Operations Leadership Associate

Agropur Cooperative; United States; On-site; USD 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Short and Long-term Disability

401(k) with 7% company contributions

3 weeks Paid Time Off

Paid holidays with 2 floating holidays

Paid parental leave

Advancement opportunities

Job summary

Agropur Cooperative invites new graduates to join its Manufacturing & Operations Leadership Development Program for an 18‑month rotational experience across key operations. The program includes mentorship, leadership coaching, and hands-on exposure to production, maintenance, planning, quality, and continuous improvements.

You will develop foundational leadership and people-management skills while learning end-to-end manufacturing processes and data-driven decision-making.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree in a related technical or business field is required.
• Internship or relevant project experience in manufacturing preferred.
• Demonstrated leadership through internships, campus involvement, or team projects.
• Strong communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Mobility to relocate for assignments if required.

Responsibilities

• Rotate through production, maintenance/automation, planning, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Support process optimization and early team-coordination responsibilities.
• Follow a personalized development plan with mentorship and leadership workshops.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and gain visibility with senior leaders.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem-solving

Mobility to relocate

Team coordination

Education

Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree in Dairy Manufacturing/ Food Science/ Production & Operations Management/ Industrial Technology

Job description

Job Type: Temporary (Fixed Term)

People are at the heart of our success. Our culture encourages collaboration, transparency, and accountability to create value and achieve sustainable results. Being part of Agropur means joining a team where your contributions matter, your ideas are heard, and your work has a meaningful impact on the future of our business.

Manufacturing & Operations Leadership Development Program

Our Manufacturing & Operations Leadership Development Program is designed for new graduates who aspire to become the next generation of leaders within our manufacturing network. Inspired by industry-leading programs, this structured 18 months rotational experience offers hands‑on exposure across key areas of our operations. Through progressive rotations, mentorship, and leadership coaching, you will gain the technical, operational, and people‑management skills needed to lead teams in a high‑performance manufacturing environment.

A structured work environment:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Life
• Short and Long-term Disability Insurance 401(k) with 7% company contributions
• 3 weeks Paid Time Off
• Paid holidays and 2 floating holidays
• Paid parental leave
• Advancement Opportunities
• Starting salary: $70,000

Your day-to-day responsibilities:

As an Associate in our Manufacturing & Operations Leadership Development Program, through structured rotations, mentorship, and leadership coaching, you will gain the technical, operational, and people‑management skills needed to lead teams in a high‑performance manufacturing environment. You will rotate through several key operational functions including:

• Production & operations
• Maintenance & automation
• Planning & distribution
• Quality & Food safety
• Continuous improvements

Your role in achieving results:

Work directly in production environments, supporting process optimization and taking on early team‑coordination responsibilities. Follow a personalized development plan supported by mentorship, coaching, and leadership workshops. Collaborate with cross functional teams and gain visibility with senior leaders. Be considered for a frontline leadership or supervisory role upon successful completion.

You will learn:

• How to build foundational leadership and people‑management skills.
• How manufacturing operations and production processes function from end to end.
• Key principles of Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and root cause analysis.
• How supply chain planning, scheduling, and workflow optimization drive operational success.
• How to make data driven decisions using performance metrics and operational insights.

What you need to join our team:

Bachelor’s degree or Associate’s degree in Dairy Manufacturing, Food Science, Production & Operations Management, Industrial Technology, or a related technical or business field

Internship or relevant project experience in manufacturing, operations, or industrial technology (preferred)

Demonstrated leadership through internships, campus involvement, or team projects

Strong communication, analytical, and problem‑solving skills

Mobility to relocate for assignments (if required)

Genuine interest in leading teams in a manufacturing environment

A role for those who want to create real impact and contribute to measurable and sustainable results.

Agropur welcomes people from all backgrounds and origins.

We are proud to be an employer with a diverse community and are committed to providing a respectful and inclusive experience for all employees and applicants.

We will work with candidates who request accommodation.

Please note that an adequate knowledge of French is required for positions in Quebec.

Agropur uses artificial intelligence technology to assist our recruiters in screening, assessing, or selecting applicants for this position. In this text, the use of the masculine gender to designate persons is intended only to lighten the text.

Agropur is an E-Verify Employer (US Operations).

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