Start-up & Integration Manager

Why Grande?

With more than 80 years of crafting “The Finest Italian Cheeses Money Can Buy," Grande  is a leader in the industry! Whether partnering with independent pizzerias from coast-to-coast to ensure they’re delivering the very best pizza to their customers or assisting our food manufacturing partners in delivering specialty whey ingredient solutions, our commitment to quality can’t be matched. While Grande’s reputation of excellence in the market is important, we believe our commitment to our workplace and community culture is of equal merit – our Associates come first at Grande. To complement our industry-leading benefits, Grande puts an emphasis on your career growth opportunities, while always promoting a positive work/life balance and supporting the communities in which we live and work. If you want to learn more about our company – what we do and how we go about it – or learn more about our beautiful, state-of-the-art corporate headquarters, visit www.grande.com. 

Did we convince you yet? If not check out our unique benefits

• Low-cost onsite health clinics.
• Free onsite fitness center.
• Free healthy snacks throughout facility.
• Health and wellness reimbursement program.
• Associate cheese purchasing program.
• Two-year mentorship program.
• Relaxation rooms (based on location).
• Coffee and gelato bar (based on location).
• Paid Paternal Leave.
• Hybrid / Remote Schedule (Work 3 days onsite, 2 days remote)
• State of the art corporate building: https://www.grande.com/careers/#office

Why Fond du Lac?

In Fond du Lac (FDL) you get the full four-season experience – warm in the summer with highs reaching into the 80s and plenty of sunshine for golf, biking, camping and live music under the open sky, and brisk air in the winter with average temps in the 20s and ample snow for snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, ice fishing and winter festivals. The greater FDL area (population 43,000) is easy to get around and roughly an hour drive to almost all major metros in the state (Milwaukee, Madison and Fox Cities/Green Bay). We’ve been rated “Top 100” in job growth among small U.S. metro areas. Additionally, our cost of living is 4% below the national average and you’ll pay 21% less for housing, rent and property taxes compared to the rest of the country. From wonderful educational partners (public and private K12 schools and three local colleges/universities), a plethora of things to do/see, and a vibrant business and commerce community…learn more about how you can call Fond du Lac, HOME!

Job Summary

We are looking for a Start-Up & Integration Manager to lead project start-up, integration, and ramp-up activities across our Enterprise. This role ensures smooth transitions from project initiation to full-scale operations while driving efficiency, safety, and quality. The ideal candidate will be a hands-on leader who thrives in cross-functional collaboration and continuous improvement.

• Lead commissioning, start-up, and integration activities across multiple projects, ensuring alignment with enterprise vision.
• Develop and implement operational procedures, training programs, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Drive lean manufacturing initiatives to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance plant performance.
• Partner with plant leadership to ensure compliance with safety, quality, and regulatory standards.

What you need to be considered for the role:

• 4 Year / Bachelors Degree in Operations, Engineering, Business or other related field required. An equivalent level of experience may be considered.
• Eight (8) or more years’ related experience in Six Sigma/Lean/Continuous Improvement concepts, tools and methodologies and project management required, which includes one (1) year in a Manufacturing leadership role.
• Minimum of three (3) years’ experience in driving Six Sigma/Lean/CI Initiatives with measurable results.
• Ability/willingness to travel to other Grande facilities approximately 60-70% of the time, based on project needs.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex data and present findings clearly and promptly.
• Excellent problem-solving abilities and attention to detail.
• Strong project management skills, with experience managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Knowledge of data governance practices and regulatory requirements.
• Six Sigma Black Belt certification required.
• Must be able to work with a broad range of management levels ranging from individual contributors to executive teams. Will lead and navigate complex initiatives/projects through to completion while managing multiple stakeholders.
• Business acumen to allow for valuing and prioritizing high-impact opportunities, establishing links to business strategies and sustainable process improvement.
• A basic understanding of manufacturing processes, or the ability and willingness to learn the complexities of product manufacturing.
• MS Excel, MS Word, MS Visio, MS Project, Smartsheet, and advanced project management understanding.
• Effectively develops communications (graphically, written and verbal skills).

Preferred:

• Dairy/food industry experience preferred.
• Understanding the science of Cheese and Whey manufacturing is preferred.
• Active participation in a CI (Continuous Improvement) organization highly desired.
• PMP or other project management certification is preferred.
• Understanding of CI or VSM (Value Stream Mapping) software is a plus.
• Knowledge of Dozuki or similar Standard Operating Procedure/Standard Work Instruction creation software is a plus.