Assistant Plant Manager

Leprino Foods Company•Allendale Charter Township, MI

10d•Onsite

About The Position

Within our 300-person manufacturing facility in Allendale – Leprino is seeking an Assistant Plant Manager to help us scale dairy ingredient output while keeping safety, quality, and consistency tight. We take pride in our “world’s best” ambition, and we back it with investment, steady improvement, and a focus on hiring great people.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in Engineering, Food Science, Dairy Technology, Business, Operations Management, or a closely related field, or equivalent experience.
12+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience within food manufacturing.
7+ years leading multiple production departments or plant functions through department managers.
Prior experience in a Plant Production Manager, Operations Manager, Assistant Plant Manager, or Plant Manager role within food manufacturing.
Experience leading other people managers across multiple operational departments.
Experience supporting plant financial performance, labor planning, and operational improvement initiatives.
A willingness to relocate to another Leprino manufacturing facility, as this role is designed to prepare future Plant Managers across our manufacturing network.

Nice To Haves

A master's degree in Engineering, Food Science, Dairy Technology, Business Administration, or a closely related field.
Experience within dairy, cheese, or other high-volume food manufacturing environments.
Experience leading operations in a multi-line, 24/7 manufacturing facility.
Experience supporting capital projects, operational excellence initiatives, or plant expansions.
Experience using SAP or similar ERP systems.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Plant Manager to lead daily manufacturing operations across production, sanitation, and plant support functions.
Guide and develop department managers and supervisors while building leadership capability across the organization.
Coordinate plant priorities with Production, Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Human Resources.
Set the daily and weekly operating cadence, including production priorities, shift communication, escalation planning, and operational follow-up.
Build production plans that balance customer demand, staffing, equipment availability, and inventory requirements.
Review plant performance, including safety, quality, yields, labor, downtime, and service, then coordinate improvement plans across departments.
Support capital improvements, operational initiatives, and process enhancements that strengthen plant performance.
Partner with Maintenance to improve equipment reliability, preventive maintenance planning, and shutdown execution.
Promote food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance while supporting a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
Contribute to annual operating plans, labor planning, and departmental budgets.
Build collaborative relationships across the site that encourage transparency, problem solving, and timely decision-making.
Serve as a key member of the plant leadership team and provide operational leadership in the Plant Manager's absence.