Plant Manager

Dawn Foods

$138K — $175K *
Food & Beverages
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 8 years of manufacturing leadership experience required.
  • Bachelor's degree preferred; 12 years of progressive manufacturing experience acceptable in lieu.
  • Knowledge of GMPs, BRC Standards, and HACCP compliance essential.
  • Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, required.
  • Strong analytical problem-solving and time management skills necessary.
  • Proven track record in continuous improvement and cost control required.
  • Experience in food or bakery manufacturing preferred.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and promote safety culture across operations.
  • Oversee site security and protect organizational assets.
  • Ensure compliance with environmental and food safety regulations.
  • Drive product quality to meet customer specifications.
  • Manage production planning to achieve performance objectives.
  • Oversee asset management for maximizing equipment reliability.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams for product commercialization.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health and well-being coverage.
  • Competitive compensation packages and award-winning benefits.
  • Professional growth through tuition assistance and educational programs.
  • Generous RRSP matching program for retirement savings.
  • Financial wellness tools and resources.
Full Job Description


Job Purpose and Overview

The Plant Manager is responsible for leading the overall manufacturing operation by optimizing resources, developing high-performing teams, and executing operational strategies that ensure safe, efficient, and cost-effective production. This role drives performance across safety, quality, service, delivery, and financial objectives while supporting long-term business growth and customer satisfaction.

What will you do as a Plant Manager at Dawn Foods?
  • Lead and promote a culture of safety across plant and warehouse operations, ensuring a safe work environment and minimizing workplace incidents.
  • Oversee site security programs and safeguards to protect employees, facilities, equipment, and organizational assets.
  • Ensure compliance with environmental regulations, sustainability initiatives, and all applicable governmental and internal standards.
  • Champion food safety programs to prevent microbiological, chemical, and foreign material risks while ensuring compliance with food safety regulations, GMPs, HACCP, BRC standards, and internal quality systems.
  • Drive product quality excellence by ensuring manufacturing processes consistently meet product specifications and deliver a superior customer and consumer experience.
  • Ensure successful outcomes during regulatory, certification, customer, and internal audits to maintain compliance and competitiveness.
  • Lead production planning and execution to achieve volume, service, quality, and cost objectives.
  • Oversee maintenance strategies and asset management programs to maximize equipment reliability, facility performance, and operational efficiency.
  • Manage inventory and warehouse operations to optimize inventory levels, maintain service standards, and support effective cash flow management.
  • Partner in evaluating, prioritizing, and executing capital investments to support business growth, operational performance, and long-term strategic objectives.
  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance safety, quality, productivity, cost, and operational performance through Lean and World Class Manufacturing principles.
  • Lead, develop, and inspire high-performing teams by establishing clear goals, priorities, accountability, and a collaborative work environment.
  • Partner with Human Resources to support talent development, succession planning, workforce capability building, employee engagement, and ongoing training initiatives.
  • Collaborate with Human Resources and Compensation teams on hiring, promotions, performance management, disciplinary actions, and compensation decisions in accordance with company policies.
  • Partner with Research & Development, Marketing, Supply Chain, and other cross-functional teams to successfully commercialize and launch new products.
  • Promote organizational values, leadership principles, and a culture of accountability, inclusion, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
  • Develop, monitor, and communicate key business metrics related to operational performance, budgets, capital projects, and site objectives.


What Does It Take to be a Plant Manager at Dawn Foods?
  • A minimum of 8 years of manufacturing leadership experience managing people, teams, and operational performance is required.
  • Bachelor's degree preferred. In lieu of a degree, a minimum of 12 years of progressive manufacturing experience is required.
  • Experience with GMP's and BRC Standards, HAACP program, food safety and plant safety programs and other applicable regulatory requirements required
  • Excellent oral, written, and presentation communication skills required
  • Analytical problem-solving skills, time management skills and demonstrated team development required
  • Demonstrated history of continuous improvement, lean tools, and cost control required
  • Relevant experience in the manufacturing of food and/or bakery products is preferred


Physical Demands & Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Team Member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
  • Ability to work in a professional office/manufacturing environment.
  • Travel required: Up to 10%.


Note: The level of physical effort may vary from site to site and in some cases be greater or lesser than documented here.

If this sounds like the opportunity that you have been looking for, please click "Apply."

About Our Benefits

Dawn is proud to employ the top talent in the baking industry, and we reward our people with comprehensive health and well-being coverage, competitive compensation packages, and award-winning benefit offerings. Dawn encourages professional growth through tuition assistance and educational programs, and we are always searching for ways to improve our industry-leading services and benefits. We also help protect our Team Members' future financial health with a generous RRSP matching program that provide additional retirement funds and many tools and resources on financial wellness. The contributions start as early as one month from employment

Compensation

The base salary for this position is $138,710-$175,000 with bonus eligibility.

#LI-Onsite #LI-JR1

Requisition ID: 38299

Date: Sep 8, 2026

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