Plant Manager

Beecher's Handmade Cheese; Town of Shullsburg (WI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese is opening a new plant in Shullsburg, Wisconsin and seeks a Plant Manager to build it from the ground up. You’ll lead production, maintenance, quality, and warehousing, guiding a ~30-person team on the floor with a strong emphasis on safety and quality.

This leadership role requires hands-on management, integrity, and a builder mindset to establish scalable systems, drive cost control, and implement data-driven improvements across the facility.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of manufacturing leadership experience (dairy or food strongly preferred).
• Experience building, launching, or scaling operations.
• Hands-on leader who enjoys the production floor.
• High integrity and doing the right thing under pressure.
• Strong commitment to product quality and consistency.
• Builder mindset with systems thinking.
• Comfortable using data and tools to improve operations and decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Lead all plant operations including production, maintenance, quality, and warehouse for ~30 staff.
• Build and lead a high-performing team with a strong safety culture.
• Drive daily execution with urgency, accountability, and discipline.
• Ensure food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance (OSHA, FDA, PMO, BRC, GMP).
• Manage plant performance: labor, budget, materials, and costs.
• Establish systems blending craftsmanship with data-driven decisions.
• Develop leaders through coaching and clear expectations.
• Oversee vendors and service providers.
• Maintain communication across plant operations and corporate teams.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, efficiency, and consistency.
• Foster a culture of ownership, integrity, and pride.

Skills

Manufacturing leadership

On-floor presence

Data-driven decisions

Safety focus

Team building

Job description

At Beecher’s Handmade Cheese, we believe great cheese comes from great ingredients, skilled craftsmanship, and doing things the right way. For over 20 years, we have been making award-winning cheeses in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, building our reputation through traditional, artisanal methods, making no compromises on our high bar for deliciousness and quality.

We’re excited to be opening a new cheese facility in Shullsburg, Wisconsin and are looking for a Plant Manager to help build it.

This isn’t a typical Plant Manager role. You’ll help start up a new plant from the ground up, building the team, setting the standard, and shaping how the operation runs day to day. We’re looking for someone grounded in dairy manufacturing who enjoys being on the floor, solving problems, developing people, and building the systems that will define how Beecher’s operates in this facility.

Open to relocation, with support available.

What You’ll Do

• Lead all plant operations including production, maintenance, quality, and warehouse, supporting a team of approximately 30 employees to start
• Build and lead a high-performing team while maintaining a safe work environment and clear accountability for safety
• Drive daily execution with urgency, accountability, and strong operational discipline
• Ensure strong food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance (OSHA, FDA, PMO, BRC, GMP, and dairy regulations)
• Manage plant performance, including labor, site budget, materials, and cost control
• Establish systems that combine craftsmanship with practical, data-driven decision making
• Develop leader through training, coaching, and clear expectations
• Oversee key vendors and service providers
• Maintain strong communication across plant operations and corporate teams
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, efficiency, and consistency
• Build a culture of ownership, integrity, and pride in the work

Who You Are

• 8+ years of manufacturing leadership experience (dairy or food strongly preferred)
• Experience building, launching, or scaling operations
• A hands‑on leader who enjoys being on the production floor
• High integrity, you do the right thing even when it's hard
• Strong commitment to product quality and consistency
• Builder mindset, you’re comfortable creating systems, not just maintaining them
• Comfortable using data and tools to improve operations and decision-making

About Sugar Mountain

Sugar Mountain is a creative, family-owned food company that is home to extraordinary brands like Beecher’s Handmade Cheese, Mishima Reserve, and The Butcher’s Table. We’re passionate about making real food with absolutely zero artificial ingredients. We’re a team at the forefront of the food revolution, committed to our mission to Change the Way America Eats. For 9 years now, we’ve been recognized as a Great Place to Work, and we’re proud of the value-driven, mission-forward culture that fuels our growth.

The starting salary range for this position is between $120,000 - $140,000 per year, plus an annual bonus plan. Actual compensation will be determined by skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

We offer medical, dental, vision and life insurance premiums, along with 15 days paid time-off, 9 paid holidays, and a 401(k) plan with a company match.

Commitment to Our Communities

Sugar Mountain has created the Beecher's Foundation, a non-profit funded by a portion of sales from companies under the Sugar Mountain umbrella. Aimed at educating people about the prevalence of food additives and their possible health risks, the Foundation is about giving people the tools they need to make healthy eating choices for life.

We are committed to fostering a workplace where individuals of all cultures, genders, ages, sexual orientations, and abilities feel valued, respected, and empowered. Our goal is to build a team that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve and creates an environment where everyone belongs.