Plant Manager

Winland Foods, Inc.; Truesdell (WI); On-site; USD 113,000 - 198,000; 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 in Wisconsin seeks a Plant Manager to lead and coordinate all plant operations, driving safety, quality, and efficiency. You will coach teams, manage budgets, and advance continuous improvement initiatives across production, maintenance, and quality functions.

The role demands Lean leadership, strong people development, and the ability to deliver performance improvements while meeting regulatory and customer requirements. Travel between sites may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Operations Management or Engineering.
• 5+ years related experience in plant leadership.
• Lean/Continuous Improvement experience strongly desired.
• Travel to other sites may periodically be required.

Responsibilities

• Continually coach, direct and train employees utilizing Lean principles.
• Monitor employees' work performance and attitude and perform formal reviews.
• 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 to achieve 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 data to continuously improve productivity, uptime and reliability.
• Ensure compliance with plant, corporate procedures and govermental regulations.
• Coordinate activities with functions and suppliers for optimum production utilization.

Skills

Lean principles

Leadership

Safety culture

Continuous improvement

Employee engagement

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Operations Management or Engineering

Job description

The Plant Manager manages, directs and coordinates overall plant operations. Through subordinates, supervisors and managers, safety, continuous improvement, quality, cost, customer service, and production objectives are met or exceeded. Provides coaching and leadership to team members in the areas of safety, continuous improvement, productivity, quality, cost, equipment reliability, and employee engagement. 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: lower conversion cost year over year, asset reliability, successful retention of key certifications in food safety, quality and organics, reduced total recordable injury rates, improved yields, employee retention and turnover, case fill rate and on time delivery.

The Plant Manager is responsible for the Manufacturing Operating Budget. This position directly and indirectly manages employees. The plant employs non-union full-time employees and salaried personnel.

Employee Type: Full time Location: WI Kenosha Job Type: Production Operations Job Posting Title: Plant Manager

Schedule: Monday-Friday, with flexibility as needed 24/7 operations

Work Location: 6819 77th Avenue, Kenosha WI 53142

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
• and Critical Illness.

Salary, based on experience and other qualifications: $113,000 - $198,000 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.

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, or equivalent Manufacturing, Processing or Packaging industry with specific experience in food production 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 Travel to other sites may periodically be required

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?

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

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.

To All Recruitment Agencies

Winland Foods does not accept unsolicited agency resumes/CVs. Please do not forward resumes/CVs to Winland Foods employees, or any company location(s). Winland Foods is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/CVs.