Plant Manager

We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Plant Manager to lead our day-to-day operations. This is a key leadership position for someone who enjoys working in a close-knit, entrepreneurial environment and understands that success in a manufacturing company requires being hands-on, resourceful, organized, and willing to get involved wherever needed.

The Plant Manager will be responsible for the overall performance of the facility, including production, quality, food safety, maintenance, sanitation, warehouse, inventory, employees, and operating costs.

Most importantly, we are looking for a critical thinker and systems builder—someone who can identify problems, determine the root cause, put practical systems and processes in place, and prevent the same problems from happening again.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the daily operations of the manufacturing facility.
• Ensure production schedules are planned and completed safely, efficiently, and on time.
• Coordinate production, staffing, materials, equipment, and resources to meet customer demand.
• Monitor production performance, labor efficiency, waste, downtime, and overall productivity.
• Be visible and hands-on on the plant floor and work directly with employees and managers to resolve issues.
• Ensure equipment, facilities, and production areas are properly maintained and operational.
• Oversee preventive maintenance programs and minimize equipment downtime.
• Develop and implement systems and procedures that bring structure, consistency, and accountability to the operation.
• Identify gaps in processes and establish practical solutions.
• Create clear workflows, responsibilities, procedures, and performance expectations.
• Identify recurring problems and determine their root causes.
• Implement corrective actions that provide long-term solutions rather than temporary fixes.
• Continuously evaluate and improve systems.
• Remain calm and focused during urgent production, quality, staffing, equipment, or customer issues.
• Anticipate potential problems and take proactive steps to prevent them.
• Develop contingency plans for unexpected situations.
• Make timely and practical decisions, even when information is incomplete.
• Take ownership of problems from identification through resolution.
• Communicate significant problems along with recommended solutions and an action plan.
• Teach managers and supervisors how to identify and solve problems independently.
• Lead, coach, and develop supervisors, managers, and production employees.
• Establish clear expectations and hold employees and managers accountable.
• Promote teamwork, communication, respect, accountability, safety, and quality.
• Address employee performance issues promptly and fairly.
• Build a management team capable of running their areas effectively and solving problems without constant direction from ownership.
• Maintain a positive work environment.
• Ensure compliance with FDA, GMP, HACCP, SQF/BRC, OSHA, and other applicable regulations.
• Maintain a clean, safe, organized, and audit-ready facility.
• Oversee food safety and quality programs.
• Lead preparation for customer, regulatory, and third-party audits.
• Ensure corrective and preventive actions are completed effectively.
• Work closely with Quality to resolve product and process issues.
• Maintain high standards for product quality and food safety.

Key Skills

• 7 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
• Experience managing supervisors, managers, and production employees.
• Experience in food, flavor, color or related manufacturing strongly preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Operations, Manufacturing, Engineering, Food Science, or a related field preferred.
• Strong understanding of FDA, GMP, HACCP, SQF/BRC, OSHA, and food safety requirements.
• Experience with production scheduling, labor management, inventory control, budgeting, and cost management.
• Strong communication, organization, leadership, and decision-making skills.
• Must be comfortable working in a hands-on manufacturing environment.

Gold Coast Ingredients, Inc. (GCI) is a privately held, wholesale flavor and color manufacturer that has been satisfying taste since 1985. We are capable of serving all types of industries from food and beverage to nutraceutical and oral care. We work with customers to create custom formulations in a variety of forms including powder, spray-dried (encapsulated), freeze-dried, liquid, emulsion, and extracts that are compatible with any requirements.