Position Summary:The Plant Manager is responsible for providing overall leadership, direction, and operational management for a single food manufacturing facility. This role ensures the plant operates safely, efficiently, and in full compliance with quality, food safety, regulatory, and customer requirements. The Plant Manager leads the plant leadership team to achieve operational excellence, deliver on production and financial goals, and foster a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Principal Duties & Responsibilities: - Job supervises a team, has authority to hire and performance-manage a team.
- Job leads/supervises/manages 16-20 employees
Operational Leadership & Strategy- Lead day-to-day plant operations to achieve safety, quality, service, cost, and productivity targets.
- Translate company and business unit strategies into effective operating plans for the facility.
- Monitor plant performance metrics (e.g., yield, throughput, downtime, labor efficiency) and take corrective actions when needed.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives in areas such as waste reduction, process optimization, and equipment performance.
- Oversee plant budgeting, cost control, and capital project execution.
Standards, Quality & Food Safety- Participate in operational performance standard development activities and lead the implementation of those standards across plants.
- Ensure all plants comply with company policies and programs related to food safety, quality, sanitation, and product integrity.
- Support and oversee audit readiness and performance for customer, third-party, and regulatory audits.
Regulatory, Safety & Environmental Compliance- Ensure the plant complies with all regulations governing safety, environment, food safety, employment, and other areas of compliance.
- Act as liaison between the facility and government agencies during audits, investigations, or other regulatory interactions.
- Promote a strong safety culture and ensure effective implementation of programs such as safety training, incident investigation, and corrective actions.
- Leadership Development
- Ensure each plant is appropriately staffed to meet operational and customer requirements.
- Develop and communicate clear leadership performance expectations for plant management teams.
- Manage direct reports, including selection, onboarding, compensation recommendations, training and development, performance management, and termination decisions.
- Build a strong succession pipeline by coaching and developing plant leaders and high-potential talent.
- Support and communicate OSI values, culture, and brand both internally and externally
- This role has the responsibility to understand and places in practice appropriate safety procedures. This responsibility is achieved through education, training, use of protective equipment (as applicable) and by following safety policies, regulations, standards, and laws.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Experience & Skills: - 10+ years of experience in related field is preferred.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, including production planning, maintenance, quality, safety, and supply chain interfaces.
- Demonstrated success in leading large teams and delivering results in a fast-paced, complex environment.
- Solid knowledge of regulatory requirements related to food safety, OSHA, environmental, and employment law.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills with internal teams, customers, and community stakeholders.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret data and KPIs to drive decisions.
- Ability to travel regularly between assigned sites and work flexibly based on operational needs.
Preferred Education: - BA/BS or equivalent is preferred.
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, Operations Management, Food Science, Business, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred.
- Significant progressive leadership experience in manufacturing, preferably in the food industry.
- Prior experience managing a large plant or multiple sites strongly preferred.
- Experience in a unionized environment and in collective bargaining is strongly preferred.
Compensation/Benefits: Offers are typically made between the minimum and midpoint of the range, based on skills, experience, and internal equity. In rare cases, highly qualified candidates may receive an offer above the midpoint; however, offers at the maximum of the range are not customary. Salaries will vary based on various factors, including but not limited to, location, education, skills, experience and performance. Base salary is one component of OSI's overall total rewards package. Other components may include bonuses, special pay programs, comprehensive time off, 401k with match and a full suite of benefit offerings for you and your family.
Work Environment: - Work can be performed within a manufacturing plant environment with noise, extreme temperatures, and significant movement of powered equipment, people and conveyor (may depend on the role).
- Work conditions are typical of an office & plant environment.
- This role does not require any domestic travel
- Position may require the physical agility of lifting up to 50 pounds
- Position may require frequent and/or infrequent of bending, squatting, pushing, pulling, stretching/reaching, use hands or fingers, talk, hear, feel objects, tools, controls and standing/walking on concrete flooring.
- Position may require the physical ability to stand/walk for Greater than 4 hours.
