Plant Manager

About Us

Foremost Farms USA is one of the largest, leading dairy cooperatives in the United States and major dairy food and ingredients manufacturing business. We represent hundreds of Midwest dairy farmer members located in seven Midwest states, and we produce about 500 million pounds of cheese and 50 million pounds of butter in plants across our network every year. "We Bring Dairy to Life" in eight manufacturing plants across Wisconsin and Michigan and in our headquarters in Middleton (Madison), Wisconsin; and we’re looking for employees who are innovative and aim for excellence in our wide variety of production, field and business roles. Join us!

About This Opportunity

JOB TITLE: Plant Manager

POSITION TYPE: Full time

CLASSIFICATION: Exempt

The Plant Manager oversees the full site operation and is responsible for creating a culture of safety. Responsible for achieving year-over-year operational improvement at the assigned manufacturing plant with safety, quality, service, value and teamwork. Works as a member of the Manufacturing Leadership Team and contributes to the Co-Op's success by continually improving manufacturing processes and creating a culture of engagement that empowers all employees to drive high performance.

Key Accountabilities

Establish operational strategic plans that align with and deliver the business strategy.

• Lead Daily Direction Setting process including delivering employee safety, food safety and quality, customer service, production schedules, and cost efficiency.
• Champion safety by taking a leadership role on all safety incidents, root cause analysis and improvement activities.
• Lead the plant management team to collaborate across functions, internal resources, vendors, and customers to drive sustainable improvements in overall manufacturing performance.
• Align all manufacturing-related activities appropriately to meet all company policies and procedures.
• Manage budget for facility and reevaluate on an ongoing basis.
  
  

Ensure and maintain a culture that aligns with the standards of Foremost Farms’ mission, values and purpose and work cross-functionally with other departments.

• Partner with HR to develop and drive culture of employee engagement, leading the development of engagement survey action planning and follow-ups.
• Partner with HR to create and maintain strong employee relations with a focus on training and development.
• Drive a strong culture of employee safety.
• Ensure manufacturing practices comply with applicable legislation and internal policies.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure compliance with regulatory agencies (OSHA, FDA, USDA, EPA).
• Review co-op and site practices and processes and suggest improvements.
• Facilitate positive employee relations including interviewing, hiring, rewarding and disciplining employees, addressing complaints and administering the collective bargaining agreement.
  
  

Develop talent to prepare them for future assignments, creating a strong pipeline of future leaders.

• Responsible for development of Production Managers and Supervisors to create a stable plant management team with depth and in accordance with Foremost Farms’ leadership values.
• Delegate appropriate duties and responsibilities to plant management team to address and resolve problems and improve operations.
• Identify stretch assignments as part of the Individual Development Planning process, that build on employees’ strengths and helps them break through barriers in their development.
  
  

This role is accountable for ensuring that monitoring and/or verifying of control points occurs and that the required documentation is completed. For example, Critical Control Points (CCP), Preventive Controls(PC), Critical Quality Points(CQP), Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points(HACCP), and Safe Quality Food(SQF) plans. This is not an all-inclusive list.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in dairy manufacturing, operations management or related field of study preferred
• 5-10 years of job-related experience in a manufacturing environment.
  
  

Physical Setting

• This position is required to be on site at the manufacturing facility.
• Occasional travel in support of co-op manufacturing leadership initiatives up to 10-20%.
  
  

Benefits

At Foremost Farms, we believe that you and your family matter most. That’s why we’re proud to offer one of the most comprehensive and competitive benefits packages in the area — designed to support your health, financial security, and work-life balance.

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance – Flexible coverage with options to meet the needs of you and your family
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – 100% company match on up to 8% of your contributions
• Generous Paid Time Off – Start with 200 hours of PTO (pro-rated for first year)
• 10 Paid Holidays – Enjoy time to rest and recharge
• Paid Parental Leave –6 weeks fully paid
• Health Savings Account (HSA) – when you elect the high-deductible health plan
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) – Save for medical and dependent care expenses
• Life and Disability Insurance – Financial protection for you and your loved ones
• Daily Pay Option – Access your earnings when you need them
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Free, confidential support for life’s challenges
• Referral Program – Earn rewards for bringing great people to our team
• Career Growth Opportunities – Advance your skills and your career with us
  
  

This job summary is intended to be brief and does not list all the duties for this position. Nothing in this job description should be construed as an express or implied contract of employment. Foremost Farms USA is an at-will employer, which means that either party is free to terminate the employment relationship at any time, without any advanced notice, for any reason or no reason.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disabled are encouraged to apply.

At Foremost Farms USA, we believe that employee diversity brings strength to our organization. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, creed, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disabilities, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.

Successful completion of pre-employment screening is required, which could include a drug test, background check, and other verifications or assessments to be sure you will be able to succeed in your position.

Are you ready to Be Foremost?

Apply today at