Reporting to the Chief Supply Chain Officer, the Plant Manager will lead daily operations at our frozen food production facility. This role is responsible for ensuring the highest standards of food safety, product quality, and employee safety, while fostering a strong, inclusive culture rooted in accountability, continuous improvement, and teamwork.
This leader will oversee all plant operations, including production, quality assurance, maintenance, sanitation, safety, and logistics, with a deep commitment to creating an environment where people feel safe, valued, and inspired to perform their best.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
Food Safety & Quality
- Champion food safety protocols and maintain compliance with all FDA, USDA, and SQF/FSMA regulations.
- Partner with Quality Assurance to ensure robust systems for product quality, traceability, sanitation, allergen control, and compliance.
- Drive a “zero defect” mindset across the plant, ensuring product consistency, integrity, and customer trust.
- Lead and support audits, inspections, and internal reviews to ensure continuous improvement in food safety standards.
Human Safety & Compliance
- Lead with a safety-first mindset, ensuring all employees return home safely every day.
- Implement and enforce OSHA standards, safety training, incident investigations, and corrective actions.
- Promote proactive safety engagement through risk assessments, behavioral observations, and safety committee leadership.
Culture & Leadership
- Foster a plant culture that embodies trust, inclusion, accountability, and high performance.
- Build, develop, and retain a strong frontline and leadership team through coaching, recognition, and empowerment.
- Set clear expectations and model respectful, values-driven behavior across all shifts and departments.
- Drive cross-functional alignment through transparent communication and a "One Team, One Mission" approach.
Operational Excellence
- Lead daily, weekly, and monthly production operations to meet safety, quality, service, and financial targets.
- Manage KPIs related to yield, throughput, waste, OEE, labor efficiency, downtime, and cost control.
- Champion Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement principles to increase productivity and reduce waste.
- Partner closely with Supply Chain, Engineering, and HR to ensure resource alignment and plant readiness.
EXPERIENCE:
- 7+ years of progressive leadership experience in a food manufacturing environment, preferably frozen or ready-to-eat.
- Demonstrated knowledge of food safety systems, HACCP, GMPs, SQF/BRC, and USDA/FDA regulations.
- Proven track record in building high-performing teams and positive manufacturing culture.
- Strong leadership, communication, and decision-making skills.
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Engineering, Operations Management, or related field preferred
- A passion and unwavering belief to the commitment of people safety and culture
- Strong knowledge of food safety and regulatory standards, including HACCP, GMP, FDA/USDA, and OSHA requirements
- Deep understanding of food manufacturing operations, including labor planning, throughput optimization, and line performance
- Proficient in Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, Excel, and Outlook for communication, task tracking, and collaboration
- the organization
- Strong people management capabilities with a proven ability to motivate, mentor, and develop cross-functional teams
- Results-oriented mindset with a sense of urgency and comfort working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
- Highly organized with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple projects simultaneously
- Demonstrated success in driving process improvement and leading change in complex operational settings
- Committed to living and promoting the company’s core values and leadership principles
- Ability to read, write, and comprehend instructions, documentation, and reports
- Proficient in basic mathematics and able to follow written and verbal instructions precisely
- Willingness to work flexible hours, including weekends or Saturdays as needed
- Working knowledge of NetSuite ERP
- Bilingual in Spanish and English (preferred)
LOCATION
This position is based full time in North Sioux City, South Dakota.
