Production Leadership

FrieslandCampina; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 195,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental & Vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Vacation & holidays

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Job summary

FrieslandCampina in Darlington, Wisconsin, seeks a Production Leader to guide a multi-shift operation. You’ll coach frontline teams, collaborate with Maintenance, Quality, Engineering and Supply Chain, and drive safety, quality and continuous improvement across the site.

The role focuses on developing people, building engagement, and delivering reliable performance. We value leaders who coach before they criticize, lead by example, and stay calm under pressure while achieving operational goals

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in food, dairy, beverage, ingredient, or other manufacturing environments.
• Experience leading teams in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.
• A passion for developing people and building engaged teams.
• Commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Multi-shift leadership experience and strategic operations experience for senior leadership opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coach production employees and frontline leaders to build a high-performing team.
• Partner with Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, Supply Chain, and other departments to achieve shared goals.
• Monitor production performance, quality, downtime, yields, and efficiency to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that improve safety, productivity, quality, and employee engagement.
• Support production planning, staffing, scheduling, and operational priorities.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

People development

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Operations/Manufacturing/Food Science/Business

Job description

Production Leadership Darlington Wisconsin (US) Supply Chain & Logistics 40+

Build a Career with a Global Leader in Dairy

The best production leaders know this job isn't really about machines.

It's about people.

It's about helping someone grow into their first leadership role, coaching a team through a tough day, celebrating a production win together, and creating an environment where people feel supported, challenged, and proud of the work they do.

At FrieslandCampina , we're looking for leaders who believe that strong relationships drive strong results. Leaders who aren't afraid to roll up their sleeves, jump in to support the team, and build a culture where safety, quality, and continuous improvement come naturally.

If you're passionate about developing people just as much as improving processes, we'd love to meet you.

What You'll Be Doing

No two days in Production Leadership are exactly the same and honestly, that's one of the best parts of the job.

One day you might be coaching an employee who's ready for their next opportunity.

The next, you could be partnering with Maintenance to improve equipment reliability, working with Quality to solve a production challenge, reviewing performance metrics, or helping your team navigate an unexpected issue.

Every day brings new opportunities to lead, support your team, and make the operation better than it was yesterday.

Your day may include

• Helping create an environment where safety is always the first priority and people enjoy coming to work and feel proud of what they accomplish together.
• Leading, coaching, and developing production employees and frontline leaders to build a high-performing team.
• Partnering with Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, Supply Chain, Warehouse, and other departments to achieve shared goals.

Monitoring production performance, quality, downtime, yields, and efficiency to identify opportunities for improvement.

• Driving continuous improvement initiatives that improve safety, productivity, quality, and employee engagement.
• Supporting production planning, staffing, scheduling, and operational priorities.

Responsibilities may also include strategic planning, budgeting, capital projects, asset reliability, succession planning, and overall site performance.

Who We're Looking For

We're not just looking for someone who's managed people. We're looking for someone who enjoys leading people.

Someone who builds relationships before giving direction. Someone who understands that accountability and empathy aren't opposites, they go hand in hand.

What you bring

Leadership experience in food, dairy, beverage, ingredient, or other manufacturing environments.

Experience leading teams in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.

• A passion for developing people and building engaged teams.

Commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement.

It’d be even better if you have

Experience in dairy, cheese, whey, or food manufacturing.

Experience leading continuous improvement, Lean, or operational excellence initiatives.

Knowledge of GMPs, HACCP, food safety, OSHA, and manufacturing best practices.

Experience using production metrics to improve performance and decision-making.

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, Food Science, Business, or a related field.

Multi-shift leadership experience and strategic operations experience for senior leadership opportunities.

Who Thrives Here?

The leaders who are most successful at FrieslandCampina aren't the loudest people in the room. They're the ones people naturally want to follow. They:

Lead by example.

Stay calm when things don't go according to plan.

Coach before they criticize.

• Celebrate wins and learn from setbacks.
• Hold themselves to the same standards they expect from others.

Believe their team's success is the best measure of their own success.

Keep Growing

Whether your goal is becoming a Plant Manager, expanding your operational leadership experience, or continuing to develop high-performing teams, we'll provide opportunities to strengthen your leadership skills and make a lasting impact.

What do we offer?

$65,000-$195,000 annually based on your experience and education

Medical (through Anthem), Dental & Vision Insurance starting after 30 days

401(k) with up to 4% Company Match

23 Paid Vacation days annually & 13 paid Holidays

Company-paid Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Our Values

Everything we do comes back to three simple values.

We Act With Respect

We build trust by treating one another with integrity, professionalism, and respect.

We Aim Higher

We challenge ourselves to improve every process, every shift, and every day.

We Succeed Together

We believe our greatest accomplishments happen when we support one another and work toward a common goal.

We'll provide the opportunity to turn that into a career you'll be proud of.

For thousands of people every day, we are more than just a dairy company. To our farmers, our employees, the communities we serve, the businesses we work with, and the people we bring happiness to, FrieslandCampina means something more. For them, it's not just about what we do, but who we are.

We value talented people from any background who want to contribute to something bigger than themselves. We encourage all of our employees to make decisions that benefit our entire company. At FrieslandCampina, we own our own careers and act accordingly. We trust you to make a difference in your job and influence the bigger picture. Working at FrieslandCampina means you are contributing to a better world.

We’re more than a company—we’re a global cooperative, owned by over 14,000 dairy farmers who believe in sustainable, responsible nutrition. At FrieslandCampina Ingredients, we’re united by a shared mission to nourish people’s potential—naturally.

Here, you’ll:

• Join a team that values diversity, curiosity, and collaboration.
• Work in a dynamic, science-driven culture with a focus on growth and innovation.
• Be empowered to pursue your own growth, both personally and professionally.

We Value Every Voice

FrieslandCampina Ingredients North America, Inc. is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace for all.

Why work with us:

An inspiring purpose

Better nutrition for the world and a good living for our farmers, now and for generations to come.

A cooperative culture

Driven by global collaboration, respect, and shared success

Space to aim higher, with autonomy and a clear focus

Your growth fuels ours

We invest in your personal and professional development through training and education.

Do you have any questions?