Plant Manager

Alpha Executive Search; Iowa (LA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Alpha Executive Search is seeking an experienced Plant Manager with pork slaughter expertise to lead all plant operations, safety, quality and cost control. You will direct hourly teams and coordinate with Sanitation, Shipping, Maintenance, and Engineering to drive performance.

You will coach a high-performing team, manage hiring and performance, and collaborate with HR to build a strong culture. Prior union environment experience is strongly preferred.

Qualifications

• Must have pork and slaughter experience.
• 10+ years of plant experience with supervisory responsibility.
• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Animal Science, Business, or related field or equivalent experience.
• Experience in food manufacturing/meat processing environment.
• Union environment experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day plant operations with focus on safety, food quality, productivity, efficiency, and profitability.
• Drive continuous improvement in labor, yields, raw material utilization, waste, and operating costs.
• Ensure compliance with HACCP, CCPs, SSOPs, USDA, and company food safety requirements.
• Lead safety initiatives, including ergonomics, injury reduction, safety training, and Safety Committee.
• Develop, coach, and lead a high-performing team; oversee hiring, training, performance management, and employee relations.
• Partner with HR and production leadership to build a strong workplace culture and develop future leaders.
• Maintain a productive relationship with UFCW Local 2 and ensure compliance with the collective bargaining agreement.
• Collaborate with vendors, suppliers, USDA, and corporate leadership to support plant goals and continuous improvement.

Skills

Communication

Problem-solving

Analytical thinking

Decision-making

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture/Animal Science/Business

Job description

Lead the plant. Drive performance. Build a strong culture.

We’re seeking an experienced Plant Manager with pork slaughter experience to lead overall plant operations, safety, quality, productivity, cost control, and employee engagement. This is a highly visible leadership role with responsibility for operations management and hourly teams, as well as cross-functional oversight of support functions including Sanitation, Shipping, Maintenance, and Engineering.

What You’ll Do

• Lead day-to-day plant operations with a strong focus on safety, food quality, productivity, efficiency, and profitability.
• Drive continuous improvement in labor, yields, raw material utilization, waste, and operating costs.
• Ensure compliance with HACCP, CCPs, SSOPs, USDA, and company food safety requirements.
• Lead safety initiatives, including ergonomics, injury reduction, safety training, and the plant Safety Committee.
• Develop, coach, and lead a high-performing team; oversee hiring, training, performance management, and employee relations.
• Partner with HR and production leadership to build a strong workplace culture and develop future leaders.
• Maintain a productive relationship with UFCW Local 2 and ensure compliance with the collective bargaining agreement.
• Collaborate with vendors, suppliers, USDA, and corporate leadership to support plant goals and continuous improvement.

What You Bring

• Must have pork and slaughter experience.
• 10+ years of plant experience, including significant supervisory/management responsibility.
• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Animal Science, Business, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Proven leadership experience in a food manufacturing/meat processing environment.
• Strong understanding of food safety, USDA requirements, HACCP, safety, labor management, and plant financial performance.
• Experience leading teams in a union environment strongly preferred.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to work cross-functionally and drive accountability at all levels.

This is an opportunity to make a significant impact on plant performance, culture, and profitability while leading a team in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment.