Plant Manager - Further Processed protein

We are partnering with a leading further processed protein manufacturer seeking an experienced Plant Manager to take overall leadership of a high-volume manufacturing facility.

This is a senior operational leadership position with responsibility for safety, quality, production, maintenance, labor, cost, customer service and overall plant performance.

The successful candidate will be an accomplished manufacturing leader with experience managing complex protein processing operations and a proven ability to build high-performing teams, improve operational efficiency and drive sustainable business results.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and accountability for all plant operations, including Production, Maintenance, Engineering, FSQA, Sanitation and Warehouse.
• Develop and execute the site's operational strategy in alignment with broader business objectives.
• Lead the plant to consistently achieve targets around safety, quality, throughput, yield, labor efficiency, service and profitability.
• Establish and manage plant KPIs, identifying performance gaps and implementing effective corrective actions.
• Lead, coach and develop the plant leadership team, creating a culture of accountability, engagement and continuous improvement.
• Drive improvements in OEE, labor productivity, yield, throughput, waste and overall equipment reliability.
• Ensure the facility consistently meets all USDA, HACCP, GMP, FSQA, food safety and customer requirements.
• Partner closely with FSQA to maintain the highest standards of product quality and food safety.
• Work with Maintenance and Engineering to improve equipment reliability, automation, uptime and production capacity.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, TPM or other operational excellence methodologies.
• Identify opportunities to optimize production processes, reduce waste and improve overall plant economics.
• Oversee plant labor planning, staffing, overtime and workforce productivity.
• Develop and manage plant budgets, operating expenses and cost-reduction initiatives.
• Lead capital expenditure projects, including equipment upgrades, automation and facility improvements.
• Ensure the plant maintains a strong safety culture and complies with all OSHA and company safety requirements.
• Develop succession plans and build a strong internal leadership pipeline across the facility.
• Partner with HR to drive employee engagement, retention, workforce development and performance management.
• Maintain strong relationships with corporate leadership, customers, suppliers and other key stakeholders.
• Provide regular reporting and strategic recommendations to senior operations leadership.

The Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will be an experienced Plant Manager, Senior Operations Manager, Complex Manager or equivalent manufacturing leader with significant experience within further processed protein manufacturing.

We are particularly interested in leaders with experience across:

• RTE and further processed meat products
• Cooked, smoked, sliced or seasoned proteins
• Sausage, bacon, deli and prepared meat products
• High-volume portioning and packaging operations
• Automated processing and packaging environments
• Retail, foodservice or private-label protein manufacturing

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of:

• Leading large-scale manufacturing facilities and diverse leadership teams.
• Improving yield, throughput, labor efficiency and production costs.
• Building strong Production, Maintenance and FSQA leadership teams.
• Managing complex, high-speed manufacturing environments.
• Implementing continuous improvement and operational excellence initiatives.
• Driving cultural change and developing future leaders.
• Balancing people, safety, quality, service and financial performance.

Preferred Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
• Previous Plant Manager or Senior Operations leadership experience strongly preferred.
• Experience within RTE, further processed meat, poultry or other protein manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of USDA, HACCP, GMP, food safety and regulatory requirements.
• Experience managing plant-level budgets, KPIs and financial performance.
• Strong understanding of production, maintenance, engineering and quality functions.
• Experience with automation, high-speed processing and packaging equipment preferred.
• Proven experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, TPM or other continuous improvement methodologies.
• Bachelor's degree in Operations, Manufacturing, Engineering, Business or a related discipline preferred.