Plant Manager
| Job Title | Plant Manager |
| Job ID | KH-11451 |
| Job Type | FullTimeRegular |
| Location | Minnesota |
| Salary Range | $150000 - $180000 |
| Commission / Bonus | |
| Benefits | Competitive Benefits Package |
Job Title: Plant Manager
Qualifications:
- 6+ years of progressive manufacturing or processing leadership experience in food manufacturing
- Experience leading food regulated environments with strong safety initiatives
- Demonstrated success managing multiple complex manufacturing departments
- Deep understanding of employee and food safety, quality systems, nutrient production, and regulatory requirements
- Proven financial and operational acumen, including cost management
- Experience with asset-intensive operations, R&D production coordination, and reliability-focused maintenance strategies
- Excellent leadership, communication, and change management skills
Job Description:
Hansen Agri-PLACEMENT is representing a leading food manufacturing operation who is seeking an experienced and results-driven Plant Manager to provide overall operational leadership for a manufacturing facility producing extruded and agglomerated powdered and granular food products. This position is responsible for safety, quality, production, financial performance, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement. The Plant Manager will develop and execute both short-term tactical plans and long-term strategic initiatives while ensuring the facility operates efficiently and effectively in alignment with corporate strategy and growth objectives. The ideal candidate will have strong experience managing a complex, regulated manufacturing environment, leading diverse leadership teams, and driving performance across multiple departments.
Operations & Production
- Provide overall leadership and direction for day-to-day plant operations
- Develop and execute site-level strategies aligned with production, quality, cost, and customer service goals
- Ensure production plans meet customer demand while optimizing throughput, yield, efficiency, and asset utilization
- Establish standardized operating practices, performance metrics, and accountability across the facility
- Provide strategic and hands-on leadership across multiple departments
- Drive operational efficiency and ensure staffing and resources are utilized effectively
Safety, Environmental & Regulatory Compliance
- Champion a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, PSM, and applicable environmental and regulatory requirements
- Oversee process safety, material handling, dust control, waste management, and environmental stewardship programs
- Lead safety, quality, and regulatory audits, inspections, and corrective action plans
- Maintain a safe working environment through enforcement of safety policies, regular audits, training, and employee engagement
- Ensure compliance with applicable food safety and quality standards
Leadership & Team Development
- Lead and develop site leadership teams through strong communication, accountability, and example
- Coach and develop managers and supervisors while supporting performance management and succession planning
- Foster collaboration across Operations, EHS, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Human Resources
- Build a culture focused on accountability, employee engagement, teamwork, and continuous improvement
Maintenance, Reliability & Engineering
- Oversee plant asset reliability and preventive and predictive maintenance programs
- Ensure effective management of aging equipment, spare parts, and maintenance resources
- Partner with Engineering on plant upgrades, expansions, automation, and process improvement projects
- Identify opportunities to improve equipment reliability, productivity, and overall plant performance
Continuous Improvement
- Lead Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Operational Excellence, and other continuous improvement initiatives
- Drive standardization of systems, processes, procedures, and reporting
- Identify and implement opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and optimize labor and resources
- Lead change management initiatives supporting plant growth and transformation
- Ensure lessons learned from quality, operational, and customer performance issues are incorporated into plant processes and practices
Financial & Business Performance
- Drive productivity improvements and cost reduction initiatives without compromising safety, quality, or customer service
- Monitor plant performance against financial and operational goals
- Support strategic initiatives including plant expansions, new product introductions, capacity improvements, and process optimization
- Develop short- and long-term plans to support facility growth and overall business objectives
- Work closely with corporate and business leadership to align plant operations with company strategy
- 6+ years of progressive manufacturing or processing leadership experience in food manufacturing
- Experience leading food regulated environments with strong safety initiatives
- Demonstrated success managing multiple complex manufacturing departments
- Deep understanding of employee and food safety, quality systems, nutrient production, and regulatory requirements
- Proven financial and operational acumen, including cost management
- Experience with asset-intensive operations, R&D production coordination, and reliability-focused maintenance strategies
- Excellent leadership, communication, and change management skills
Job Description:
Hansen Agri-PLACEMENT is representing a leading food manufacturing operation who is seeking an experienced and results-driven Plant Manager to provide overall operational leadership for a manufacturing facility producing extruded and agglomerated powdered and granular food products. This position is responsible for safety, quality, production, financial performance, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement. The Plant Manager will develop and execute both short-term tactical plans and long-term strategic initiatives while ensuring the facility operates efficiently and effectively in alignment with corporate strategy and growth objectives. The ideal candidate will have strong experience managing a complex, regulated manufacturing environment, leading diverse leadership teams, and driving performance across multiple departments.
Operations & Production
- Provide overall leadership and direction for day-to-day plant operations
- Develop and execute site-level strategies aligned with production, quality, cost, and customer service goals
- Ensure production plans meet customer demand while optimizing throughput, yield, efficiency, and asset utilization
- Establish standardized operating practices, performance metrics, and accountability across the facility
- Provide strategic and hands-on leadership across multiple departments
- Drive operational efficiency and ensure staffing and resources are utilized effectively
Safety, Environmental & Regulatory Compliance
- Champion a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, PSM, and applicable environmental and regulatory requirements
- Oversee process safety, material handling, dust control, waste management, and environmental stewardship programs
- Lead safety, quality, and regulatory audits, inspections, and corrective action plans
- Maintain a safe working environment through enforcement of safety policies, regular audits, training, and employee engagement
- Ensure compliance with applicable food safety and quality standards
Leadership & Team Development
- Lead and develop site leadership teams through strong communication, accountability, and example
- Coach and develop managers and supervisors while supporting performance management and succession planning
- Foster collaboration across Operations, EHS, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Human Resources
- Build a culture focused on accountability, employee engagement, teamwork, and continuous improvement
Maintenance, Reliability & Engineering
- Oversee plant asset reliability and preventive and predictive maintenance programs
- Ensure effective management of aging equipment, spare parts, and maintenance resources
- Partner with Engineering on plant upgrades, expansions, automation, and process improvement projects
- Identify opportunities to improve equipment reliability, productivity, and overall plant performance
Continuous Improvement
- Lead Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Operational Excellence, and other continuous improvement initiatives
- Drive standardization of systems, processes, procedures, and reporting
- Identify and implement opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and optimize labor and resources
- Lead change management initiatives supporting plant growth and transformation
- Ensure lessons learned from quality, operational, and customer performance issues are incorporated into plant processes and practices
Financial & Business Performance
- Drive productivity improvements and cost reduction initiatives without compromising safety, quality, or customer service
- Monitor plant performance against financial and operational goals
- Support strategic initiatives including plant expansions, new product introductions, capacity improvements, and process optimization
- Develop short- and long-term plans to support facility growth and overall business objectives
- Work closely with corporate and business leadership to align plant operations with company strategy
Contact Info:
To be considered for this position, please select the appropriate button listed below or call Kirk Hansen at 308-382-7370.