Department Manager - 2nd Shift

Russell Stover•Abilene, KS

51d

About The Position

At Russell Stover, not only do we love chocolate, but we love our jobs! Every day we go to work exhibiting our values of excellence, innovation, entrepreneurship, responsibility, and collaboration. Working at Russell Stover you'll be part of the leading manufacturer of boxed, seasonal, and sugar-free chocolates. For over 100 years, Russell Stover Chocolates, Whitman's, and Pangburn's have been crafted with the finest ingredients to bring happiness to generations. Today, we produce over 55 million pounds of chocolate annually, and our legacy brands can be found in 13 company-owned stores and over 9,000 wholesale accounts. Join our team and let's continue making chocolate lovers happy! A day in the life… Step into a high-impact leadership role where every day brings new challenges and opportunities to shine! As the Department Manager , you'll be at the heart of our production powerhouse—driving performance, optimizing resources, and ensuring we deliver top-quality products on time and on budget. You'll lead a talented team, championing a culture of safety and quality, excellence, and continuous improvement. Your mission? To meet ambitious production goals, exceed quality standards, and inspire your team to reach new heights—all while keeping efficiency and innovation front and center. If you're ready to lead with purpose, make data-driven decisions, and leave a lasting mark on our operations, this is your moment.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience
5+ years in a supervisory role
5+ years in manufacturing
Hands-on experience with lean tools (5S, TPM, Six Sigma, etc.)
Strong knowledge of workplace safety and quality standards and regulations
Proficiency in MS Office
Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills
Excellent communication skills and the ability to speak, read, and write English fluently, with or without an accommodation.
Comfortable working across all organizational levels

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in a related field
5+ years in food manufacturing
Formal training in sanitation, food safety, and regulatory compliance
Familiarity with analytical testing, sensory methods, food microbiology, and IPM

Responsibilities

Drive Strategic Alignment & Performance: Champion company goals by aligning departmental objectives, applying lean methodologies to reduce waste, and leading continuous improvement initiatives that support long-term strategic plans.
Develop and Lead High-Performing Teams: Recruit, train, and coach both supervisory and hourly staff, fostering a culture of accountability, growth, and high performance through ongoing feedback and development.
Ensure Operational Excellence: Enforce adherence to SOPs and COPs, and build strong cross-functional relationships to ensure seamless communication and execution across operations.
Champion a zero-incident culture by embedding safety into leadership practices, operational decisions, and employee engagement.
Lead cross-functional safety reviews, risk assessments, ensure accountability at all levels, and drive strategic initiatives that elevate safety performance.
Adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to ensure product quality and maintain compliance with food safety standards.
Complete and follow FSQA training and programs to comply with regulatory requirements, ensure consumer safety, and support the plant's food safety and quality objectives.
Promptly report and take appropriate action on any observed or potential food safety hazards, process deviations, or non-conformities by notifying the designated plant supervisor, in accordance with your role and responsibilities.
Actively contributes to the continuous improvement of the company's Food Safety Culture through engagement and actions aligned with your role.
Drive operational efficiency by minimizing waste, rework, and downtime.
Monitor labor budgets and ensure compliance with direct and indirect labor targets.
Assist in developing and managing the department's annual budget and capital projects.
Optimize production schedules to reduce changeovers and maximize throughput.
Align maintenance activities with production needs to minimize disruptions.
Strategically plan staffing based on production demands and standard rates.
Engage in TPM pillar teams and support continuous improvement initiatives
Use lean tools like Gemba, 5S, 5-Why, and Kaizen to monitor performance and reduce waste.
Coach employees in root cause analysis and critical thinking to empower process ownership.
Build autonomous, agile teams that embrace change and drive innovation in production, quality, safety, and maintenance.