Operations Manager (Pilot Plant)

All Aviation Jobs; Omaha (NE); On-site; USD 82,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

Flexible work schedule

Job summary

Conagra Brands in Omaha, NE, seeks an Operations Lead to drive pilot plant initiatives, lead R&D liaison activities, and manage commercialization projects for new products. You will oversee cost management, scale-up operations, and cross-functional collaboration to achieve annual targets.

You will work onsite five days a week, coordinating with Plants, Logistics, Sales & Operations Planning, Purchasing, Quality & Innovation, and Engineering to ensure safe, efficient operations and adherence to

Qualifications

• 3+ years in manufacturing operations or pilot plant roles.
• Experience with product scale-up and commercialization.
• Exposure to Purchasing, Logistics and Quality disciplines.
• Knowledge of cost management and production scheduling.

Responsibilities

• Serve as R&D liaison to business teams to support growth and KPI achievement.
• Lead portfolio and program management using stage gate models.
• Manage commercialization projects for new products and launches.
• Drive cost improvement and plant performance initiatives.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to optimize offerings and resources.
• Review plant budgets and identify savings opportunities.
• Support ingredient and supply ordering and monitor inventory.
• Enforce safety policies within the plant.
• Partner with Plants, Logistics, Sales, Purchasing, and Quality teams.
• Manage relationships with suppliers and vendors.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional leadership

Supply chain

R&D liaison

Cost reduction

Process improvement

Pilot plant operations

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

SAP

ERP systems

Job description

Reporting to the Pilot Plant Manager, you will provide operational support and project leadership for business growth and productivity initiatives. You will serve as the Operations Lead and primary Research & Development contact for assigned business teams, ensuring alignment of priorities and effective resource utilization across Supply Chain functions.

A Taste of Your Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary Research & Development liaison to assigned business teams, supporting growth and cost and key performance indicator achievement for designated product categories and plants.
• Lead portfolio and program management processes, applying project management tools and stage gate models to ensure prioritization and execution.
• Manage commercialization projects for new products and offerings, coordinating cost build-up, material readiness, scale-up activities, and launch metrics.
• Drive cost improvement initiatives and support plant performance enhancement efforts to meet annual targets.
• Collaborate with business teams to optimize product offerings and resource utilization.
• Review and assist with implementation of plant budgets and identify savings opportunities to support budget adherence.
• Support ingredient and supply ordering for plant operations and monitor inventory to ensure material availability.
• Promote and enforce safety policies and procedures within the plant environment.
• Partner with Plants, Logistics, Sales & Operations Planning, Purchasing, Research, Quality & Innovation, Technology, Quality Assurance, Engineering, Finance, and cross-functional business teams.
• Manage external relationships with material suppliers, co-manufacturers, and equipment vendors.

Ingredients Required for Your Success

• High school diploma or GED.
• 3+ years of experience in manufacturing operations, engineering, pilot plant operations, or other Supply Chain functions.
• Experience supporting pilot plant, manufacturing, or product scale-up operations.
• Experience supporting new product commercialization and start-up procedures.
• Exposure to multiple Supply Chain disciplines including Purchasing, Logistics, Manufacturing, and Research, Quality & Innovation.
• Understanding of manufacturing processes, plant operations, and cost management.
• Knowledge of ingredient management, material planning, and production scheduling.
• Experience leading cross-functional commercialization and plant-based projects.
• Experience coordinating product trials, scale-up activities, and launch readiness.
• Experience managing multiple concurrent projects and driving continuous improvement initiatives.
• Experience using SAP or similar systems to support manufacturing operations, inventory management, and material planning.
• Commitment to safety, quality, and operational excellence in a manufacturing environment.

Physical Requirements

Requirements

More information about essential tasks and the facility will be shared during the hiring process. This role may require you to be in our manufacturing facilities. When visiting these sites, the physical requirements below may apply:

You may be required to walk around the facility, climb stairs/ladders, kneel, or perform repetitive tasks that require hand-eye coordination.

You may be required to lift or carry materials that can vary in weight and size.

This is a manufacturing environment with large, moving equipment. Noise levels can be high, and temperatures may vary.

You will be onsite 5 days per week.

Compensation

Pay Range:$82,000-$120,000

The annual salary listed above is the expected offering for this position. An employee’s actual annual salary will be based on but not limited to: location, relevant experience/level and skillset, while balancing internal Conagra employees’ equity. Conagra Brands will comply with applicable law regarding minimum salaries for exempt employees.

Our Benefits

We care about your total well-being and will support you with the following, subject to your location and role:

• Health: Comprehensive healthcare plans, wellness incentive program, mental wellbeing support and fitness reimbursement
• Wealth: Great pay, bonus incentive opportunity, matching 401(k) and stock purchase plan
• Growth: Career development opportunities, employee resource groups, on-demand learning and tuition reimbursement
• Balance: Paid-time off, parental leave, flexible work-schedules (subject to your location and role) and volunteer opportunities

Our Company

At Conagra Brands, we have a rich heritage of making great food. We aspire to have the most impactful, energized and inclusive culture in food. As a member of our 18,000+ person team across 40+ locations, you are empowered to reach your potential, make an impact and own your career. We're in the business of building champions – within our people and our iconic brands like "Birds Eye®", "Slim Jim®" and "Reddi-Wip®".

Our focus on innovation extends beyond making great food, it also reflects our commitment to embracing new solutions that positively impact our team, the communities we serve and the health of our planet. Foodies Welcome.

Conagra Brands is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, pregnancy, leave status, disability, veteran status, genetic information and/or any other characteristic or status protected by national, federal, state or local law. Reasonable accommodation may be made upon request.