Food Plant Director: Safety, Quality & Growth

Balchem Corporation; Albert Lea (MN); On-site; USD 160,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Balchem Corporation, located in Albert Lea, MN, is looking for a Plant Manager to lead operations, financial performance, and safety in a regulated manufacturing environment. The ideal candidate has robust experience in managing complex operations and ensuring efficiency while adhering to safety and quality standards.

This role also involves developing site-level strategies, managing talent, and driving continuous improvement initiatives to align with corporate objectives, ensuring the facility meets customer demand in a safe and efficient manner.

Qualifications

• 5-10+ years of progressive manufacturing or processing leadership experience.
• Experience leading in food regulated environments with strong safety initiatives.
• Demonstrated success managing multiple complex manufacturing departments.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operations ensuring consistent performance.
• Champion a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with regulations.
• Lead site leadership teams and foster collaboration across departments.

Skills

Leadership

Operational Discipline

Safety Management

Lean Manufacturing

Change Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Chemistry, Food Science, Manufacturing

Job description

Company Overview

Balchem is committed to making the world a healthier place by delivering trusted, innovative, and science-based solutions for the health and nutritional needs of the world. Balchem employs approximately 1,400 employees worldwide who provide the service, quality, and technology that enables our customers to win with their customers. We have built a reputation for delivering results to all of our stakeholders. Founded in 1967, Balchem, a Maryland corporation, became a publicly-traded company in 1970 and is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “BCPC.” Our corporate headquarters is located in Montvale, New Jersey, and we have a broad network of sales offices, manufacturing sites, and R&D centers, primarily located in the U.S. and Europe. The Company consists of three business segments: Human Nutrition and Health, Animal Nutrition and Health, and Specialty Products.

Company Overview

Balchem is committed to making the world a healthier place by delivering trusted, innovative, and science-based solutions for the health and nutritional needs of the world. Balchem employs approximately 1,400 employees worldwide who provide the service, quality, and technology that enables our customers to win with their customers. We have built a reputation for delivering results to all of our stakeholders. Founded in 1967, Balchem, a Maryland corporation, became a publicly-traded company in 1970 and is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “BCPC.” Our corporate headquarters is located in Montvale, New Jersey, and we have a broad network of sales offices, manufacturing sites, and R&D centers, primarily located in the U.S. and Europe. The Company consists of three business segments: Human Nutrition and Health, Animal Nutrition and Health, and Specialty Products.

Position Summary

The Plant Manager is responsible for the overall operational leadership, safety, quality, financial performance, and continuous improvement of one manufacturing facility producing extruded and agglomerated food. Provides both short-term tactical plans and long term strategic plans to the various business groups represented at the sites. This role ensures the facility operates efficiently, safely, and in compliance with applicable regulatory, environmental, and food safety standards, while aligning operations with corporate strategy and growth objectives. The position is located in Albert Lea, MN.

The ideal candidate brings strong experience managing complex, regulated manufacturing environments, leading diverse leadership teams, and driving performance across multiple departments.

Essential Functions

Operational & Strategic Leadership

• Oversee day-to-day operations across multiple business and plants, ensuring consistent performance, operational discipline, and delivery of customer commitments.
• Communicate, develop and execute site-level strategies aligned with business goals for production, quality, cost, and service
• Provide detailed communication, with strategic and hands-on leadership for multiple departments, ensuring safe, efficient, and compliant operations
• Establish standardized operating practices, performance metrics, and governance across the facility
• Ensure production plans meet customer demand while optimizing throughput, yield, and asset utilization
  
  
  

Safety, Environmental & Regulatory Compliance

• Champion a strong safety culture, ensuring compliance with OSHA, EPA, and chemical process safety (PSM) requirements
• Oversee process safety, materials handling, dust control, waste management, and environmental stewardship programs
• Lead audits, inspections, and corrective action plans related to safety, quality, and regulatory compliance
• Maintain a safe working environment by enforcing safety policies and procedures, conducting regular safety audits, and promoting a culture of safety awareness among employees
  
  
  

Leadership & Talent Development

• Directly lead site leadership teams, through daily example
• Build strong leadership capability through coaching, performance management, and succession planning
• Foster collaboration and alignment across Operations, EHS, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, and HR
• Promote a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement
  
  
  

Maintenance, Reliability & Engineering

• Oversee asset reliability, preventive and predictive maintenance strategies
• Ensure effective management of aging assets, preventive maintenance programs, and spare parts strategies
• Partner with Engineering on plant upgrades, expansions, debottlenecking, and automation projects
  
  
  

Continuous Improvement & Change Leadership

• Lead Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Operational Excellence initiatives across site
• Drive standardization of systems, processes, and reporting
• Operational efficiencies to utilize staff in a cost effective way
• Lead change management initiatives to support growth and transformation
• Ensure learning from gaps quality and customer performance are institutionalized in plant processes and practices.
  
  
  

Financial & Business Performance

• Drive productivity improvements and cost reduction initiatives without compromising safety or quality
• Support strategic initiatives such as plant expansions, new product introductions, and process optimization
  
  
  

Requirements

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Chemistry, Food Science, Manufacturing, or related field
  
  
  

Experience

• 5-10+ years of progressive manufacturing or processing leadership experience
• Experience leading in food regulated environments with strong safety initiatives
• Demonstrated success managing multiple complex manufacturing departments
  
  
  

Knowledge & Skills

• 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
  
  
  

The expected salary range for this position is $160,000 - $180,0000 per year.

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Balchem is committed to a workplace culture that values and promotes diversity, inclusion, equal employment opportunities, and a work environment free of harassment and hostility.