Director, Operations
About The Position
The Director of Operations provides overall leadership for Smucker’s Topeka pet food manufacturing plant. The role shapes the plant’s vision, develops its people, and drives performance in safety, quality, reliability, cost, sustainability, and continuous improvement. The Director leads a complex operation and its site leadership team, builds capabilities to meet current priorities and long-term strategy, and connects the plant with the broader Pet business, cross-functional partners, and the local community. The position is based at 2200 NW Brickyard Road, Topeka, Kansas, and is 100% onsite. It requires willingness to work extended hours and flow to the work as needed.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree required.
- 10+ years of progressive manufacturing experience.
- Successful experience leading a plant or large manufacturing operation.
- Experience implementing and sustaining continuous improvement or high-performing work systems such as Operations Excellence, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Lean, Six Sigma, or HPO.
- Demonstrated success leading, coaching, and developing leaders.
- Strong strategic thinking and ability to translate business priorities into action and measurable results.
- Strong problem-solving, organizational, and prioritization capabilities.
- Excellent communication skills to engage employees, leaders, cross-functional partners, and external stakeholders.
- Willingness to work extended hours and flow to the work as needed.
Nice To Haves
- Experience leading within a large, complex manufacturing environment.
- Demonstrated ability to lead through influence, collaboration, empowerment, and accountability.
- Experience building organizational capability and developing strong leadership pipelines.
- Ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic manufacturing environment.
- Track record of building productive cross-functional relationships and mobilizing teams around a common vision.
Responsibilities
- Lead overall plant and supply chain performance across safety, quality, cost, sustainability, reliability, loss reduction, inventory, financial performance, and capital project management.
- Drive implementation and continuous improvement of Operations Excellence, High Performing Organization (HPO), and related operating systems.
- Champion Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) and Quality expectations and build ownership and capabilities throughout the site.
- Develop and execute the plant vision, master plan, capital and expense budgets, and strategic plans to support current and future business needs.
- Lead operational readiness for capital investments, equipment commissioning, and implementation of new processes and capabilities.
- Ensure compliance with company requirements and applicable local, state, and federal regulations.
- Build a culture focused on accountability, engagement, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
- Lead, coach, and develop the site leadership team, promoting clear accountability and cross-functional collaboration.
- Strengthen organizational capability through staffing, succession planning, and leadership and professional development across the plant.
- Build partnerships across Operations, Supply Chain, Corporate Services, Marketing, Research & Development, Engineering, Human Resources, and other support functions.
- Collaborate across functions to connect plant priorities with broader business needs and deliver results.
- Build and maintain positive relationships with local government, community organizations, suppliers, vendors, and other external stakeholders.
- Strengthen the plant’s connection to the Topeka community and maintain a positive company presence.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
