Senior Food Plant Production Leader

Lakeside Foods, Inc.; Owatonna (MN); On-site; USD 82,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vision coverage

Health savings account with employer

401(k) match

Company-provided life insurance

Generous paid time off

Job summary

Lakeside Foods in Minnesota's Owatonna facility seeks a Production Manager to lead daily operations, drive safety, quality, and productivity, and guide a team through continuous improvement initiatives.

Reporting to the General Manager, the role focuses on aligning plant goals with food-safety standards, regulatory compliance, and cost-effective manufacturing while developing supervisors and production staff.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Bachelor's degree in a related field preferred.
• Five or more years of manufacturing, production, or related operational leadership experience required.
• Three to five years of direct supervisory experience preferred.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to coach, develop, and motivate teams.
• Experience leading continuous improvement initiatives and driving operational results.
• Working knowledge of food manufacturing operations, food safety programs, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills with the ability to interpret production data and identify improvement opportunities.
• Proficiency with computers, business software applications, and production reporting systems.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, organizational, and decision-making skills.
• OSHA 10/30-Hour Certification preferred or willingness to obtain through company-sponsored training.
• HACCP Certification preferred; must be willing to obtain and maintain certification.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily production operations through Production Supervisors to achieve safety, quality, productivity, and operational goals.
• Provide leadership, coaching, development, and direction to Production Supervisors and production personnel.
• Participate in plant leadership team for policies, processes, strategies, and business objectives.
• Participate in management meetings and contribute to plant-wide operational initiatives and solutions.
• Monitor departmental performance and provide insights on results, trends, and progress toward goals.
• Manage employee performance, coaching, development, and accountability per policies and regulations.
• Ensure employee time records are completed accurately for production reporting.
• Identify inefficiencies and implement corrective actions to improve productivity and performance.
• Analyze production processes and data to identify trends, reduce waste, and drive improvements.
• Use production systems and reporting tools to monitor performance and implement improvements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams for operational alignment and project execution.
• Oversee HACCP, Preventive Controls, food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance programs.
• Participate on HACCP and Food Safety teams and support recalls.
• Ensure compliance with policies, GMPs, SOPs, SSOPs, food safety standards, and regulations.
• Ensure teams are trained and equipped to perform roles safely.
• Maintain focus on workplace safety, OSHA compliance, hazard communication, and chemical safety.
• Coordinate equipment maintenance with plant teams for safe operations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Communication

Problem-solving

Organizational

Decision-making

Analytical

Education

High school diploma or GED

Bachelor's degree preferred

Job description

Lakeside Foods in Minnesota's Owatonna facility seeks a Production Manager to lead daily operations, drive safety, quality, and productivity, and guide a team through continuous improvement initiatives.

Reporting to the General Manager, the role focuses on aligning plant goals with food-safety standards, regulatory compliance, and cost-effective manufacturing while developing supervisors and production staff.