Director, US Positive Impact Operations

About The Job

At Danone, we believe operational excellence and positive impact go hand in hand. We are seeking a transformational leader to drive our US Positive Impact Operations agenda across manufacturing and supply chain operations. This role will lead initiatives that improve raw material efficiency, reduce waste, optimize resource consumption, and embed sustainable operating practices across our manufacturing network.

The successful candidate will combine deep manufacturing credibility with a passion for people development, change leadership, and sustainability. Working closely with plant teams, supply chain leaders, and operations leadership, this individual will champion initiatives that deliver measurable business value while advancing Danone's ambition to create health through food for people and the planet.

Key Responsibilities

Drive Raw Material Loss & Yield Excellence

• Own and execute Danone US's raw material loss reduction strategy across manufacturing sites.
• Lead root cause analysis, yield optimization, waste reduction, and process improvement initiatives that improve operational performance and reduce environmental impact.
• Establish robust KPI frameworks and governance processes to monitor material losses, product yield, waste streams, and resource efficiency.
• Collaborate with global stakeholders to identify and scale best practices across plants to deliver sustainable performance improvements.

Lead Factory Engagement & Capability Building

• Serve as a trusted partner to plant leadership teams, coaching and influencing frontline teams to adopt loss reduction and operational excellence practices.
• Design and deploy training, capability-building, and change management programs that strengthen ownership and accountability at site level.
• Develop practical and sustainable tools including visual management systems, standard work, operating playbooks, and performance dashboards.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement rooted in Danone's values and manufacturing excellence standards.

Champion Positive Impact Performance

• Lead the US Positive Impact Operations portfolio, including
• Raw material loss reduction
• Waste diversion and circularity initiatives
• Product donation programs
• Utility, energy, and water efficiency improvements
• Sustainability performance tracking and reporting
• Translate sustainability ambitions into measurable operational actions and outcomes.

Lead and Develop High-Performing Teams

• Lead a team of program managers, analysts, and specialists responsible for key Positive Impact initiatives.
• Build organizational capability, develop future leaders, and establish a culture of collaboration, accountability, and innovation.
• Ensure alignment and prioritization across multiple workstreams while maintaining strong execution and results.

Influence Across the Organization

• Partner closely with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Procurement, Engineering, Finance, ESG, and Commercial teams to address losses at the source.
• Build strong relationships with plant managers and operational leaders to accelerate adoption of transformational initiatives.
• Communicate progress, insights, risks, and opportunities to senior leadership and executive stakeholders.
• Support the development of long-term operational sustainability strategies aligned with Danone's corporate objectives.

Financial & Vendor Management

• Oversee external vendor and partner relationships, ensuring value delivery and alignment with business objectives.
• Identify opportunities to improve return on investment through operational improvements and loss elimination initiatives.

The salary range for this position is $130,000.00 - $180,000.00 USD. The exact salary offered will depend on several factors, including the candidate’s relevant experience, geographic location, internal equity, and market conditions. Danone North America 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, and Paid Parental Bonding Leave, among other benefit plan options. To give our employees flexibility, Danone is a hybrid work environment.

This role is considered a “hybrid” position that allows for flexible work, meaning it is a role where collaboration with key stakeholders in Danone Hubs occurs. While you may have the option to work from home on a schedule as agreed to with your supervisor, you are also expected to regularly report to your assigned office location at least 3 days per week.

About You

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Supply Chain, Sustainability, Food Science, or a related field required.
• Master's Degree preferred.
• MBA considered a strong advantage.

Experience

• 10 years of progressive experience across manufacturing, operations excellence, supply chain, sustainability, or continuous improvement environments. With 6 years in core manufacturing domain.
• Proven success delivering measurable reductions in material loss, waste, yield variability, or manufacturing inefficiencies.
• Strong change management and capability-building experience, particularly within matrixed organizations.
• Demonstrated success leading frontline behavioral change without direct reporting relationships.
• Experience leading high-performing teams and developing talent across multiple disciplines strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, TPM, Six Sigma, or equivalent operational excellence methodologies strongly preferred.
• Food & beverage, FMCG, consumer goods, or process manufacturing experience strongly preferred.

Leadership Competencies

• Influential leader with exceptional stakeholder management skills.
• Strong coach capable of inspiring action at all levels of the organization.
• Data-driven decision maker with strong analytical capability.
• Passionate about sustainability, operational excellence, and delivering positive impact.
• Comfortable operating from the factory floor to the executive boardroom.

About us

Life at Danone

With approximately 5,000 employees and 13 production locations across the U.S., our vibrant culture and endless growth opportunities are just a couple of the reasons our employees call themselves “Proud Danoners.”

Learn more about Life at Danone

Our Brands

When you join us, you’ll work with some of the best-known food and beverage brands in the world, including Activia®, DanActive®, Danimals®, Dannon®, evian®, Follow Your Heart®, Happy Family® Organics, International Delight®, Light Fit®, Nutricia ®, Oikos®, Silk®, So Delicious® Dairy Free, STōK® Cold Brew Coffee ®, Too Good & Co™, and YoCrunch®.

Our Purpose

We’re committed to making a positive impact on our world. Rooted in our mission to bring health through food to as many people as possible, we’re proud to be the world’s largest B Corp.

Learn more about our mission.

Our Benefits

Our commitment to making the world healthier starts with our employees.

• Physical Wellbeing We pay for the majority of your medical benefits – which include medical, dental and vision – with our competitive 80%/20% cost-sharing model.
• Mental Wellbeing Danoners receive fitness discounts, unlimited flexible time off and hybrid work schedules. We also have a range of programs that support mental health and substance abuse.
• Financial Support We offer a performance-based bonus, a 401(k) plan, tuition reimbursement, employee discount programs and voluntary perks.
• Family Care We offer caretaker benefits, 18 weeks of parental bonding, fertility, surrogacy, adoption benefits and pet insurance.

Learn more about our benefits.

Equal Opportunity Employer

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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