Plant Manager

NPAworldwide; New Ulm (MN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

NPAworldwide seeks a Plant Manager to direct daily plant operations in Minnesota, balancing costs with safe, reliable customer demand. The role emphasizes safety, food safety, quality, and a strong teamwork culture.

You will own the capacity plan, align with Demand Planning and S&OP processes, and drive sustainability and continuous improvement across the site. This full-time role requires a technical bachelor's and 8+ years of leadership in manufacturing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical field such as engineering, chemistry, or food science.
• 8+ years in production/plant management leadership in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Proven ability to coach, mentor, and develop facility teams.
• GMP, production logistics, scheduling; APICS, Lean, or Six Sigma training is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead continuous improvement in safety and food safety culture at the site.
• Facilitate an agile, effective workforce through change management and training.
• Cultivate a high-performing, customer-focused team.
• Develop key individuals for succession planning.
• Maintain production to meet safety, quality standards and schedule.
• Own capacity planning and update plans with Demand Planning inputs.
• Ensure adherence to production schedules for customer commitments.
• Maintain KPI dashboards and drive improvement plans.
• Conduct regular employee evaluations and maintain a positive work environment.
• Lead operating and capital plans; drive sustainability initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Continuous Improvement

Safety & Food Safety

Change Management

Team Development

Production Scheduling

Education

Bachelors degree in a technical field

Job description

Job Description

The Plant Manager directs daily plant operations while maintaining a safe, professional, and positive work environment. They are expected to make the most effective use of available work force and equipment, ensuring an efficient and coordinated work effort among all personnel. This position will be challenged to balance costs versus what is necessary to safely and reliability meet customer demand.

• Lead continuous improvement in the safety and food safety culture throughout the local site. Maintain high standards of performance, ensure regulatory compliance, and facilitate corrective action and preventive action plans at the site. Establish and continually improve a procedures-based culture.
• Facilitate an agile, effective, and engaged work force through strong change management, communication, and training efforts.
• Cultivate a high performing team with a customer-focused mindset.
• Develop key individuals for succession planning and organizational development.
• Maintain production at desired level while adhering to strict safety, food safety, and quality standards.
• Own the plant capacity plan and continually update operating plans based on inputs from Demand Planning and the Sales and Operating Planning Process.
• Ensure adherence to the production schedule to meet sales and commercial commitments to customers.
• Maintain goal alignment between the plant, the manufacturing function, the business, and the corporation. Maintain key performance indicators and metrics scorecards to monitor performance against established goals. Continually review and ensure improvement plans are in place for all performance gaps.
• Conduct periodic informal & annual formal employee evaluations.
• Create & maintain a positive work environment where success is celebrated, along with communicating company policies and directives to employees.
• Develop and adhere to an annual operating & capital implementation plan.
• Lead and own sustainability including waste reduction and value enhancement initiatives for the site.
• Effectively utilize communicate with regional, corporate, and approved outside expertise to drive learning and continuous improvement into the plant organization.

Essential Functions

• Lead continuous improvement in the safety and food safety culture throughout the local site. Maintain high standards of performance, ensure regulatory compliance, and facilitate corrective action and preventive action plans at the site. Establish and continually improve a procedures-based culture.
• Facilitate an agile, effective, and engaged work force through strong change management, communication, and training efforts.
• Cultivate a high performing team with a customer-focused mindset.
• Develop key individuals for succession planning and organizational development.
• Maintain production at desired level while adhering to strict safety, food safety, and quality standards.
• Own the plant capacity plan and continually update operating plans based on inputs from Demand Planning and the Sales and Operating Planning Process.
• Ensure adherence to the production schedule to meet sales and commercial commitments to customers.
• Maintain goal alignment between the plant, the manufacturing function, the business, and the corporation. Maintain key performance indicators and metrics scorecards to monitor performance against established goals. Continually review and ensure improvement plans are in place for all performance gaps.
• Conduct periodic informal & annual formal employee evaluations.
• Create & maintain a positive work environment where success is celebrated, along with communicating company policies and directives to employees.
• Develop and adhere to an annual operating & capital implementation plan.
• Lead and own sustainability including waste reduction and value enhancement initiatives for the site.
• Effectively utilize communicate with regional, corporate, and approved outside expertise to drive learning and continuous improvement into the plant organization.

Qualifications

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelors degree from an accredited college or university in a technical field of study such as engineering, chemistry, food manufacturing, microbiology/food science or a closely related field.
• 8 + years Production / Plant Management Leadership; experience in a fast paced manufacturing environment is highly recommended.
• Ability to Facilitate & Lead in a Team Environment. Demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, develop and train a strong facility team. Demonstrated strong execution capacity. Ability to create sustained change to more effective systems.
• Production logistics & scheduling, GMP systems. APICS, Lean, or Six Sigma training is a plus.US citizen or permanent resident

Why Is This a Great Opportunity

Why we're a great company

Great visibility and opportunity to make a difference while working with a great team. 17 Manufacturing sites in the US, so opportunity for growth.