Assistant Plant Manager

Shearer's is a leading contract manufacturer and private label supplier in the snack industry in North America. Headquartered in Massillon, Ohio, Shearer's has 17 state-of-the-art, geographically diverse manufacturing facilities in Ohio, Texas, Arkansas, Arizona, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Iowa, Ontario and Alberta, Canada, including one of the industry's first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design platinum LEED certified facilities in Massillon, Ohio. The Company is known for producing the highest quality snacks in assorted flavors and sizes, including kettle cooked potato chips, traditional potato chips, tortilla chips, cheese curls and other extruded snacks, and corn chips, as well as cookies, crackers, and wafers.

Assistant Plant Manager - Bristol, Virginia

Position Summary

The Assistant Plant Director is a key operational leader responsible for managing all aspects of the Operations and CI departments in a high-volume food manufacturing facility. This role ensures that safety, quality, efficiency, and cost targets are met while fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. The position is designed as a developmental role for future promotion to Plant Director.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily production operations across multiple lines to meet output, quality, and safety goals.
• Supervise and develop production supervisors and frontline teams.
• Lead continuous improvement activities for the site, including direct supervision of the CI Manager.
• Monitor and improve KPIs including throughput, yield, labor efficiency, and downtime.
• Ensure compliance with food safety standards (e.g., SQF, HACCP, GMP) and regulatory requirements.
• Partner with Maintenance, Quality, and Supply Chain to resolve issues and optimize performance.   The Assistant Plant Director will be a leader amongst peers on the Plant Leadership Team.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using TPM or other methodologies. 
• Support, and lead, capital projects and equipment upgrades within the production and warehouse areas.
• Serve as acting Plant Director when needed and participate in strategic planning. This includes, but is not limited to, OPC (cost) planning, VCP initiatives, 9-box calibration, succession planning and annual capital planning
• Lead process to create Site Masterplan, lead GAP closure updates, and ensure the site is embracing and owning the SHOP principles.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Food Science, Operations Management, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 5 years of experience in food manufacturing, with at least 2 years in a production leadership role.
• Strong understanding of food safety, manufacturing processes, and labor management.
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage change, and deliver results.
• Excellent communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with ERP systems and production planning tools.

Career Path

This role is intended for high-potential candidates preparing for promotion to Plant Director. The successful candidate will receive mentorship, strategic exposure, and leadership development opportunities.  

We Offer a Feast of Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Flexible Spending Account, Retirement Savings Plan with Match, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Group Critical Accident Insurance, Group Critical Illness Insurance, Employee Assistance Plan and numerous opportunities to volunteer in the communities in which we operate.

You will be considered for employment in our inclusive workplace

Because at Shearer’s, we are committed to providing equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

This is your invitation to apply now!

Note: Shearer’s does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to any recruiting alias or employee. Shearer’s is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

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