*THIS IS NOT A JOB WITH CONSUMER CONNECTION*
Our client is a rapidly growing food manufacturing company seeking an experienced Plant Director to lead a high-volume production facility during an exciting period of growth and operational transformation.
This newly created leadership position will oversee all aspects of plant operations while partnering with executive leadership to drive operational excellence, strengthen organizational culture, improve efficiencies, and develop a scalable manufacturing operation.
This is an excellent opportunity for a hands-on operations leader who enjoys developing people, implementing best practices, and creating lasting organizational impact.
Position Summary
The Plant Director will provide strategic and day-to-day leadership for manufacturing operations, including Production, Warehouse, Maintenance, Food Safety, and Continuous Improvement. Reporting to executive leadership, this individual will be responsible for delivering world-class safety, quality, service, and cost performance while fostering a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement.
The ideal candidate combines strong operational expertise with exceptional leadership skills and has a proven ability to build high-performing teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Key Responsibilities
Manufacturing Leadership
- Lead all day-to-day manufacturing operations within a multi-shift production facility.
- Drive plant performance across safety, quality, productivity, customer service, and cost.
- Ensure operational goals are achieved while maintaining a safe and efficient work environment.
- Develop standardized operating procedures and sustainable manufacturing processes.
- Monitor and improve key operational metrics, including productivity, labor efficiency, waste, and on-time performance.
Operational Excellence
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on operational efficiency, cost reduction, quality, and customer service.
- Identify opportunities to improve manufacturing processes, equipment utilization, and facility performance.
- Support capital improvement and automation initiatives to increase operational capability.
- Implement best practices that improve throughput, reliability, and operational scalability.
Leadership & Culture
- Develop, coach, and mentor supervisors and frontline leaders.
- Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, safety, and continuous improvement.
- Establish clear performance expectations while creating an engaging and respectful work environment.
- Lead organizational change initiatives and successfully navigate periods of business growth.
- Build trust across all levels of the organization through visible, hands-on leadership.
Food Safety & Compliance
- Ensure compliance with all food safety, quality, regulatory, and workplace safety requirements.
- Partner with Quality and Food Safety teams to maintain high operational standards.
- Promote a culture where safety and quality are integrated into every aspect of the operation.
- Ensure compliance with OSHA and applicable regulatory requirements.
Cross-Functional Partnership
- Collaborate closely with Supply Chain, Planning, Engineering, Finance, HR, and Commercial teams to achieve business objectives.
- Support production planning, inventory management, and customer service goals.
- Participate in strategic planning and long-term operational initiatives that support continued company growth.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, Supply Chain, or a related field preferred.
- 8+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience within the food and beverage industry.
- Demonstrated success leading multi-shift manufacturing operations.
- Strong understanding of food safety, quality systems, and regulatory compliance.
- Experience leading and developing supervisors and frontline leadership teams.
- Proven success in implementing continuous improvement initiatives and operational best practices.
- Experience managing capital projects, process improvements, or manufacturing automation initiatives.
- Strong business acumen with experience managing labor, productivity, and operational budgets.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and change management skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in high-volume food manufacturing.
- Experience supporting operational transformations, facility improvements, or post-acquisition integration.
- Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Continuous Improvement methodologies.