Manager, Production

Van Drunen Farms; Momence (IL); On-site; USD 106,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits Eligible

Benefits Summary PDF: 2026-benefits

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

Van Drunen Farms is seeking a Production Manager to lead day-to-day production operations, drive safety, quality, efficiency, and team engagement across the plant. This role reports to the Site Director and partners with Maintenance, Safety, Quality, Accounting, Engineering, Scheduling, and Product Line teams to keep production running smoothly.

You will build a high-performing leadership team, optimize schedules and resources, and champion continuous improvement initiatives to advance plant

Qualifications

• Leadership experience overseeing production teams and shifts.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
• Effective communication and organizational skills.
• Familiarity with Lean manufacturing principles.
• Proven ability to drive continuous improvement and safety.

Responsibilities

• Lead production operations and be the primary contact for supervisors.
• Develop a high-performing production leadership team across shifts.
• Coordinate with Scheduling, Purchasing, Maintenance, Quality, Safety, and Engineering to optimize resources.
• Champion Lean, problem-solving, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure HACCP, GMP, BRC, safety and environmental requirements are met.

Skills

Leadership

Problem-solving

Communication

Organization

Decision-making

Lean principles

Education

High school diploma or GED

Bachelor's degree in a technical field (preferred)

Tools

MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Job description

The Van Drunen Family of Companies is growing!

• Expected Pay Range: $106K-$120K, exempt
• Bonus: This role may further qualify for supplemental compensation in the form of bonus and incentive programs, contingent upon achieving pre-established individual and company performance metrics.
• Benefits Eligible: Yes
• Benefits Available : 2026-benefits-summary.pdf

Who We Are

At Van Drunen Farms, we’re not just providing ingredients; we’re providing people with purpose and possibility. As a trusted partner in delivering fruit, vegetable, herb, and grain-based ingredient solutions to companies around the globe, we’re striving to build a values-aligned workforce that embodies humility, integrity, passion, and excellence.

Role Summary

The Production Manager leads day-to-day production operations and helps drive safety, quality, efficiency, and team engagement across the plant. Reporting to the Site Director and serving as a key member of the Plant Leadership Team, this role partners closely with Maintenance, Safety, Quality, Accounting, Engineering, Scheduling, and Product Line teams to keep production running effectively while building a strong, accountable, and continuous improvement-focused team.

What You’ll Do

• Lead production operations across the facility, serving as the main point of contact for production supervisors and leads.
• Build and develop a high-performing production leadership team that actively engages employees across all shifts.
• Coordinate with Scheduling, Purchasing, Maintenance, Quality, Safety, and Engineering to optimize production schedules, resources, equipment, and workflow.
• Champion Lean principles, problem-solving, and continuous improvement efforts to improve safety, quality, efficiency, and overall plant performance.
• Review production reports, resolve operational issues, support new products and equipment, and ensure HACCP, GMP, BRC, safety, and environmental requirements are met.

What You’ll Bring

• High school diploma or GED required, with a bachelor’s degree in a technical field preferred.
• Ten or more years of related production, manufacturing, or operations experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to develop, engage, and inspire teams.
• Solid problem-solving, communication, organization, and decision-making skills.
• Familiarity with Lean manufacturing principles and Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and email.

What You Can Look Forward To

• A key leadership role with direct impact on production performance, team engagement, and plant success.
• The opportunity to drive continuous improvement in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Cross-functional partnership with plant leadership, operations, quality, safety, maintenance, and engineering teams.
• Hands-on involvement in process improvement, new products, equipment changes, and operator development.
• A values-driven culture focused on safety, accountability, teamwork, and excellence.

In the Van Drunen Family of Companies, commitment to excellence is in everything we do!As a global ingredient and nutritional supplement supplier to the world’s best companies, we thrive on nourishing others with our products and our care for people. If you are looking to make an impact and grow with a family-friendly, values-driven company, you’ll fit right in with the Van Drunen Family of Companies!

Our employees are the most valuable asset we have. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, creativity, innovation, unique capabilities and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of not only our culture, but our Company’s achievement as well.

Equal Opportunity Employer and Prohibition Statement

The Van Drunen Family of Companies is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

If you are an individual with a disability in need of assistance or an accommodation during the application process, please contact us at [e-mail].

Equal Opportunity Employer: Disability/Veteran