Sr Manager Operations and OpEx

Campbell's

Downers Grove (IL)

On-site

USD 132,000 - 181,000

Full time

5 days ago
Be an early applicant

A complete application in a minute

Tailored resume and cover letter, ready to send.

Get past ATS filters

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, disability, AD&D, and
Life insurance for individuals and for
401(k) with company match
Paid time off and holidays
On-site fitness center access
On-site child care access

Job summary

Campbell's is seeking a Senior Manager, Manufacturing Operations and OPEX to lead plant operations in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment. You will drive safety, quality, delivery, cost and people performance while deploying Campbell Way of Working and OPEX principles across the site.

You will partner with Plant Leadership and cross-functional teams to sustain performance, lead site transformation, and build talent, trust, and accountability across the organization.

Qualifications

  • Strong leadership to manage frontline leaders and drive accountability.
  • Experience implementing Operational Excellence, Lean and Six Sigma.
  • Willingness to cover evenings, nights and weekends as needed.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and develop a team of frontline leaders to drive engagement and performance.
  • Deploy OPEX strategy and execute Lean, Six Sigma and CI initiatives to reduce waste and improve efficiency.
  • Set production standards, oversee staffing, planning and compliance with food safety and quality requirements.
  • Lead cross-functional change management and align initiatives with broader business strategy.
  • Monitor KPIs (OEE, downtime, labor efficiency, waste, quality) and drive data-based improvements.
  • Conduct performance reviews and align goals with plant and enterprise targets.

Skills

Leadership
Operational Excellence
Lean
Six Sigma
Data analytics
Cross-functional collaboration
Change management

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Visual management
Root cause analysis

Job description

Since 1869, we’ve connected people through food they love. We’re proud to be stewards of amazing brands that people trust. Our portfolio includes the iconic Campbell’s brand, as well as Cape Cod, Chunky, Goldfish, Kettle Brand, Lance, Late July, Pacific Foods, Pepperidge Farm, Prego, Pace, Rao’s Homemade, Snack Factory, Snyder’s of Hanover.Swanson, and V8.

Here, you will make a difference every day. You will be supported to build a rewarding career with opportunities to grow, innovate and inspire. Make history with us.

Why Campbell’s…
  • Benefits begin on day one and include medical, dental, short and long-term disability, AD&D, and life insurance (for individual, families, and domestic partners).
  • Employees are eligible for our matching 401(k) plan and can enroll on the first day of employment with immediate vesting.
  • Campbell’s offers unlimited sick time along with paid time off and holiday pay.
  • If in WHQ – free access to the fitness center. Access to on-site day care (operated by Bright Horizons) and company store.
  • Giving back to the communities where our employees work and live is very important to Campbell’s. Our “Campbell’s Cares” program matches employee donations and/or volunteer activity up to $1,500 annually.
  • Campbell’s has a variety of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to support employees.
How you will make history here…

The Senior Manager, Manufacturing Operations and OPEX leads plant operations for an assigned functional area, driving performance across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and People. The role owns execution of business objectives through strong leadership, operational rigor, and deployment of Operational Excellence (OPEX) principles aligned to the Campbell Way of Working.

This leader manages day-to-day operations, ensures safety and quality compliance, drives cost improvement, and builds a high-performing, engaged team. The role partners with Plant Leadership and cross-functional teams to deliver sustained performance and lead site transformation, and requires the ability to inspire trust, drive decisions, build talent, and own results.

What you will do…
Leadership & People Development
  • Lead and develop a team of frontline leaders, driving accountability, engagement, and high performance.

  • Build leadership capability through coaching, succession planning, and talent development.

  • Foster a culture of ownership, continuous improvement, and strong employee relations.

Operational Excellence (OPEX) & Continuous Improvement
  • Own and deploy OPEX strategy and executionacross the plant, ensuring alignment with enterprise standards.

  • Lead Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement (CI) initiatives to eliminate waste, improve efficiency, and resolve complex operational, safety, and quality challenges.

  • Establish and sustain standard work, visual management systems, and tiered accountability routines.

  • Drive disciplined root cause and failure analysis (RCA) to deliver sustainable corrective actions and standardized improvements.

Production, Process & Cost Management
  • Set and maintain production standards to achieve safe, efficient, and high‑quality operations.

  • Oversee process optimization, staffing models, and production planning.

  • Ensure strict compliance with food safety, quality, and regulatory requirements.

  • Lead cost savings and productivity initiatives aligned to plant budgetary targets.

  • Reduce Total Delivered Cost (TDC)through operational efficiency and waste reduction.

