Production Leader: Food Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

AMERICAN POP CORN COMPANY CORP; Leeds (IA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free health insurance

401(k) matching

6 paid holidays

PTO

Annual bonus opportunity

Referral program

Job summary

American Pop Corn Company seeks a Production Manager to lead a team of supervisors and drive safety, quality, and continuous improvement across manufacturing operations. This role provides strategic and hands‑on leadership for Production, Maintenance, Sanitation, and Mixing, aligning with Quality and regulatory standards to meet daily and long‑term objectives.

You will set expectations, coach department heads, manage staffing and workflow, analyze data for cost savings, and champion Lean/Six

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing or related field preferred.
• Minimum 7 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience required.
• Food or regulated manufacturing experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide plant leadership and direction for plant operations.
• Establish clear expectations, priorities, and performance standards across all plant departments.
• Coach and develop department leaders (Production, Maintenance, Sanitation, Mixing).
• Lead safety culture and continuous improvement across the plant.
• Oversee production activities to ensure efficient, safe, and cost-effective operations.
• Ensure schedules meet quality targets while minimizing waste and downtime.
• Lead Lean/Six Sigma initiatives and drive cost savings and efficiency.
• Collaborate with Facilities for capital improvements and equipment upgrades.

Skills

Manufacturing leadership

Strategic thinking

Continuous improvement

ERP/MRP experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/OPS

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Job description

American Pop Corn Company seeks a Production Manager to lead a team of supervisors and drive safety, quality, and continuous improvement across manufacturing operations. This role provides strategic and hands‑on leadership for Production, Maintenance, Sanitation, and Mixing, aligning with Quality and regulatory standards to meet daily and long‑term objectives.

You will set expectations, coach department heads, manage staffing and workflow, analyze data for cost savings, and champion Lean/Six