What are the responsibilities and job description for the Plant Manager position at Top Quality Recruitment (TQR)?
About the Role: We are seeking a results-driven Plant Manager to lead a fast-paced, 24/6 food manufacturing facility producing cookies, crackers, and granola bars. This role oversees approximately 150 employees across four production lines, including Production, Maintenance, Sanitation, Receiving, and Shipping teams based in Williamsport, PA
The ideal candidate is a hands-on, data-driven leader with expertise in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Continuous Improvement, Food Safety, and Financial Operations. You will be responsible for driving operational performance, developing cohesive high-performing teams, and achieving safety, quality, cost, delivery, and engagement goals in alignment with company objectives.
Key Responsibilities:
Leadership & Team Development
- Direct and develop a workforce of ~150 employees across Production, Maintenance, Sanitation, Receiving, and Shipping.
- Foster a culture of safety, accountability, teamwork, and continuous learning.
- Build strong, collaborative relationships with supervisors, leads, and cross-functional partners.
- Implement training and succession planning to strengthen leadership capabilities at all levels.
Operational Excellence
- Manage a 24/6 manufacturing operation with four production lines.
- Lead daily production planning, resource allocation, and workflow optimization to meet output and quality targets.
- Implement Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and standard work practices to improve efficiency and reduce waste.
- Drive continuous improvement projects, leveraging root cause analysis and problem-solving tools.
Safety, Quality & Compliance
- Ensure full compliance with food safety regulations (FDA, SQF, HACCP, GMP).
- Promote a zero-incident safety culture through proactive EHS initiatives.
- Maintain high product quality and consistency through systems, training, and accountability.
Financial Ownership
- Own plant-level budgeting, including labor, materials, and overhead.
- Monitor and improve financial performance using P&L analysis, KPI dashboards, and cost-saving initiatives.
- Lead capital project evaluations, ROI justification, and implementation.
Strategic Execution
- Align plant operations with corporate goals, including capacity, yield, service levels, cost, and innovation.
- Lead cross-functional initiatives with engineering, quality, R&D, supply chain, and HR.
- Identify opportunities for automation, technology upgrades, and process standardization.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field required.
- 8–10 years of progressive leadership experience in food or CPG manufacturing (baked goods preferred).
- Demonstrated success managing a plant or major production area of similar scale (100 employees, multi-line operations).
- Proven expertise in Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S, or TPM methodologies.
- Strong financial acumen with hands-on experience managing budgets, P&L statements, and cost-reduction projects.
- Excellent communication, problem-solving, coaching, and change management skills.
- Knowledge of food safety standards (FDA, HACCP, SQF, BRC) and EHS compliance requirements.