Production Manager - Cheddar, Whey, Intake

Agropur Cooperative; Northern (KY); On-site; USD 103,000 - 128,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

Life Insurance

Short/Long‑term Disability Insurance

401(k) with 7% company contributions

3 weeks Paid Time Off

Paid holidays and 2 floating holidays

Paid parental leave

Advancement opportunities

Job summary

Agropur Cooperative is seeking a Production Manager for Cheddar, Whey, and Intake to lead high‑volume production in a core plant. You will drive safety, quality, and cost performance while building high‑performing teams and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

You will champion Lean initiatives, standardize SOPs, and collaborate with Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and R&D to ensure alignment with plant goals and regulatory standards.

Qualifications

• Must have 10+ years of manufacturing operations experience (food/dairy preferred).
• 5+ years in leadership roles managing teams in production environments.
• Strong knowledge of GMPs, food safety, and production systems.
• Proven ability to lead transformation and cost management efforts.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end cheddar production operations in a high-volume plant.
• Drive safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity (SQDCP) performance.
• Champion Lean and continuous improvement initiatives and standardize SOPs.
• Coach and develop teams, ensuring accountability and engagement.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and R&D.
• Support audits and lead root-cause problem solving.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic leadership

Communication

Stakeholder management

Continuous improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree in food science, engineering, operations, or related field

Job description

## Production Manager - Cheddar, Whey, IntakePostuler: USA Wisconsin Weyauwega: Temps plein: Publié aujourd'hui: JR34418## Type d'emploi:PermanentPeople are at the heart of our success. Our culture encourages collaboration, transparency, and accountability in order to generate value and achieve sustainable results. Being part of the team means committing to an environment where everyone’s impact truly matters.*At Agropur, transformation happens on the ground and is driven by people at all levels of the organization.***A context to contribute to transformation:*** Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Short and Long-term Disability Insurance* 401(k) with 7% company contributions* 3 weeks Paid Time Off* Paid holidays and 2 floating holidays* Paid parental leave* Advancement Opportunities* Salary range 006: $102,600 - $128,300 (Salary will be determined based on skills, education, training & experience related to the position)**Your role in evolving how we work:**The Production Manager – Cheddar, Whey, Intake leads and oversees all aspects of production in a high-volume manufacturing environment. This role drives operational performance across safety, quality, cost, and delivery, while building high-performing teams and fostering a strong culture of continuous improvement and accountability. As a key member of the plant leadership team, this position plays a critical role in executing business objectives through process optimization, operational excellence, and cross-functional collaboration. * Lead end-to-end cheddar production operations, ensuring alignment with plant and business performance objectives* Drive operational performance across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Productivity (SQDCP) metrics* Champion continuous improvement, leading Lean and operational excellence initiatives to enhance performance* Manage departmental budgets and drive cost control and operational efficiency* Ensure full compliance with food safety, quality, and regulatory standards* Optimize production processes to improve yield, consistency, and throughput* Standardize best practices and SOPs across production areas to ensure consistency and efficiency* Lead, coach, and develop teams, fostering a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement* Collaborate cross-functionally (Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, R&D) to drive alignment, support product initiatives, and resolve issues* Support audits and lead problem-solving efforts, using root cause analysis to drive sustainable solutions**The profile that will contribute to change:*** Bachelor’s degree in food science, Engineering, Operations, or related field (*preferred*)* 10+ years of experience in manufacturing operations (food/dairy strongly preferred)* 5+ years in leadership roles, managing teams in a production environment* Strong experience in high-volume, continuous manufacturing operations* Strategic leadership with strong operational execution* Deep knowledge of food safety, GMPs, and production systems* Proven ability to lead transformation and continuous improvement initiatives* Strong business acumen with experience managing costs and performance* Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills* Ability to lead in complex, fast-paced manufacturing environments**A role where your involvement fuels people-driven transformation.**