Dairy Plant Operations Leader — Assistant Plant Manager

Leprino; Allendale Charter Township (MI); On-site; USD 134,000 - 154,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Life insurance

Health insurance

401(k) plan

Paid holidays

Job summary

Leprino is seeking an Assistant Plant Manager at our Allendale, MI facility to drive daily manufacturing operations, lead department managers, and partner across functions to meet production goals while upholding safety and quality standards.

The position requires 12+ years in food manufacturing leadership, 7+ years in multi-department leadership, and a willingness to relocate to other Leprino plants as part of career development.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Food Science, Dairy Technology, Business, Operations Management, or equivalent.
• 12+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience within food manufacturing.
• 7+ years leading multiple production departments or plant functions through department managers.
• Prior experience in a Plant Production Manager, Operations Manager, Assistant Plant Manager, or Plant Manager role within food manufacturing.
• Experience leading other people managers across multiple operational departments.
• Experience supporting plant financial performance, labor planning, and operational improvement initiatives.
• A willingness to relocate to another Leprino manufacturing facility.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the Plant Manager to lead daily manufacturing operations across production, sanitation, and plant support functions.
• Guide and develop department managers and supervisors while building leadership capability across the organization.
• Coordinate plant priorities with Production, Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Human Resources.
• Set the daily and weekly operating cadence, including production priorities, shift communication, escalation planning, and operational follow-up.
• Build production plans that balance customer demand, staffing, equipment availability, and inventory requirements.
• Review plant performance, including safety, quality, yields, labor, downtime, and service, then coordinate improvement plans across departments.
• Support capital improvements, operational initiatives, and process enhancements that strengthen plant performance.
• Partner with Maintenance to improve equipment reliability, preventive maintenance planning, and shutdown execution.
• Promote food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance while supporting a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to annual operating plans, labor planning, and departmental budgets.
• Build collaborative relationships across the site that encourage transparency, problem solving, and timely decision-making.
• Serve as a key member of the plant leadership team and provide operational leadership in the Plant Manager's absence.

Skills

Leadership

Operations management

Safety culture

People management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/ Food Science/ Dairy Technology/ Business/ Operations Management or equivalent

Tools

SAP ERP

Job description

Leprino is seeking an Assistant Plant Manager at our Allendale, MI facility to drive daily manufacturing operations, lead department managers, and partner across functions to meet production goals while upholding safety and quality standards.

The position requires 12+ years in food manufacturing leadership, 7+ years in multi-department leadership, and a willingness to relocate to other Leprino plants as part of career development.