General Manager

HEARTLAND FARMS INC•Hancock, WI

7h•Onsite

About The Position

The General Manager is the senior on-site leader responsible for the overall performance, safety, compliance, and profitability of a potato dehydration processing facility. This role provides both strategic and hands-on leadership across production, maintenance, quality, food safety, sanitation, inventory, and people development. The General Manager is accountable for meeting production goals, maintaining regulatory compliance, controlling costs, and building a high-performance culture rooted in safety, accountability, and continuous improvement. Direct Reports: Operations Manager, Quality Assurance Manager, Maintenance Manager, Sales Manager, and Administrative Support. Reports To: Executive Leadership

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED required; equivalent combination of education and experience considered.
Minimum 5 years of experience in food manufacturing or industrial processing environments.
At least 5 years of progressive leadership experience
Strong knowledge of food safety systems, sanitation, and regulatory compliance.
Proven ability to lead teams, manage change, quality improvements and drive results.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); ability to learn new systems.
Experience with production and quality management systems a plus.
Ability to work on-site in a food manufacturing environment.
Exposure to odors, moisture, dust, and varying temperatures.
Ability to lift up to 25 lbs. regularly, and up to 50 lbs. occasionally.
Ability to move throughout production, warehouse, and maintenance areas.
Must be at least 18 years of age.
Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Engineering, Manufacturing, or a related field.
Experience with SQF, HACCP, GMPs, OSHA, and FDA-regulated environments.
Experience leading audits and regulatory inspections.
Working knowledge of budgets, P&L statements, and operational metrics.
Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma experience.

Responsibilities

Lead all daily plant operations to ensure production, efficiency, yield, and customer requirements are met.
Develop and execute production plans, schedules, and labor utilization aligned with seasonal demand.
Ensure timely production startups, changeovers, and shutdowns.
Oversee inventory accuracy, raw material usage, finished goods, and production reporting.
Analyze operational KPIs and drive improvements in throughput, downtime, and waste reduction.
Partner with Operations Manager to recruit, hire, train, develop, and retain supervisors and hourly team members.
Establish clear expectations, accountability, and performance management processes.
Foster a positive, respectful, and safety-focused work environment.
Address employee relations issues promptly and professionally.
Build leadership capability within the supervisory team.
Own and lead all Quality and Food Safety programs, including SQF, HACCP, GMPs, sanitation, and allergen control.
Serve as the primary plant contact for FDA, state agencies, customers, and third-party auditors.
Ensure SOPs are written, implemented, maintained, and followed for all processes and equipment.
Maintain audit readiness and lead corrective and preventive action programs.
Ensure proper sanitation practices, including knowledge of CIP systems, chemicals, and procedures.
Partner with Maintenance to develop and sustain a preventative maintenance and reliability program.
Ensure equipment readiness, safety compliance, and timely repairs.
Support capital planning and equipment improvement initiatives.
Manage plant operations within approved budgets.
Review financial and operational reports to identify cost-saving and efficiency opportunities.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean or Six Sigma methodologies.
Support capital expenditure justification and ROI analysis as needed.