Plant Manager

Winland Foods, Inc.; North East (Erie County); On-site; USD 165,000 - 238,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

401(k) with match

STD/LTD/AD&D/Life

HSA

FSA

EAP

Hospital indemnity

Accident Insurance

Identity and Fraud Protection Plan

Legal

Critical Illness

Job summary

Winland Foods is seeking a Plant Manager to lead and optimize all plant operations in the North East region. The role emphasizes Lean coaching, safety culture, and building strong engagement across salaried and non-union staff at 1st shift with overtime as needed.

The ideal candidate holds a Bachelor’s in Operations Management or Engineering with 5+ years in progressive plant leadership, preferably in food manufacturing, and a track record of achieving cost, quality and safety goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Operations Management or Engineering and five years related experience in progressively expanding roles, including in a Senior Plant Leadership role.
• Experience in Food Manufacturing, Processing or Packaging industry preferred.
• Lean/Continuous Improvement experience strongly desired.
• Results-driven with a strong desire to grow and learn in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated track record of meeting or exceeding targets goals.
• Minimum 5-8 years manufacturing experience preferred in plant leadership.

Responsibilities

• Continually coach, direct and train employees utilizing Lean principles.
• Monitor employees' work performance and attitude and perform formal reviews as required by policy.
• Coach and counsel employees about work-related issues and assist employees to correct job skill deficiencies.
• Ensure adherence to all health and safety policies/protocols and promote a safety culture.
• Lead the development, execution and monitoring of the operations strategy in line with the overall operational objectives to achieve performance, quality, and safety improvement and ensure achievement of manufacturing goals.
• Lead the continuous improvement program to deliver opportunities in cost, quality, food safety and service.
• Drive the development and execution of operational and capital budgets.
• Utilize available data including OEE, line speed target, and efficiency and process data to continuously improve productivity, uptime and reliability.
• Ensure all plant personnel are operating in compliance with plant and corporate procedures as well as in compliance with all customer and governmental regulations.
• Coordinates manufacturing activities with all other functions of the organization and suppliers to obtain optimum production and utilization of human resources, machines and equipment.
• Conduct regular meetings with plant personnel to ensure operational issues are being communicated and addressed expediently with a common understanding of goals.
• Drive employee engagement, training and development to maximize safety, quality, and productivity.

Skills

Leadership

Lean principles

Team coaching

Safety culture

Continuous improvement

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Operations Management or Engineering

Job description

The Plant Manager manages, directs and coordinates overall plant operations and budget while providing coaching and leadership to team members in the areas of employee engagement, human and food safety, continuous improvement, productivity, quality, cost, and equipment reliability. Success relies on the ability to build relationships and fully engage all employees in business improvement. Performance will be managed by the following critical metrics: successful retention of key certifications in food safety, quality and organics, reduced total recordable injury rates, employee retention and turnover, asset reliability, improved yields, case fill rate and on time delivery, which should deliver lower conversion cost year over year. This position manages non-union full-time employees and salaried personnel.

Job Title

Plant Manager

Employee Type

Full time

Location

PA North East

Job Type

Production Operations

Schedule

1st Shift, Monday-Friday with overtime as applicable

Work Location

11160 Parkway Dr, North East, PA 16428

Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• 401(k) with match
• STD/LTD/AD&D/Life
• HSA
• FSA
• EAP
• Hospital indemnity
• Accident Insurance
• Identity and Fraud Protection Plan
• Legal
• Critical Illness

Salary

$136,000 - $238,000 annually with additional bonus potential

Roles & Responsibilities

• Continually coach, direct and train employees utilizing Lean principles.
• Monitor employees' work performance and attitude and perform formal reviews as required by policy.
• Coach and counsel employees about work-related issues and assist employees to correct job skill deficiencies.
• Ensure adherence to all health and safety policies/protocols and promote a safety culture.
• Lead the development, execution and monitoring of the operations strategy in line with the overall operational objectives to achieve performance, quality, and safety improvement and ensure achievement of manufacturing goals.
• Lead the continuous improvement program to deliver opportunities in cost, quality, food safety and service.
• Drive the development and execution of operational and capital budgets.
• Utilize available data including Operational Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), line speed target, and efficiency and process data to continuously improve productivity, uptime and reliability.
• Ensure all plant personnel are operating in compliance with plant and corporate procedures as well as in compliance with all customer and governmental regulations.
• Coordinates manufacturing activities with all other functions of the organization and suppliers to obtain optimum production and utilization of human resources, machines and equipment.
• Conduct regular meetings with plant personnel to ensure operational issues are being communicated and addressed expediently with a common understanding of goals.
• Drive employee engagement, training and development to maximize safety, quality, and productivity.
• The duties and responsibilities described are not a comprehensive list of all tasks. Additional tasks and duties may be assigned from time to time as necessitated by business needs.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Operations Management or Engineering and five years related experience in progressively expanding roles, including in a Senior Plant Leadership role.
• Experience in Food Manufacturing, Processing or Packaging industry preferred.
• Lean/Continuous Improvement experience strongly desired.
• Results-driven with a strong desire to grow and learn in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated track record of meeting or exceeding targets goals.
• Minimum 5-8 years manufacturing experience preferred in plant leadership.

Physical Activity / Working Conditions

Work is performed in various locations inside and outside the Plant. Work involves exposure to temperature extremes, high noise levels, wetness, heights, dust, moving equipment, vibrations and vapors. Equipment used includes various pumps, valves, piping, hose, tanks, machinery, computers and associated software, control panel, forklifts, hand tools, copy machine, label makers and any equipment identified in the role. Personal protective equipment includes, but is not limited to safety glasses, slip resistant shoes and hearing protection. Employees must comply with all safety policies and safe work procedures established by the company. Job tasks may also involve: Lifting to 50 pounds. Frequent carrying, reaching, bending, crawling, standing and repetitive motion, and working at heights. Employees will be expected to attend safety and GMP training, serve on the facility safety committee if requested and participate in hazard analysis and resolution. Travel to other sites may periodically be required.

Company policy note

We cannot identify all the skills a position may require since job responsibilities and the Company’s needs may change over time. Therefore, the above job description is not comprehensive or exhaustive. The Company reserves the right to adjust, add to or eliminate any aspect of the above description. The Company also retains the right to require all employees to undertake additional or different job responsibilities when necessary to meet business need.

EEO Statement

Winland Foods seeks to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool, and as a global company we believe our success is enhanced by fostering equity and inclusion in the workplace. Therefore, Winland Foods is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military or veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

About Us

At Winland Foods, we're passionate about creating exceptional food experiences that bring people together. We are a dynamic and growing company specializing in meal preparation products—from pasta and sauces to plant-based proteins and more. Our portfolio includes beloved consumer brands and custom private-label solutions for retail and foodservice channels.

Why Work With Us?

We believe in being exceptional from the land to the table. That means: Commitment to Quality: We consistently exceed industry standards across our value chain. Sustainability & Responsibility: We prioritize environmental stewardship and make a positive impact on the world around us. People First: The safety, well-being, and growth of our employees are at the heart of everything we do.

Our Culture

We're a team of food enthusiasts who value collaboration, innovation, and integrity. At Winland Foods, you'll find an environment where your ideas matter, your contributions are recognized, and your career can thrive.

Explore Opportunities

At Winland Foods, you'll find opportunities across operations, supply chain, marketing, and product development-roles where your work truly makes an impact. By joining our team, you become part of a forward-thinking organization that values passion, collaboration, and shared success with our customers. Together, we're shaping the future of food.