Plant Manager

Northern Gold Foods; Junction City (OR); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food manufacturing company is seeking a seasoned Plant Manager for their flagship facility in Eugene, OR. This senior role includes full accountability for performance in a 24/7 operation with around 300 employees. Responsibilities include driving operational excellence, managing food safety and quality compliance, and developing a high-performing team. Candidates should have over 10 years of experience in food manufacturing operations and a proven track record in driving measurable improvements. This position offers significant visibility and impact on plant operations.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in food manufacturing operations.
• Significant experience leading a large manufacturing facility.
• Strong understanding of plant systems and production management.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations of a large manufacturing facility.
• Drive accountability against plant KPIs.
• Lead continuous improvement efforts for operational efficiency.

Skills

Leadership in food manufacturing operations

Operational improvement

Problem-solving methodologies

Food safety and quality systems

Data-driven performance management

Job description

Location: Eugene, OR Reports to: VP of Supply Chain / Operations

The Opportunity

We are seeking a seasoned Plant Manager to lead our flagship food manufacturing facility in Eugene, OR, where we produce Protein Bars, Energy Bars, Granolas, and other snack products. This is a senior leadership role with full accountability for performance in a large, modern 24/7 facility with approximately 300 employees.

This leader will play a critical role in driving operational results, strengthening food safety and quality culture, and developing a high-performing team in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. The role is highly visible and offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on plant performance, team capability, and the long-term success of the business.

Who You Are

You bring a strong floor presence, disciplined management systems, and a proven ability to translate strategy into execution. You are a hands-on leader who can manage the urgency of day-to-day operations while building the systems, capabilities, and culture required for sustained improvement.

You are hands-on, practical, intellectually honest, and open-minded. You seek the best answers rather than ownership of ideas. You proactively gather input from operators, support functions, peers, and customers, and you are willing to change course when a better or more impactful solution becomes clear.

Deep experience in our specific product categories is not required. What matters most is demonstrated success leading complex food manufacturing operations and delivering measurable, sustainable results through people.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide full leadership for day-to-day operations of a large, growing 24/7 manufacturing facility.
• Own plant performance across key operating metrics, including schedule attainment, labor utilization, throughput, yield, waste, uptime, and overall operating results.
• Align plant teams around clear priorities, high standards, and disciplined execution in support of company and customer requirements.
• Establish, monitor, and drive accountability against plant KPIs, ensuring action plans are in place to improve results.
• Lead continuous improvement efforts focused on efficiency, operating discipline, changeovers, waste reduction, and equipment performance.
• Use data, standard work, and floor-based observation to identify bottlenecks, losses, and root causes.
• Escalate significant risks appropriately while independently leading resolution of day-to-day operational issues.

Food Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Lead the plant's execution of food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Partner closely with Quality to build and sustain a strong site-wide food safety culture.
• Ensure disciplined execution of GMPs, sanitation, HACCP programs, and audit readiness, including customer, regulatory, and certification audits.
• Maintain compliance with all regulatory and customer standards, including FDA, BRC, AIB, and organic requirements as applicable.

Maintenance & Engineering

• Partner with Maintenance and Engineering to improve equipment reliability, reduce unplanned downtime, and strengthen preventive maintenance practices.
• Support capital planning and the successful installation, startup, and stabilization of new or upgraded equipment.
• Help ensure plant resources, equipment capability, and operating practices support current production needs and future growth.
• Lead, coach, and develop supervisors, managers, and frontline leaders to strengthen performance, accountability, and bench strength across a workforce of approximately 300 employees.
• Foster a culture of ownership, urgency, teamwork, and professionalism while maintaining high standards for communication and execution.
• Partner with Human Resources and site leadership to support effective staffing, employee development, and organizational stability.
• Build an environment where strong ideas can come from anywhere, candid input is valued, and teams are expected to adapt quickly when better solutions emerge.

Cross-Functional Alignment

• Partner with Supply Chain, Planning, Procurement, and Logistics to align production execution with material availability and customer commitments.
• Support successful commercialization, new product launches, and process changes through disciplined plant readiness and execution.
• Drive strong shift-to-shift and cross-functional communication to ensure alignment across departments and priorities.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in food manufacturing operations.
• Significant experience leading a large manufacturing facility, or a major portion of one.
• Proven track record of driving measurable operational improvement in throughput, efficiency, productivity, and cost.
• Strong understanding of plant systems, production management, and food manufacturing operations.
• Demonstrated ability to lead effectively in a fast-paced environment with multiple priorities and operational complexity.
• Experience using structured problem-solving and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Deep understanding of workplace safety, food safety, quality systems, and regulatory compliance.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to set expectations, hold teams accountable, and build trust at all levels of the organization.
• High comfort using metrics and data to manage performance and drive action.