The Plant Manager is responsible for overseeing all aspects of site operations, ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality production while fostering a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and employee engagement. This role serves as a key member of the Manufacturing Leadership Team and drives results through strategic leadership, operational discipline, and effective people management.
Key Responsibilities
-
Provide overall leadership and direction for plant operations, ensuring safety, quality, service, and cost objectives are achieved.
-
Develop and implement strategies to deliver year-over-year improvements in productivity, efficiency, and operational excellence.
-
Foster a culture of safety by ensuring compliance with all health, safety, and environmental regulations.
-
Manage budgets, cost controls, and capital expenditures for the site.
-
Lead, mentor, and develop plant leadership and frontline staff to maximize individual and team performance.
-
Partner with corporate functions (supply chain, engineering, HR, finance, and quality) to align site performance with overall business objectives.
-
Monitor production metrics and use Lean/Continuous Improvement methodologies to identify and execute improvement initiatives.
-
Ensure compliance with policies, customer requirements, and regulatory standards.
-
Actively promote employee engagement, teamwork, and a positive work environment.
Qualifications
-
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Food Science, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
-
8+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing operations; experience in food or ingredient production highly desirable.
-
Proven track record of leading teams to achieve measurable operational improvements.
-
Strong understanding of Lean, Six Sigma, and/or other continuous improvement methodologies.
-
Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, drive cost savings, and deliver results.
-
Excellent communication, leadership, and change management skills.
-
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with a mix of strategic and hands-on responsibilities.
