Operations Manager - Food Manufacturing

General Mills Inc.; Joplin (MO); On-site; USD 95,000 - 143,000; Full time

Job summary

General Mills is seeking an Operations Manager to own production at the Pet Treating facility in Joplin, Missouri. You will lead three supervisors and their hourly teams to deliver safe, high-quality products on time and within budget.

You’ll drive improvements using data, Lean and autonomous maintenance, partnering with Maintenance and Engineering while ensuring FDA, FSIS, SQF, USDA and GMP compliance.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressively responsible manufacturing experience, including food industry.
• 1+ year of experience directly managing salaried employees.
• Experience leading production/operations teams with safety, quality, service, productivity and cost responsibility.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily production through three supervisor direct reports and hourly teams.
• Plan production to meet volume, efficiency, service, safety, quality and cost objectives.
• Lead lean initiatives (Kaizen, loss analysis, SMED, standard work, visual management).
• Own operating expenses and assist in annual budget planning.
• Partner with Quality, Maintenance, Engineering and Finance to improve performance and compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Lean manufacturing

Kaizen

Data analysis

Communication

Problem-solving

Budget management

Regulatory compliance

People management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business/operations/manufacturing

Job description

## About the RoleThe Operations Manager owns production operations at the Pet Treating facility in Joplin, Missouri. Reporting to the Plant Manager, you’ll lead three supervisors and their hourly teams to deliver safe, high-quality products on time and within budget. This role combines people leadership, production execution, food safety and quality, financial management, equipment reliability, and continuous improvement. You’ll develop frontline leaders, set clear performance expectations, use data to prioritize action, and lead improvements that strengthen safety, service, productivity, and cost performance.## What You’ll Do* Lead daily production through three supervisor direct reports and their hourly teams.* Set priorities, coach leaders, document performance, and hold employees accountable while maintaining trust.* Build team capability through onboarding, job-transfer training, corrective and preventive actions, and ongoing development.* Plan production to meet volume, efficiency, service, safety, quality, and cost objectives.* Review daily, weekly, and monthly KPIs; identify trends; and convert findings into focused improvement plans.* Lead practical lean initiatives, including Kaizen events, loss analysis, spaghetti diagrams, SMED, standard work, and visual management.* Establish and sustain Operations-owned Autonomous Maintenance routines, including basic-condition restoration, cleaning, tightening, lubrication checks, and early identification of equipment abnormalities.* Partner with Maintenance on equipment conditions and significant breakdowns while maintaining clear ownership of routine operator care.* Use Redzone or a similar system to identify top losses, track actions, and improve equipment performance.* Partner with Engineering to identify productivity opportunities, capacity constraints, and potential capital investments.* Conduct or support facility capacity analysis and use the results to guide production planning and improvement priorities.* Review existing bills of material for accuracy and partner with Finance on BOMs for new products after production trials.* Analyze yield, waste, labor, downtime, and other cost drivers; then implement plans to improve performance.* Own the department’s operating expenses, support annual budget planning, monitor results, and partner with Accounting on reviews.* Partner with Quality to maintain product quality, food safety, and regulatory compliance, including FDA, FSIS, SQF, USDA, and GMP requirements.* Champion a strong safety, food-safety, and quality culture through training, communication, audit follow-up, and procedural updates.* Prepare operational reports, track issues and actions, and collaborate with Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Finance, and other support teams.* Cross-train to provide manufacturing continuity and assume applicable Quality Assurance responsibilities when needed.* Complete other assigned projects and responsibilities.## Minimum Qualifications* Associate's or Bachelor’s degree in business administration, operations, manufacturing, or a related field is preferred.* 5+ years of progressively responsible manufacturing experience, including experience in the food industry.* 1+ year of experience directly managing salaried employees.* Experience leading production or operations teams with responsibility for safety, quality, service, productivity, and cost.* Experience leading or facilitating Kaizen events or other hands-on continuous improvement work.* Working knowledge of lean manufacturing principles and their application in a production environment.* Strong leadership, communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.* Ability to develop teams, set expectations, and hold people accountable without damaging trust.* Experience managing operating expenses, developing budgets, and reviewing performance against plan.* Knowledge of project management principles and practices.* Ability to analyze operational data and prepare reports for reviews and issue tracking.* Ability to work in hot, cold, or wet conditions, including temperatures below 50°F or above 90°F for periods of up to three hours.* Ability to follow safety and PPE requirements when working with harsh cleaning chemicals.* Ability to occasionally lift or move up to 50 pounds and work at elevation, including on a ladder, lift box, or scissor lift.## Preferred Qualifications* Food manufacturing leadership experience in a regulated production environment.* Experience managing multiple people leaders and hourly teams.* Hands-on Autonomous Maintenance experience, including restoring equipment to basic condition and establishing operator-owned routines.* Experience with Redzone or a similar digital production or loss-management system.* Formal training in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, Kaizen, or Total Productive Maintenance.* Practical use of spaghetti diagrams, SMED, 5G/5S, standard work, loss analysis, and visual management.* Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt training paired with practical application.* Training Within Industry (TWI) experience, especially in standardized work, employee training, and change management.* Experience analyzing capacity, equipment losses, yields, waste, labor, and other operating constraints.* Experience reviewing or creating bills of material.* Experience partnering with Engineering on productivity improvements and capital expenditure opportunities.## Additional Considerations* International relocation or international remote working arrangements (outside of the US) will not be considered.* Applicants for this position must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. General Mills will not sponsor applicants for this position for work visas.**RANGO SALARIAL**El rango salarial para este puesto es:$95,300 - $143,200 AnnualEn General Mills, buscamos que la compensación de cada empleado, en cada etapa de su carrera, refleje su experiencia, desempeño y las habilidades requeridas para su puesto actual. El rango salarial de este puesto tiene en cuenta diversos factores, como la formación, las habilidades, la experiencia profesional y las certificaciones. Por ello, la compensación del candidato seleccionado podrá ubicarse en cualquier punto dentro del rango establecido. Además del salario base, General Mills ofrece un paquete competitivo de Total Rewards centrado en tu bienestar integral. Nos enorgullece ofrecer una base de beneficios de salud, jubilación y bienestar financiero, programas de tiempo libre, apoyo para el bienestar y otros beneficios. Los beneficios pueden variar según el puesto, país, región, convenio colectivo y otras condiciones laborales. También podrías ser elegible para participar en un programa de incentivos anuales. El incentivo, en caso de aplicarse, dependerá de diversos factores, incluidos el desempeño individual y el desempeño de la organización.**ELEGIBILIDAD**Los solicitantes deben cumplir con un requisito mínimo de edad de 18 años.**EMPLEADOR DE IGUALDAD DE OPORTUNIDADES (EOE)**General Mills es un empleador que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades. Todos los solicitantes cualificados serán considerados para el empleo sin distinción de raza, color, religión, credo, sexo, orientación sexual, identidad de género, origen nacional, edad, discapacidad, estado de veterano, estado civil o familiar, situación relativa a la asistencia pública o pertenencia o actividad en una comisión local de derechos humanos.**SOLICITUD DE ADAPTACIÓN RAZONABLE**Si necesitas solicitar una adaptación durante el proceso de solicitud o contratación, rellena nuestro formulario de solicitud de adaptación en línea siguiendo este enlace: Solicitud de adaptación.**Nuevas posibilidades. Pensamiento audaz. Corazón de verdad.** Construye marcas extraordinarias con personas extraordinarias.