Operations Leadership Rotation Program Memphis, TN

Vanguard Soap; Memphis (TN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus eligibility

Full benefits

Job summary

Vanguard Soap is offering a three-year Manufacturing Leadership Accelerator designed for high-potential graduates with 2+ years of experience to develop leadership across production and operations.

Participants begin as Manufacturing Supervisors, leading frontline teams, solving real operating problems, and earning exposure to supply chain, logistics, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred; 2+ years of professional experience in manufacturing or operations.
• Proven leadership potential and strong interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work across functions and drive improvements.

Responsibilities

• Lead frontline manufacturing team and establish safety, quality, productivity expectations.
• Execute production schedules and ensure timely, accurate output.
• Drive SQDC performance and apply lean and continuous improvement methods.

Skills

Leadership potential

Analytical thinking

Problem-solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Coaching

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

Job description

Why This Program? Build Businesses. Lead Manufacturing. Accelerate Your Career.

The Breazeale Group Companies Operations Leadership Rotation Program is a Manufacturing Leadership Accelerator designed for exceptional early-career professionals who want to build careers leading people, production, and business performance in manufacturing.

The program begins with a meaningful leadership assignment: participants enter their first rotation as a Manufacturing Supervisor. Rather than spending years waiting for frontline leadership responsibility, participants are expected to lead teams, own manufacturing results, solve real operating problems, and build the leadership capability required to run increasingly complex operations.

From that foundation, participants broaden their experience across supply chain, logistics, and operational excellence while working directly with plant and executive leaders across Breazeale Group companies. The goal is to develop high-performing manufacturing leaders who understand both how to lead the floor today and how the broader value chain drives business performance. This is an intensive three-year leadership accelerator designed to compress years of operational learning into a structured, cross-functional development journey with real accountability from day one.

Program Overview

• A three-year Manufacturing Leadership Accelerator for high-potential college graduates with 2+ years of professional experience who want an accelerated path into manufacturing and operations leadership.
• The first rotation is a Manufacturing Supervisor assignment with direct responsibility for frontline leadership, production execution, safety, quality, delivery, cost, and continuous improvement.
• Subsequent rotations broaden the participant's operating perspective across supply chain planning and procurement, logistics and distribution, and continuous improvement / operational excellence.
• Participants receive structured leadership and professional development, including:
  • Frontline and operational leadership training
  • Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement
  • Root-cause problem solving and performance management
  • Project management and operational problem-solving methodologies
  • Business communication and presentation skills
  • Executive leadership exposure, mentoring, and career coaching
  • Cross-functional business case presentations and leadership workshops
  • Over the course of the program, participants build the leadership judgment, operational discipline, analytical capability, and business acumen necessary to progress toward roles such as Production Manager, Plant Manager, Supply Chain Leader, Vice President, President, or General Manager.
  • Participants work directly with executive and operations leaders to solve real business challenges and drive measurable improvements in safety, quality, productivity, service, cost, and profitability.

Over the course of the program, participants build the leadership judgment, operational discipline, analytical capability, and business acumen necessary to progress toward roles such as Production Manager, Plant Manager, Supply Chain Leader, Vice President, President, or General Manager.

Program Availability

Experienced early-career hires: Current opportunities are designed for college graduates with at least 2 years of professional experience, ideally in manufacturing, operations, engineering, supply chain, and logistics

Program Structure & Timeline

• Duration: 3 years
• Rotation Length: Approximately 6-12 months per rotation
• Number of Rotations: 3-4 operations rotations across Breazeale Group companies
• Companies may include:
  • Vanguard Soap: Contract manufacturing and personal care production
  • Valley Products: Industrial bulk processing manufacturing operations
  • Valley Distribution: Warehousing, logistics, and distribution

Rotation 1: Manufacturing & Production Supervisor

Focus: Frontline manufacturing leadership, production execution, and team performance

Key responsibilities may include:

