Agropur Cooperative

Production Manager - Cheddar, Whey, Intake

Agropur Cooperative$102K — $128K *
Food & Beverages
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in food science, Engineering, Operations, or related field (preferred)
  • 10+ years of experience in manufacturing operations (food/dairy preferred)
  • 5+ years in leadership roles, managing teams in a production environment
  • Strong experience in high-volume, continuous manufacturing operations
  • Strategic leadership with strong operational execution
  • Deep knowledge of food safety, GMPs, and production systems
  • Proven ability to lead continuous improvement initiatives
  • Strong business acumen with experience managing costs and performance
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
  • Ability to lead in complex, fast-paced manufacturing environments

Responsibilities

  • Lead cheddar production operations to meet plant performance objectives
  • Drive performance across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity metrics
  • Champion continuous improvement initiatives focusing on Lean and operational excellence
  • Manage departmental budgets and enhance operational efficiency
  • Ensure full compliance with food safety and regulatory standards
  • Optimize production processes for improved yield and throughput
  • Standardize best practices and SOPs across production areas
  • Lead and develop teams to foster a culture of accountability and engagement
  • Collaborate cross-functionally to align and support product initiatives
  • Support audits and lead problem-solving using root cause analysis

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health and wellness programs
  • Opportunities for growth and career advancement
  • Supportive work environment that values continuous improvement
  • Engagement in cross-functional collaboration to enhance teamwork
  • Stable role in a key production leadership position
Full Job Description
Job Type:
Regular

Your role in evolving how we work:

The Production Manager - Cheddar, Whey, Intake leads and oversees all aspects of production in a high-volume manufacturing environment. This role drives operational performance across safety, quality, cost, and delivery, while building high-performing teams and fostering a strong culture of continuous improvement and accountability. As a key member of the plant leadership team, this position plays a critical role in executing business objectives through process optimization, operational excellence, and cross-functional collaboration.
  • Lead end-to-end cheddar production operations, ensuring alignment with plant and business performance objectives
  • Drive operational performance across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Productivity (SQDCP) metrics
  • Champion continuous improvement, leading Lean and operational excellence initiatives to enhance performance
  • Manage departmental budgets and drive cost control and operational efficiency
  • Ensure full compliance with food safety, quality, and regulatory standards
  • Optimize production processes to improve yield, consistency, and throughput
  • Standardize best practices and SOPs across production areas to ensure consistency and efficiency
  • Lead, coach, and develop teams, fostering a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement
  • Collaborate cross-functionally (Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, R&D) to drive alignment, support product initiatives, and resolve issues
  • Support audits and lead problem-solving efforts, using root cause analysis to drive sustainable solutions


The profile that will contribute to change:
  • Bachelor's degree in food science, Engineering, Operations, or related field (preferred)
  • 10+ years of experience in manufacturing operations (food/dairy strongly preferred)
  • 5+ years in leadership roles, managing teams in a production environment
  • Strong experience in high-volume, continuous manufacturing operations
  • Strategic leadership with strong operational execution
  • Deep knowledge of food safety, GMPs, and production systems
  • Proven ability to lead transformation and continuous improvement initiatives
  • Strong business acumen with experience managing costs and performance
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
  • Ability to lead in complex, fast-paced manufacturing environments


A role where your involvement fuels people-driven transformation.

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About Agropur Cooperative

Agropur Cooperative is a Canadian dairy cooperative headquartered in Longueuil, Quebec. Founded in 1938, it is the largest dairy cooperative in Canada and one of the 20 largest dairy producers in the world. The cooperative has more than 3,000 members and operates 39 plants across North America. Agropur produces a wide range of dairy products, including milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, and ice cream. The cooperative also produces and distributes ingredients and functional solutions for the food industry.
Learn more about Agropur Cooperative
Size
19,800 employees
Industry
Founded
1938

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