Plant Manager

Mackie Myers; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 180,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Mackie Myers, in partnership with a contract dairy manufacturer, is seeking a Plant Manager for a large-scale facility in Madison, WI. You will lead all site operations across six production lines and three shifts, focusing on safety, food safety and quality, and operational excellence.

The ideal candidate has 7–8+ years of dairy manufacturing leadership, strong regulatory knowledge, and a track record of building high‑performing teams, improving throughput, and driving culture change.

Qualifications

• Direct dairy manufacturing experience required.
• 7–8+ years of progressively responsible manufacturing leadership.
• Experience leading high-volume, multi-shift operations with regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead site operations across six production lines and three shifts.
• Drive safety, food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance.
• Implement TPM, Lean, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop leaders and drive cultural transformation.
• Align plant priorities with executive leadership.

Skills

Dairy manufacturing

Leadership

Regulatory compliance

Operational excellence

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

ERP systems

WMS systems

Job description

Mackie Myers is partnering with a contract food manufacturer on a Plant Manager role.

About this Role

We are seeking an experienced Plant Manager to lead all operations for a large-scale dairy manufacturing facility in Madison, WI. This individual will have full responsibility for plant performance, with a focus on safety, food safety and quality, operational excellence, customer service, profitability, and team development. This is a senior site leadership role requiring a proven manufacturing leader with direct experience in dairy manufacturing. Candidates must understand the unique operational, quality, sanitation, and regulatory requirements associated with producing dairy products in a high-volume manufacturing environment. The facility operates across six production lines and three shifts in a 24/6 environment, with approximately 250 employees across the main production facility and two supporting warehouse locations. The Plant Manager will play a critical role in strengthening plant operations, developing a high-performing team, formalizing processes, and implementing systems that support long-term growth. The ideal candidate is a hands‑on, resourceful leader who is comfortable operating in an environment where processes and infrastructure are still evolving. This person must be able to identify problems, establish priorities, and drive meaningful improvements without relying on the extensive resources typically available within larger organizations. Strong leadership, communication, change management, and relationship‑building skills will be essential to success in this role.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior leader for the manufacturing site, overseeing day‑to‑day plant operations and overall performance across multiple shifts.
• Provide visible, hands‑on leadership throughout the facility and build strong relationships with employees at all levels of the organization.
• Ensure production goals, customer commitments, quality standards, and safety requirements are consistently achieved.
• Drive operational efficiency while maintaining compliance with food safety, quality, environmental, and regulatory standards.
• Evaluate existing plant processes and implement the structure, procedures, and operating standards needed to improve consistency and performance.
• Champion manufacturing best practices and process optimization to reduce waste, control costs, improve throughput, and increase production capacity.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across production, quality, maintenance, supply chain, warehousing, and other plant functions.
• Utilize Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Lean Manufacturing, and other continuous improvement methodologies to improve equipment reliability and overall plant performance.
• Foster a high‑performance culture centered around accountability, collaboration, safety, employee engagement, and continuous improvement.
• Lead cultural transformation and change management initiatives throughout the facility.
• Build and develop a strong plant leadership team while improving communication and collaboration across departments.
• Support the implementation and optimization of manufacturing technology and systems, including ERP, WMS, and related operational tools.
• Monitor plant KPIs and leverage operational data to identify opportunities, establish priorities, and drive decision‑making.
• Maintain a zero‑harm mindset by enforcing safety standards and promoting a proactive safety culture.
• Ensure compliance with applicable OSHA, EPA, GMP, HACCP, SQF, food safety, quality, and environmental requirements.
• Lead, coach, and develop managers and supervisors while driving succession planning, training, and performance management.
• Improve employee engagement, productivity, retention, and overall plant morale.
• Develop and execute long‑term operational strategies that support continued growth and scalability.
• Partner closely with executive leadership and cross‑functional teams to align plant priorities with broader business objectives.
• Oversee operations across the primary manufacturing facility and supporting warehouse locations.
• Maintain accurate production, inventory, safety, compliance, and employee performance documentation.
• Stay current on dairy and food manufacturing trends, technologies, and operational best practices.

Qualifications

• Direct dairy manufacturing experience is required. Candidates without dairy manufacturing experience will not be considered.
• 7-8+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, including experience at the Plant Manager, Site Leader, Director of Operations, Plant Director, or comparable level.
• Demonstrated experience leading operations within a high‑volume, regulated dairy manufacturing environment.
• Proven ability to successfully lead a complex, multi‑shift manufacturing operation.
• Experience operating effectively in a resource‑conscious environment, with the ability to build processes, solve problems, and drive results without extensive corporate infrastructure.
• Strong knowledge of dairy and food safety standards, GMPs, sanitation requirements, quality systems, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Strong leadership, organizational, communication, and problem‑solving skills.
• Demonstrated success developing teams, improving plant culture, and leading organizational change.
• Strong understanding of plant KPIs, cost management, labor productivity, waste reduction, equipment reliability, and operational efficiency.

Preferred Skills

• Strong Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) experience.
• Experience with HACCP and SQF programs and standards.
• Experience utilizing Lean Manufacturing and other continuous improvement methodologies.
• Bilingual English/Spanish strongly preferred, with the ability to build strong relationships across a diverse plant workforce.
• Experience with manufacturing systems including ERP and WMS platforms.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Manufacturing, Food Science, Engineering, Operations, or a related field is preferred but not required.

Pay range and compensation package

Base salary up to $200,000

Annual bonus opportunity up to 30%

Opportunity for continued professional growth and advancement within the organization