• Lead, coach, and develop a production team, establishing clear expectations for safety, quality, productivity, attendance, and performance.
• Execute the production schedule and ensure work orders are completed safely, accurately, on time, and at expected production rates.
• Ensure people, materials, equipment, components, and packaging supplies are ready to support production.
• Drive Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost (SQDC) performance and reinforce safe, standardized work.
• Monitor manufacturing KPIs including output, efficiency, yield, downtime, scrap, labor utilization, and schedule attainment; take corrective action when performance falls below expectations.
• Maintain product quality and compliance through adherence to SOPs, GMP requirements, quality standards, and applicable regulatory expectations.
• Lead shift start-up meetings, performance-board reviews, and daily problem-solving discussions.
• Use root-cause analysis, Lean manufacturing, standard work, and continuous improvement methods to reduce recurring losses and improve throughput.
• Build team capability through coaching, training, feedback, accountability, and performance management.
• Partner with Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Planning, and Warehouse teams
• Communicate labor, material, equipment, and production constraints quickly and bring forward solutions.
• Ensure strong shift-to-shift communication and disciplined operating routines.

Outcome: Participants finish the first rotation with real experience leading people and production, owning manufacturing performance, and making day-to-day operating decisions in a fast-paced plant environment.

Rotation 2: Supply Chain Planning & Procurement

Focus: Understanding how planning, materials, suppliers, and inventory enable manufacturing performance.

• Production planning and inventory optimization
• Supplier management and procurement analytics
• Demand forecasting and S&OP participation
• Raw material and packaging sourcing exposure
• Cost analysis and working-capital awareness
• Contract management exposure

Outcome: Participants develop an understanding of how supply chain decisions affect production, service levels, working capital, and profitability.

Rotation 3: Logistics & Distribution Operations

Focus: Distribution, warehousing, customer fulfillment, and downstream execution.

• Warehouse operations and inventory control
• Transportation and logistics optimization
• Distribution center productivity
• Order fulfillment and service-level performance
• Process improvement projects within distribution operations

Outcome: Participants connect manufacturing output to customer delivery and gain experience managing the downstream side of the value chain.

Rotation 4: Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

Focus: Lean manufacturing, performance improvement, and scalable operating discipline.

• Leading Lean and continuous improvement initiatives
• Improving productivity, throughput, and standard work on production lines
• Supporting automation and process improvements
• Leading cost-reduction and efficiency projects
• Developing operational dashboards and KPIs
• Diagnosing recurring performance losses and implementing sustainable countermeasures
• Supporting plant leadership on strategic operating priorities

Outcome: Participants learn to diagnose operational inefficiencies, lead cross-functional improvements, and deliver measurable performance gains.

Career Path After Program Completion

Graduates of the program may transition into accelerated leadership roles within Breazeale Group companies, including: Senior Manufacturing Supervisor, Production Manager, Plant Manager, Operations Manager, Supply Chain Leader

High-performing participants may ultimately progress into broader Vice President, President, and General Management roles across the Breazeale Group portfolio.

Target Candidate Profile

• Education: Bachelor's degree preferred. Associate's degree considered. Degrees in Operations, Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Chemistry, Industrial Technology, or related disciplines are especially relevant.
• Experience: 2+ years of professional experience after college preferred. Experience in manufacturing, operations, engineering, supply chain, logistics, continuous improvement, or another fast-paced operating environment is highly valued.
• Leadership: Demonstrated ability or strong potential to lead people, set expectations, build relationships, solve problems, and hold others accountable for results.
• Career Motivation: Genuine interest in building a career in manufacturing and operations leadership, including significant time working directly in plant and production environments.
• Core Competencies:
  • High leadership potential and strong interpersonal skills
  • Bias for action, ownership mentality, and initiative
  • Strong analytical and root-cause problem-solving capability
  • Learning agility and intellectual curiosity
  • Ability to coach, influence, and build credibility with frontline associates
  • Comfort using data and operating metrics to drive decisions
  • Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration
  • Resilience and sound judgment in a fast-moving operating environment

Program Requirements

Participants must be willing to:

• Begin the program in a frontline Manufacturing Supervisor assignment and take direct accountability for people and production results.
• Work hands-on in manufacturing and plant environments, including the schedule required by the assigned operation.
• Successfully complete each rotation against defined performance and leadership standards.
• Rotate across Breazeale Group operating businesses as program needs and development opportunities require.
• Program rotations are based in Memphis, Tennessee.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary: $100,000
• Performance-based bonus eligibility
• Full benefits package

The combination of a $100,000 base salary, immediate frontline leadership responsibility, executive exposure, and a structured three-year development path is designed to attract exceptional early-career professionals who want to accelerate into meaningful manufacturing and business leadership roles.