Site Initiative Execution Leader (SIEL)

Danone North America, LLC; Mount Crawford (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Danone North America, LLC seeks a Site Initiative Execution Leader (SIEL) in Mount Crawford, VA to own the Site Initiatives Master Plan and drive major process improvements across manufacturing Operations. The role collaborates with R&I, Quality, Finance and C&P to ensure safe, on-time product and packaging innovations and scalable launches.

You will lead governance, cost and performance analyses, and ensure readiness for initiatives from concept through first production, while delivering strong

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, or Supply Chain required.
• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing, operations, supply chain, or project execution roles required.
• Experience leading site initiatives or manufacturing innovation preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own and maintain the Site Initiatives Master Plan (IMP) aligning with plant priorities and capacity.
• Lead integrated master planning for site resource planning and initiative execution.
• Ensure accurate prefeasibility/feasibility assessments during project definition with PQCDSM focus.
• Lead execution of product and packaging innovations at the site, including vertical startups.
• Own factory readiness for initiatives including master data, materials, planning, and production.
• Own and validate factory initiative COGS assumptions and financial impacts.
• Mitigate SQCDMN risks at the site for all initiatives.
• Partner with factory and project teams to ensure strong quality of execution and SQCDMN metrics.
• Own InnoPro Gate deliverables for the factory scope of initiatives.
• Ensure initiatives meet safety, quality, delivery, cost, and sustainability objectives.
• Serve as site SPOC for innovation, renovation, productivity, and sourcing projects.
• Provide factory technical and industrial feasibility leadership from concept to execution.
• Oversee resource planning and governance, including CAPEX/OPEX assessment and stagegate execution.
• Lead execution of innovation, productivity, and quality projects with cross-functional resources.
• Drive testing, validation, and launch excellence with reporting to project teams.
• Lead postlaunch reviews and continuous improvement opportunities.

Skills

Manufacturing experience

Supply chain integration

Project governance

Stagegate processes

Initiative execution

SQCDMN risk management

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, or Supply Chain

Advanced degree or PM/Operations/Supply Chain cert

Job description

Site Initiative Execution Leader (SIEL)

At Danone, Manufacturing the best products and supplying them to meet demand is a key driver for our plant teams. We are currently looking to hire a Site Initiative Execution Leader (SIEL) based in Mount Crawford, VA!

Job Details

ID: 2026-28008

Number of People to Hire: 1

Job Family: Manufacturing

Level of Experience: Experienced Professionals

Key Responsibilities

• Own and maintain the Site Initiatives Master Plan (IMP), ensuring alignment with plant priorities and resource capacity
• Lead integrated master planning to enable effective site resource planning and initiative execution
• Ensure accurate project prefeasibility and feasibility assessments during the project definition phase, with a strong focus on PQCDSM accuracy
• Lead successful execution of product and packaging innovations at the site, including vertical startups
• Own factory supply chain readiness for initiatives, including master data, materials supply, planning, first factory production, and remnant depletion
• Own and validate factory initiative COGS assumptions and financial impacts
• Own or participate in the evaluation and mitigation of manage Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery, Mobility and Nature (SQCDMN) risks at the factory level for all initiatives
• Partner closely with factory and project teams to ensure strong quality of execution and achievement of SQCDMN performance indicators
• Own InnoPro Gate deliverables for the factory scope of initiatives
• Ensure initiatives meet defined objectives for safety, quality, delivery, cost, and sustainability
• Serve as the site single point of contact (SPOC) for all innovation, renovation, productivity, and sourcing projects, ensuring strong crossfunctional alignment across Operations, R&I, Quality, Finance, C&P, and iPRO.
• Provide factory technical and industrial feasibility leadership from project definition through execution, ensuring alignment between product specifications and site capabilities.
• Own factory resource planning and governance, including CAPEX/OPEX assessment, homologation, and stagegate execution for all site initiatives.
• Lead factory execution of innovation, productivity, and quality projects, integrating engineering and operations resources to deliver successful trials, startups, and scaleups.
• Drive industrial testing, validation, and launch excellence, including scheduling and optimization of trials, startups, artwork, and specification validations, with clear reporting to project teams.
• Ensure performance monitoring and continuous improvement, leading postlaunch reviews, postmortem analyses, and identification of new innovation and productivity opportunities.

Physical Demands

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential function of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs and ladders, balance; stoop, kneel or crouch; talk and hear. Occasionally required to lift and / or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

• Work is performed in a manufacturing environment with exposure to moderate noise and temperature variations.
• Work schedules could include nights, weekends and/or holidays to provide the ability to support a 24/7 manufacturing environment as business needs dictate.

Engagement in our Integrated Work Systems

Ensure adherence to plant standards and procedures (including but not limited to GMP, AIB, FDA, IWS, Quality, Safety, Finance, ISO, HOPE, Danone Behaviors, Daily Direction Setting, Driving OE). As a fundamental piece of the organization, your responsibility is to participate and own the implementation and deployment of IWS system and its pillars (Leadership foundation, Daily Direction Setting, Driving OE; Autonomous Maintenance; planned Maintenance; Focused Improvement; Education and Training; Environmental, Health and Safety; Quality; Organization; Supply Network; Early Equipment Management) with the objective of owning your space, owning your performance (Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery, Mobilization, Nature) and owning your continuous improvement.

Compensation

The exact salary offered will depend on several factors, including the candidate's relevant experience, internal equity, and market conditions. Danone U.S. additionally offers a performance-based bonus and has a strong benefits package including.

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Prescription Drug Coverage
• 401k Plan
• Wellness Program
• Life Insurance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Flexible Time Off
• Paid Parental Bonding Leave

among other benefit plan options.

About You

Education & Experience

• Required: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related field
• Preferred: Advanced degree or certification in Project Management, Operations Excellence, or Supply Chain
• Required: 10 + years of experience in manufacturing, operations, supply chain, or project execution roles
• Preferred: Experience leading sitelevel initiatives or innovation execution in a manufacturing environment

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong understanding of manufacturing operations and supply chain integration
• Experience with project governance, stagegate processes, and initiative execution
• Ability to assess and manage Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery, Mobility and Nature (SQCDMN) risks at the site level
• Strong analytical, planning, and problemsolving skills
• Effective communication and collaboration across crossfunctional teams
• Demonstrated ability to drive continuous improvement within structured operating
• Must understand vague and implicit instructions and react favorably in all work situations
• Must be mentally adaptable and flexible in dealing with a variety of people
• Must be able to communicate providing verbal feedback in a professional manner systems

About Us, We offer and What's next

Danone U.S. is part of Danone North America, a purpose-driven company and an industry leader in the food and beverage category. You'll work with some of the best-known food and beverage brands in the world. Our strong portfolio of brands includes: Activia, DanActive, Danimals, Dannon, evian, Follow Your Heart, Happy Family Organics, International Delight, Light + Fit, Nutricia , Oikos, Silk, So Delicious Dairy Free, STK Cold Brew Coffee , Too Good & Co, and YoCrunch.

With approximately 5,000 employees and 13 production locations across the U.S., Danone North America's mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible.

You'll be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps in the world, working to make sure our company creates real value for people and the planet. Come join our movement for a healthier world: One Planet. One Health BY YOU.

Danone North America is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. It is our policy to give equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to legally protected characteristics, or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state/provincial and/or local law. For our EEO policy statement and your EEO rights under law click here.

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