Job Description

About the Role: We are seeking a results-driven Plant Manager to lead a fast-paced, 24/6 food manufacturing facility producing cookies, crackers, and granola bars. This role oversees approximately 150 employees across four production lines , including Production, Maintenance, Sanitation, Receiving, and Shipping teams based in Williamsport, PA

The ideal candidate is a hands-on, data-driven leader with expertise in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Continuous Improvement, Food Safety, and Financial Operations . You will be responsible for driving operational performance, developing cohesive high-performing teams, and achieving safety, quality, cost, delivery, and engagement goals in alignment with company objectives.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership & Team Development

• Direct and develop a workforce of ~150 employees across Production, Maintenance, Sanitation, Receiving, and Shipping.
• Foster a culture of safety, accountability, teamwork, and continuous learning.
• Build strong, collaborative relationships with supervisors, leads, and cross-functional partners.
• Implement training and succession planning to strengthen leadership capabilities at all levels.

Operational Excellence

• Manage a 24/6 manufacturing operation with four production lines.
• Lead daily production planning, resource allocation, and workflow optimization to meet output and quality targets.
• Implement Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and standard work practices to improve efficiency and reduce waste.
• Drive continuous improvement projects, leveraging root cause analysis and problem-solving tools.

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with food safety regulations (FDA, SQF, HACCP, GMP).
• Promote a zero-incident safety culture through proactive EHS initiatives.
• Maintain high product quality and consistency through systems, training, and accountability.

Financial Ownership

• Own plant-level budgeting, including labor, materials, and overhead.
• Monitor and improve financial performance using P&L analysis, KPI dashboards, and cost-saving initiatives.
• Lead capital project evaluations, ROI justification, and implementation.

Strategic Execution

• Align plant operations with corporate goals, including capacity, yield, service levels, cost, and innovation.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives with engineering, quality, R&D, supply chain, and HR.
• Identify opportunities for automation, technology upgrades, and process standardization.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations Management, Engineering , or a related field required.
• 8–10+ years of progressive leadership experience in food or CPG manufacturing (baked goods preferred).
• Demonstrated success managing a plant or major production area of similar scale (100+ employees, multi-line operations).
• Proven expertise in Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S, or TPM methodologies.
• Strong financial acumen with hands-on experience managing budgets, P&L statements, and cost-reduction projects .
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, coaching, and change management skills.
• Knowledge of food safety standards (FDA, HACCP, SQF, BRC) and EHS compliance requirements.

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