Assistant Plant Director - Food Manufacturing

Description

Ready for more than just a job? Build a career with purpose.

At Lactalis in the USA, we’re committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our people to learn, grow, and thrive—whether you’re just starting your journey with us or looking to take the next step in your career. From day one, we offer the tools and support to help you succeed.

As the world leader in dairy, Lactalis is a family-owned company with over 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Each day, we’re proud to produce award-winning dairy products that bring people together.

In the US, we proudly offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani® Italian cheeses and ricotta, Président® specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft® natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone’s® cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel®, Black Diamond® cheddar, and Parmalat® milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi’s®, Stonyfield Organic®, Brown Cow™, Oui®, Yoplait®, Go-Gurt®, :ratio®, Green Mountain Creamery®, and Mountain High®, along with a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun®, Gopi®, and Arz®.

At Lactalis, we live by our core values—Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity. We foster a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone’s unique background and ideas are valued.

Even if you don’t meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how your EXPERTISE can help us shape the future of dairy. 

From your PASSION to ours

Lactalis USA is currently hiring an Assistant Plant Director based in Londonderry, NH.

The Lactalis Executive Pathway

This position is part of an accelerated development pathway for high-potential, seasoned operations leaders. Featuring an initial 2–3 year assignment in plant operations, this high-visibility role is specifically designed for you to master our manufacturing systems and fast-track directly into the Lactalis USA Plant Director pipeline. The program provides comprehensive relocation support and tailored executive onboarding to set participants up for seamless succession into future Director vacancies across our US network.

 JOB SUMMARY

The Assistant Plant Director will be responsible for the overall execution of the plant's production areas. These areas include the warehouse, continuous improvement, production scheduling, processing, and filling/packing. This position will be accountable for meeting annual operating goals for safety, cost, quality, material yields, capital projects, and organizational development to ensure the plant's business objectives are met. A hands-on leader, the Assistant Plant Director will provide strong guidance and direction to optimize and improve processes in support of plant initiatives. This role reports to the Plant Director.

From your EXPERTISE to ours

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Direct all plant operations to meet production schedules, manage costs, and drive continuous improvement.
• Lead capital and technology projects to improve reliability and consumer satisfaction.
• Provide strong leadership to the management team, including hiring, performance reviews, and coaching.
• Cultivate a positive and collaborative team environment with a focus on high employee engagement.
• Manage operations of the plant to ensure that quantitative and qualitative measures included in the operating plan are met, including production scheduling, standard costs, cost reductions, cost variance, productivity, continuous improvement, sanitation, consumer satisfaction, reliability, and capital/technology improvements.
• Continuously monitor performance and communicate progress to keep teams focused on production targets.
• Implement solutions to drive continuous improvement in plant operations and line performance.
• Lead the organization in achieving quality and safety goals, ensuring strict adherence to all company guidelines and regulatory standards.
• Provide regular financial Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) and productivity reviews (Lactalis methods). Ensure action plans based on KPI’s results and ensure plant communications, providing all employees with key focus areas.
• Oversee the Company’s strict compliance with PMO and FDA regulations, OSHA rules and Company guidelines within the operations of manufacturing.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

The incumbent is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of the Warehouse, Continuous Improvement, Scheduling and Materials, Processing, and Filling/Packing Departments in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

WORK CONDITIONS

• Travel may be required occasionally.
• Extended hours may be necessary depending on the project needs
• To fulfill these responsibilities, tools such as a computer, phone or, and / or allowance(s) will be provided.
• Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential duties and responsibilities.

Requirements

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

Education

• A bachelor's degree is required. MBA preferred.
• Majors in Engineering, Food Science, Business Administration or related field are preferred.

Experience

• 10+ years dairy or food processing experience, including production management, planning management on continuous improvement is required.
• 10+ years of leadership experience is preferred.

Certifications and specific knowledge

• Knowledge of OSHA, Food Safety, FDA, USDA, and ISO, along with certifications such as FSSC and ISO 9001 within the food industry is required
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong business acumen, including financial planning and management
• Analytical, problem decision-making skills; being able to think outside the box; exercise sound judgment and critical thinking
• People-oriented, fostering strong relationships and developing talent, while also being data-driven to inform decisions and drive continuous improvement.
• Strong proficiency with computer systems, including Microsoft Office applications

COMPETENCIES

• Production/Manufacturing Management: Ability to manage the team's resources, achieve production targets, and meet needs.
• Leadership & Impact: Acting and leading as a role model, positively influencing others with energy and enhancing their ability to contribute to a goal.
• Production Analysis: Ability to analyze production results: costs, volumes, time, and breakdowns. Ability to identify and solve problems to rationalize production.
• Communication: Ability to transmit and receive information clearly and communicate effectively with others by considering their points of view to respond appropriately. It includes using tact and diplomacy in all communications as well as the ability to convey ideas and information (adjusting style, tone, and level of details), both orally and in writing, in a way that all stakeholders/audience are engaged.
• Decision Making: Ability to select the best logical choice from the available options, weighing the positives and negatives of each option, considering all the alternatives and external influences.
• Materials Requirement Analysis / Material Usage Control: Ability to meet all production requirements concerning ordering of material, raw ingredients, and packaging, considering minimum stock levels, lead times, and budget.  Ability to report on material levels and usage by capturing and monitoring information.  Ability to analyze and report on materials and ingredients used on daily cycle counts to control the manufacturing process and minimize waste.
• Industrial Technologies and Process: Complete knowledge and understanding of industrial technologies and processes, to cover main characteristics, advantages, constraints, opportunities, and risks. Ability to determine industrial technologies and processes, ensure they are followed, and develop them.
• Best Practices / Good industrial Practices: Ability to implement Good Manufacturing Practices by clearly defining written Work Instructions, Best Practices, and Standard Operating Procedures, that are in compliance with Health regulations and ensure effective Manufacturing techniques, Product Safety, and Product Quality.

At Lactalis, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards Program with a variety of affordable benefits and coverage options. We support insurance costs significantly, contribute generously to retirement plans, and offer Paid Time Off from day one. We are committed to your professional growth, providing training and development opportunities, including Education Reimbursement. Join us and grow your career.

Lactalis is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally-recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities. Further, any division of the Company that is an Affirmative Action Employer will comply with all related legal obligations.

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