.
Why Memphis Anchors Mid-South Infrastructure
Memphis, Tennessee, is universally recognized as America’s distribution capital. With prime Mississippi River barge routes, major rail corridors, and intersecting interstate freight arteries, Memphis’s industrial market is a relentless, challenging, and very lucrative proving ground for civil construction logistics.
Leading a flagship materials facility in Memphis places an operations professional at the center of high-volume infrastructure development, commercial logistics park expansions, and municipal maintenance programs across Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi.
Candidate Profile: Are You Ready for Job #849?
This position is tailored for an operational leader who is comfortable wearing both a hard hat in the plant and a collared shirt in the commercial showroom:
- Demonstrated Operations Management: 3+ to 5+ years of operational or plant leadership experience in batch manufacturing, asphalt emulsion, building materials, chemical blending, or industrial distribution.
- Mechanical & Systems Acumen: Working familiarity with industrial fluid handling, bulk storage systems, mechanical equipment maintenance, and ERP systems (such as SAP).
- Commercial & Customer Focus: Experience managing inside retail sales, contractor counter operations, customer service teams, or equipment rental fleets.
- Operational Discipline: Proven track record in continuous improvement, inventory control, seasonal labor budgeting, and safety compliance.
The Resource Erectors Takeaway
Great operational careers are rarely built by staying inside a single corporate silo.
The most valuable executives in the heavy building materials sector are those who master the complete value stream: turning raw materials into finished performance products, managing physical machinery, and directly driving top-line commercial revenue.
If you are an accomplished supervisor, assistant plant manager, or operations leader ready to run a multi-faceted commercial manufacturing center, Memphis is calling.
Take Command of Your Career with Resource Erectors
Are you ready to direct a high-impact manufacturing and retail operations hub in the Mid-South?
- Apply Directly: Review the complete profile and submit your credentials confidentially for Operations Manager – Batch Plant (Memphis, TN Job #849).
- Explore Active Openings: Browse plant management, engineering, and executive leadership opportunities nationwide on the Resource Erectors job board.
- Discreet Placement for Industry Leaders: Many of our top plant manager, general manager, and executive searches are conducted under strict non-disclosure agreements. To ensure your credentials are on file for unlisted career placements, submit your resume for general consideration.
- For Heavy Industry Employers: When your company needs an exceptional Operations Manager, Plant Superintendent, or Technical Director to optimize your facilities, partner with our specialized client recruitment services.
- Connect Confidentially: Contact CEO Dan Duszynski directly to discuss your executive talent needs or career plans by visiting our contact page today.
