Plant Manager - Food Manufacturing

TCH Resource & Recruitment, Inc.; Pennsylvania; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A food and beverage manufacturing company is seeking a Plant Manager to oversee operations at an aseptic facility. This role ensures the production of safe and compliant products while focusing on operational excellence and continuous improvement. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in the food and beverage sector, particularly in aseptic processing, along with strong leadership skills. This position offers a competitive salary and the opportunity to shape a performance-driven culture.

Qualifications

• 12–15 years of food and beverage manufacturing experience.
• 5–7 years of senior plant or operations leadership experience.
• Hands-on experience with aseptic products like coffees, teas, and juices.

Responsibilities

• Lead all plant operations ensuring compliance and efficiency.
• Drive continuous improvement in safety and quality.
• Manage P&L, budgets, and oversee capital projects.

Skills

Food safety regulations knowledge

Senior plant leadership

Aseptic processing expertise

Lean principles

Strong communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or Supply Chain

Job description

Plant Manager – Aseptic Food & Beverage Manufacturing

Summary

The Plant Manager leads all operations at an aseptic food and beverage manufacturing facility producing coffees, teas, juices, plant-based, acidified dairy, and nutritional products. This role is responsible for safe, compliant, high-quality, and cost-effective production while driving continuous improvement, operational excellence, and a strong performance culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all plant operations, ensuring safety, quality, regulatory compliance, and efficiency
• Provide technical leadership for UHT/HTST processing, aseptic filling, CIP/SIP, and contamination control
• Ensure compliance with FDA, FSMA, FSSC 22000, HACCP, and GMP requirements
• Serve as site lead for regulatory inspections, audits, and customer visits
• Drive continuous improvement in safety, quality, yield, OEE, and cost
• Lead and develop cross-functional teams across production, quality, engineering, maintenance, supply chain, and EHS
• Oversee process validation, aseptic qualifications, shelf-life studies, and new product launches
• Manage allergen control programs in a multi-product aseptic environment
• Own plant P&L, budgets, operating costs, and capital planning
• Lead capital projects, equipment upgrades, and technology implementations
• Champion a strong safety, food safety, and accountability-driven culture
• Partner with R&D, Quality, and Commercial teams to support growth initiatives

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or Supply Chain (Chemical Engineering preferred)
• 12–15 years of food and beverage manufacturing experience with deep aseptic processing expertise
• 5–7 years of senior plant or operations leadership experience
• Strong knowledge of food safety regulations and high-speed manufacturing
• Hands-on experience with coffees/teas, juice, plant-based, acidified dairy, or nutritional products

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in UHT, aseptic filling, hygienic design, and allergen control
• Experience with nutritional formulations
• Lean, Six Sigma, or TPM certification
• Proven change leadership, strong communication skills, and business acumen