General Manager, Plant

krispy; Winston-Salem (NC); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits (medical, vision, and dental insurance)

Employee discount program

401K plan

PTO and 'dream' days

Education Reimbursement

Life Insurance

Pet Insurance

Job summary

Krispy in Winston-Salem, NC is looking for a qualified Operations Leader to manage daily operations of their manufacturing plant and distribution center. The successful candidate will oversee production planning, ensure compliance with food safety regulations, and lead financial management initiatives.

With 8–12 years of experience in manufacturing and a Bachelor’s degree, you will develop your team and drive operational excellence. Benefits include healthcare, 401K, and education reimbursement.

Qualifications

• 8–12+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing and/or distribution.
• Experience in food manufacturing, preferably in dry mix or bakery-related products.
• Strong knowledge of food safety regulations (GMP, HACCP, FDA).

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations of manufacturing plant and distribution center.
• Implement best practices to optimize throughput and reduce waste.
• Own the P&L for manufacturing and distribution operations.

Skills

Leadership

Operational excellence

Data-driven decision-making

Financial acumen

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or related field

Tools

ERP/WMS systems

Job description

A TASTE OF WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING

Operations Leadership

• Oversee all daily operations of the manufacturing plant and distribution center
• Ensure efficient production planning, inventory management, and order fulfillment
• Drive alignment between production schedules and distribution timelines
• Implement best practices to optimize throughput, reduce waste, and improve service levels

Safety & Compliance

• Maintain a strong safety culture with adherence to OSHA, FDA, GMP, and food safety standards (e.g., HACCP, SQF)
• Ensure all products meet quality and regulatory requirements
• Lead audits and ensure compliance with internal and external standards

Financial Management

• Own the P&L for manufacturing and distribution operations
• Manage budgets, forecasts, and cost control initiatives
• Identify opportunities to improve margins through efficiency gains and waste reduction
• Monitor key financial metrics, including labor, materials, and logistics costs

Supply Chain & Distribution

• Oversee inbound raw materials and outbound finished goods logistics
• Optimize warehouse operations, inventory accuracy, and transportation efficiency
• Collaborate with procurement and sales teams to ensure supply-demand alignment
• Ensure on-time, in-full (OTIF) delivery performance

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, coach, and develop supervisors, managers, and frontline teams
• Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability and continuous improvement
• Drive employee engagement, retention, and succession planning
• Ensure adequate staffing and workforce planning

Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Leads site-wide continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, delivery, cost, and employee engagement
• Drives Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies across plant operations
• Develops and sustains a culture of operational excellence and accountability
• Identifies process bottlenecks and implements corrective actions to improve throughput and efficiency
• Utilizes KPIs, dashboards, and data analytics to monitor plant performance and drive decision-making
• Leads root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) activities for operational issues
• Facilitates Kaizen events, Gemba walks, and structured problem‑solving sessions
• Reduces waste through continuous improvement of labor utilization, material flow, and inventory management
• Implements standardized work, visual management systems, and best operational practices
• Partners cross‑functionally with maintenance, quality, engineering, supply chain, and production teams to optimize performance

Customer & Stakeholder Alignment

• Partner with sales, customer service, and leadership teams to meet customer expectations
• Resolve escalated service or product issues
• Maintain strong relationships with key suppliers and logistics partners

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 8–12+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing and/or distribution
• Experience in food manufacturing, preferably in dry mix or bakery‑related products
• Strong knowledge of food safety regulations (GMP, HACCP, FDA)
• Demonstrated P&L responsibility and financial acumen
• Proven ability to lead large, cross‑functional teams
• Strategic thinking and execution
• Operational excellence and problem‑solving
• Leadership and team development
• Strong communication and collaboration
• Data‑driven decision‑making
• Adaptability and resilience in a fast‑paced environment

PREFERRED SKILLS

• Experience overseeing both production and distribution in a single facility or network
• Lean Manufacturing / Six Sigma certification
• Experience with ERP/WMS systems
• Multi‑site leadership experience

BENEFITS

• Comprehensive benefits (medical, vision, and dental insurance)
• Employee discount program
• 401K plan
• PTO and “dream” days
• Company events
• Education Reimbursement
• Adoption Assistance
• Life Insurance
• FSA/HSA Plans
• Pet Insurance

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of work performed by the employees assigned to this job and are not the official job description for the position. The official job description will be provided during the application/interview process.

Krispy Kreme is an Equal Opportunity Employer: At Krispy Kreme, we believe that your originality sweetens our recipe. We value the diverse ingredients of the ethnicity, national origin, race, age, sex, gender, intersex, or veteran status of every individual. We strive for an inclusive culture that allows each of our peeps to bring their bold authentic self to work regardless of their religion, gender identity & expression, sexual orientation, or disability.