Food/Beverage Plant Manager

Sunny Sky Products; Frostproof (FL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision coverage

Life Insurance

10 Paid Holidays

PTO

401K Program and Company Match

Short term & Long-term disability

Job summary

Sunny Sky Products in Frostproof, FL seeks a Plant Manager to lead safety, quality, delivery, and cost across a multi-shift beverage operation. You will own the site’s operating system, promoting a safety-first culture and daily management routines to protect people and product quality.

You will oversee SQF/BRC/FSSC programs, drive Lean-based improvements, manage budgets, and develop frontline leaders. The role demands strong collaboration across functions and a relentless focus on OTIF and cost

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in engineering, food science, or business.
• 5+ years leading food/beverage operations in a multi-shift plant.
• Proven safety leadership and experience with audits.
• Hands-on SQF/BRC/FSSC program management and CAPA handling.
• Lean/Six Sigma proficiency with sustained results.
• P&L or cost-center responsibility and budgeting experience.
• Ability to coach front-line leaders and build talent.
• Experience with SAP or ERP/MRP systems.
• Composure under pressure and strong communication abilities.
• High integrity, urgency, and ownership mindset.

Responsibilities

• Own safety culture and prevent injuries with layered controls and daily Gemba.
• Lead SQF/BRC/FSSC programs, audits, and CAPA closure.
• Drive operational excellence with OEE, downtime, and yield analysis.
• Manage plant P&L, budgets, labor, maintenance and utilities.
• Set expectations, escalate issues, and sustain KPI integrity across shifts.
• Develop supervisors and leaders through coaching and formal reviews.
• Coordinate with planning, procurement, quality, HR and suppliers to meet OTIF.
• Support Marketing and R&D on new product introductions.

Skills

Safety leadership

Lean Six Sigma

People leadership

P&L ownership

ERP experience

CAPA management

Budgeting

Coaching

Communication

Gemba / daily management

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering/food science/business

Tools

SAP

Job description

Sunny Sky Products prides itself on our commitment and dedication to creating, manufacturing and delivering top quality products in the beverage industry. We have generated an extensive product portfolio that includes frozen dispensed beverages, cold dispensed, hot dispensed and beverage enhancers.

The Plant Manager leads a culture where the pursuit of excellence and a passion for winning are prevalent, delivering world-class Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost while strictly adhering to Food Safety and Quality requirements. The Plant Manager owns the site’s operating system — building the safety, food safety, daily management, and talent systems that prevent problems rather than react to them — and leads from the floor.

Major Job Functions

• Safety: Own serious-injury-and-fatality prevention. Sustain layered controls for high-energy, confined space, chemical, ergonomic, and mobile-equipment risks through daily Gemba, layered audits, and behavioral ownership. Never trade safety for production.
• Food Safety & Quality: Lead the SQF/BRC/FSSC program — preventive controls, GMPs, allergen control, sanitation validation, environmental monitoring, and audit readiness. Drive CAPA closure to zero repeat findings.
• Operational Excellence: Use OEE, downtime, yield, and process data with pareto analysis to eliminate losses. Drive Lean-based daily management and cross-functional CI and sustain gains through standard work.
• Cost: Own the plant P&L. Manage labor, yield, maintenance, utilities, and overhead weekly. Build and execute the operating and capital budgets, including capital project justification.
• Accountability & Culture: Run tiered accountability, escalation, and daily huddles across all shifts. Set clear expectations, protect KPI integrity, and address poor performance promptly.
• Learning & Change: Teach through questions on the floor, use blameless root-cause analysis so problems surface early, and lead change with urgency while keeping the team engaged.
• Talent: Develop supervisors and plant leaders through structured coaching, development plans, candid feedback, and formal reviews. Build succession from within.
• Customer & Cross-Functional: Meet service and OTIF targets by aligning with planning, supply chain, procurement, quality, maintenance, HR, and suppliers. Support Marketing and R&D on new products.
• Metrics Owned: TRIR/LTIR, audit scores, complaints and holds, OEE, cost per unit, yield, overtime, turnover, engagement, and OTIF.

Required Skills/Abilities/Education

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Food Science, Business, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of food/beverage operations leadership, including leading supervisors in a multi-shift plant.
• Proven safety leadership: LOTO, confined space, mobile equipment, and layered audit systems.
• Hands‑on leadership of an SQF, BRC, or FSSC 22000 program, including certification audits and CAPA management.
• Proven results with Lean/Six Sigma, daily management, and tiered accountability, sustained over time.
• P&L or cost-center responsibility, including budget preparation.
• Track record of coaching and developing front‑line leaders.
• SAP or other ERP/MRP experience.
• Composure under pressure, ownership mindset, openness to feedback, and the ability to communicate at all levels.
• Sound judgment, high integrity, and a strong sense of urgency.

Preferred Qualifications

• Aseptic manufacturing experience.
• Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt or higher; PCQI, HACCP, or OSHA 30.
• Has led a major transformation and promoted leaders from within.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage.
• Life Insurance
• 10 Paid Holidays
• PTO - Vacation Time or sick time.
• 401K Program and Company Match up to 3.5%
• Company STD & LTD (Short term & Long-term disability)

For more information about our company please visit our website at www.sunnyskyproducts.com

Sunny Sky Products is an equal‑opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship.