Site Director, Dodge City

Hilmar; Dodge City (KS); On-site; USD 178,000 - 267,000; Full time

Job summary

Hilmar Cheese Company is seeking a Site Director to oversee the new Dodge City, KS site, ensuring safe, on-schedule production of cheese, ingredients, and warehouse operations. The role requires strong leadership, strategic planning, and advanced lean manufacturing expertise to sustain profitability and competitive advantage.

The position emphasizes cost control, continuous improvement, and cross-functional leadership to align operations with Hilmar's standards and community commitments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree plus 10 years related experience or Master’s degree plus 7 years related experience.
• Demonstrated leadership, critical thinking, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Advanced knowledge of lean manufacturing.
• Experience in project management leadership and strategic planning.

Responsibilities

• Oversee design and implementation of operational systems for the new site in Dodge City KS, including project and change management for commissioning, validation, startup and integration into Hilmar processes.
• Oversee production of all cheese, ingredients and warehouse operations, ensuring safety, quality and environmental standards.
• Set direction and develop personnel and systems to keep the manufacturing operation cost effective and competitive.
• Develop short- and long-term production goals and monitor cost and quality systems to protect margins.
• Foster continuous improvement and guide labor, waste, and cost reduction initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Critical thinking

Analytical skills

Lean manufacturing

Project management

Strategic planning

Financial/budgeting

Operations policy

Education

Bachelor’s degree +10 years experience

Master’s degree +7 years experience

Job description

At Hilmar Cheese Company we improve lives around the world through wholesome dairy products. Since our founding in 1984, Hilmar Cheese Company has been committed to innovation and sustainability. Our state-of-the art production facilities convert an abundance of locally sourced high-quality milk into a variety of nutritious cheeses, whey protein and lactose. The Cheese and Ingredients that we produce create a wide variety of retail and food service products from sliced and shredded cheeses, to protein supplements and infant formula. We are a trusted partner to premier food and beverage brands in more than fifty countries helping bring their vision into reality.

Throughout our decades of success and growth we have remained committed to our mission and values and these principles unite our people and guide all that we do.

A Typical Day

The Site Director oversees management of all designated areas of operations to assure products are manufactured safely on schedule and within quality standards and cost objectives, ensuring maintenance of the highest possible level of customer satisfaction. The site director fosters and exemplifies Hilmar Cheese Company values and develops the leadership pipeline to sustain the future of HCC.

Job Responsibilities

• Oversee design and implementation of operational systems of HCC’s new site in Dodge city KS, including project and change management related to the successful commissioning, validation and startup of the site and its incorporation into Hilmar Cheese Company business processes.
• Oversees the production of all cheese, ingredients and warehouse operations, ensuring employee safety, quality and environmental standards are met.
• Set direction and develop personnel and systems that will keep the manufacturing operation an industry leader in cost and quality.
• Develop the short-term and long-term goals for production needs and monitor the results of cost and quality systems to insure profit margins.
• Assist team members in the development of short-term and long-term planning, policies, programs and objectives.
• Foster a continuous improvement culture (labor reduction, waste reduction, cost reduction, Industry 4.0) guiding the organization in maintaining and improving it profitability and competitive position.
• Innovate new approaches to ensure increased efficiency, productivity, and process optimizing.
• Identify, evaluate and prioritize risks followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize or maximize the realization of opportunities.
• Direct and coordinate various programs essential to manufacturing processes in order to establish and maintain high customer and Company quality standards.
• Manage finances and controllable costs in multiple production departments.
• Develop relationships with outside organizations to establish beneficial agreements and contracts.
• Meet with community groups and other interested parties regarding Hilmar Cheese Company expansion plans and ongoing operations, working to gain community approval for operations.
• Ensure goals of all stakeholders are met.

What You Will Need

• Bachelor’s degree plus 10 years related experience, OR Master’s degree plus 7 years related experience.
• Able to demonstrate leadership, critical thinking, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated strong reasoning, analytical and problem solving skills.
• Advanced knowledge of lean manufacturing.
• Experience in project management leadership and strategic planning.
• Strategic knowledge of production operations management for quality, yield, and cost.
• Knowledge of financial and budgetary experience.
• Ability to formulate and implement operations policies and programs.

What Will Put You Ahead

• Master’s degree plus 8 years related experience.
• Green field experience
• Demonstrate keen attention to detail, initiative and proactivity.
• Ability to multitask and have great communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Bilingual
• Change management experience and/or certification (Prosci or similar)

Physical Demands & Work Environment

The work is primarily performed in an office environment and the physical demands are characteristic of a mostly sedentary role. Specific details of the essential functions of the position is available in the Job Safety Analysis, made available on request.

Food safety is a companywide responsibility and each employee must know their role in the manufacture and distribution of safe, wholesome, and high quality products.

This description is a general statement and does not include other duties as assigned.

Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer/EEO. We participate in E-Verify.

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Salary Range: USD ($177,737.00 - $266,606.00) ANN