Plant Operations Director

Own the floor. Hit the numbers. Build the team.

United Petfood is scaling its U.S. operations, and the Mishawaka plant needs a leader to own day-to-day execution across every operational function — production, quality, safety, planning, maintenance, and warehousing. Reporting to the CEO and partnering with the Business Director, you’ll turn strategy into reliable, efficient, continuously improving performance on the shop floor.

Is This You?

✓ A seasoned operations leader ready to own an entire plant — production, quality, safety, planning, maintenance, and warehousing.

✓ Equally strong at strategy and on the shop floor, translating business targets into daily execution.

✓ Driven by KPIs — OEE, throughput, OTIF, waste, downtime — and disciplined, structured problem-solving.

✓ A builder of accountability and engagement who develops department heads and frontline leaders.

✓ Grounded in Lean, TPM, or Six Sigma, ideally in food or CPG manufacturing.

About United Petfood

United Petfood is a Belgian, family-owned private-label producer of high-quality dry and wet pet food, biscuits, and snacks, operating 29 high-tech pet kitchens across Europe and the United States. Joining us means joining an international, passionate, and driven team with one common goal: a healthy planet filled with healthy pets. We pair the best ingredients and most innovative technology with a fast-moving, entrepreneurial culture — and the Mishawaka, Indiana facility is a critical part of our U.S. growth strategy.

Our Values in Action

• We Aim Higher — deliver quality and efficiency on every pallet, and continuously improve our processes.
• We Make It Work — solve problems quickly and keep production moving — flexibility and a hands-on mentality are key.
• We Grow United — collaborate with your team and support colleagues to achieve shared goals.
• We Do What’s Right — follow safety, quality, and operational standards, and act responsibly in all tasks.
• We Thrive on Passion — bring energy, care for animals, and dedication to producing top-quality pet food.

The Opportunity

The Plant Operations Director leads all day-to-day operations across production, quality, safety, planning, maintenance, and warehousing, ensuring execution is reliable, efficient, and continuously improving against customer demand and business targets. You’ll translate strategic objectives into practical action plans and drive seamless coordination between departments to support product quality, on-time delivery, and cost control.

What You’ll Own

Operations Leadership

• Oversee all plant functions — production, maintenance, quality, planning, warehousing, and safety.
• Ensure efficient, consistent execution of manufacturing processes across all shifts.
• Deliver products on time, in full, and in compliance with all food-safety and quality standards.

Performance & KPI Management

• Drive plant KPIs including OEE, throughput, labor efficiency, waste reduction, downtime, and schedule adherence.
• Lead regular performance reviews with structured problem-solving and continuous improvement.
• Maintain strict cost control and identify opportunities for operational savings and productivity gains.

People Development & Culture

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of department heads and frontline leaders.
• Build a culture of accountability, engagement, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Ensure strong training, onboarding, and succession planning across operations.

Compliance & Safety

• Champion a zero-incident safety culture across all operational areas.
• Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulatory requirements.
• Continuously improve adherence to food-safety and quality systems (e.g., BRC, SQF, GMP).

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with the Business Director to align capacity, resource planning, and internal sales priorities.
• Work with Finance, HR, and other support functions to ensure smooth operational support.

How Success Is Measured

• On-time, in-full delivery (OTIF), and OEE and throughput improvement.
• Labor cost and overtime control; waste reduction and yield improvement.
• Safety incident rate and regulatory compliance.
• Quality metrics — Right First Time (RFT), customer complaints, and audit results.
• Team development and engagement scores.

What You Bring

• 10 years of progressive operations leadership in a manufacturing environment (food or CPG preferred).
• Strong background in production systems and Lean manufacturing, TPM, or Six Sigma.
• Proven ability to manage complex teams and drive cross-departmental execution.
• A hands-on leader who operates at both strategic and operational levels.
• Excellent problem-solving and communication skills.

What We Offer

A rare chance to lead an entire plant at a formative moment for a global company’s U.S. operations, with a direct line to the CEO and the autonomy to shape performance and culture.

• Competitive base salary, commensurate with experience, plus a performance bonus.
• Comprehensive benefits: medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• Retirement plan and paid time off (PTO).
• Relocation package for candidates outside the Mishawaka area.
• A genuine seat at the table in a fast-growing, entrepreneurial global company.