  • Drive performance through KPIs including OEE, downtime, labor efficiency, waste, overtime, and quality.

  • Use data and analytics to prioritize improvements and ensure accountability.

  • Lead performance reviews and ensure alignment to plant and enterprise goals.

Change Management & Cross‑Functional Leadership
  • Partner with Maintenance, Quality, HR, Engineering, Finance, Planning, and Distribution to optimize business performance.

  • Align plant initiatives with broader business strategy and transformation roadmap.

  • Lead change management efforts tied to OPEX and plant transformation.

  • Drive engagement through transparency, visibility, and strong leadership presence.

Who you will work with…

You will work with the Operations and OpEx teams, in addition to regional partners.

What you bring to the table (must haves)…
  • High school diploma or GED.

  • 8+ years of progressive leadership experience in a high‑speed manufacturing environment, including experience with Operational Excellence, Lean, and Six Sigma fundamentals.

  • Onsite role with a primarily Monday‑Friday day shift schedule; must be available to cover evenings, nights, and weekends as needed to support the operation.

It would be great if you have (nice to haves)…
  • Bachelor’s or master’s degree in business, supply chain management, or engineering.

  • Experience leading teams in a non‑union environment.

  • Proven ability to develop talent and to lead and inspire teams, fostering engagement and a culture of continuous improvement.

  • Cross‑functional manufacturing experience with OPEX, Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, Visual Factory, and 5S program implementation.

  • Ability to analyze complex data to identify trends, root causes, and improvement opportunities.

  • Excellent leadership, verbal and written communication, and project management skills, with the ability to engage and motivate diverse teams.

  • Track record of driving change and influencing stakeholders at all levels without direct authority, and of collaborating cross‑functionally to advance operational excellence.

Compensation and Benefits:

The target base salary range for this full‑time, salaried position is between

$131,700-$181,100

Individual base pay depends on work location and additional factors such as experience, job‑related skills, and relevant education or training. Total pay may include other forms of compensation. In addition, we offer competitive health, dental, 401k and wellness benefits beginning on the first day of employment. Please ask your Talent Acquisition Partner for more information about our total rewards package.

The Company is committed to providing equal opportunity for employees and qualified applicants in all aspects of the employment relationship, including consideration for employment, without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, marital status, protected veteran status, disability, age, religion, or any other classification protected by law.

Get your free, confidential resume review.

or drag and drop your file here.

Similar jobs

Similar jobs worth comparing

Sr Manager Operations and OpEx
Sr Manager Operations and OpEx

Campbell Soup Company • Downers Grove (IL)

On-site
USD 132,000 - 181,000
Medical, dental, disability, AD&D, and
Life insurance
401(k) with matching
+4
Sr Manager Operations and OpEx
Sr Manager Operations and OpEx

The Campbell's Company • Downers Grove (IL)

On-site
USD 132,000 - 181,000
Supervisor, Manufacturing Operations
Supervisor, Manufacturing Operations

The Campbell's Company • Virginia

On-site
USD 60,000 - 83,000
Health benefits from day one
401(k) matching
Unlimited sick time
+6
Supervisor, Manufacturing Operations
Supervisor, Manufacturing Operations

Campbell Soup Company • Hanover

On-site
USD 60,000 - 83,000
Health, dental, 401k and wellness
On-site fitness facility
Paid time off and holidays
Supervisor, Manufacturing Operations
Supervisor, Manufacturing Operations

The Campbell's Company • Hanover

On-site
USD 60,000 - 83,000
Operational Excellence Manager
Operational Excellence Manager

The Campbell's Company • United States

Remote
USD 111,000 - 152,000
Health benefits from day one
Immediate vesting in 401(k)
Paid time off & holidays
+2
Supervisor, Manufacturing Operations - 3rd Shift
Supervisor, Manufacturing Operations - 3rd Shift

The Campbell's Company • Hanover

On-site
USD 60,000 - 83,000
Medical benefits from day one
On-site daycare
Matching 401(k)
+1
Operational Excellence Manager
Operational Excellence Manager

Campbell Soup Company • United States

On-site
USD 111,000 - 152,000
People & Culture Generalist
People & Culture Generalist

The Campbell's Company • Lakeland (FL)

On-site
USD 68,000 - 93,000
Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Disability insurance
+4
Operational Excellence Manager
Operational Excellence Manager

Campbell's • Oregon

Hybrid
USD 111,000 - 152,000
Medical and dental benefits
Short and long-term disability
AD&D and life insurance
+7