Plant Manager - Beverage Manufacturing

LASSONDE PAPPAS AND CO INC•Hendersonville, NC

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Want to learn how to make juice? Lassonde Pappas & Co. is a US Leader in beverage manufacturing dedicated to our team members, customers and consumers satisfaction. We remain committed to our small-town roots and rural values. Hardworking and caring are qualities that make our teams special. Since 1942, we’ve been producing delicious products for our customers across the country! To provide the best for our customers, we focus on building the best team by creating and advancing an inclusive environment amongst our diverse workforce. If you’re passionate about customer satisfaction, reliable, and committed to being and doing better, join us! We value each of our employee’s total wellbeing. To support employees in all stages of their wellness journey, we have a robust benefits program including: medical, dental, and vision coverage options, growth and development potential, along with 401-K, Life & Disability Insurance, PTO, Tuition Reimbursement, Health Fairs, Gym Membership Discounts, and so much more!

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Food Science, Business, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
Ten or more years of progressive manufacturing experience, including significant leadership responsibility in a plant or operations environment.
Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional manufacturing teams, including Production, Quality, Food Safety, Maintenance, Engineering, Sanitation, Warehouse, and Continuous Improvement.
Strong working knowledge of GMPs, HACCP or preventive controls, sanitation programs, FDA regulations, and high-hygiene manufacturing environments.
Proven ability to manage plant operating budgets, labor utilization, production performance, cost reduction initiatives, and capital projects.
Strong leadership presence with the ability to establish expectations, build accountable teams, coach leaders, resolve conflict, and communicate effectively across all organizational levels.
Demonstrated problem-solving skills utilizing data-driven decision-making, root-cause analysis, corrective action systems, and continuous improvement methodologies.

Nice To Haves

Experience in aseptic, hot-fill, low-acid beverage, dairy, food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments.
Experience with thermal processing, CIP/SIP systems, aseptic filling, package integrity programs, environmental monitoring, allergen control, and sanitation validation.
Working knowledge of SQF, BRC, FSSC 22000, GFSI, customer audits, FDA inspections, and similar certification programs.
Lean Manufacturing, TPM, Six Sigma, OSHA, food safety, or operations leadership certifications.
Experience leading facility expansions, production line start-ups, major equipment installations, automation improvements, or capital-intensive reliability projects.

Responsibilities

Lead day-to-day plant operations to achieve safety, food safety, quality, service, productivity, reliability, and financial objectives.
Build and sustain a culture where employee safety, food safety, quality ownership, accountability, and operational discipline are non-negotiable expectations.
Ensure compliance with FDA regulations, GMPs, HACCP and preventive controls, customer standards, company policies, and third-party audit requirements.
Maintain robust control of hot-fill and aseptic manufacturing processes, including thermal processing, CIP/SIP systems, sanitation, environmental monitoring, hygienic zoning, and package integrity.
Partner closely with Quality and Food Safety leaders to maintain audit readiness, prevent contamination, manage deviations, lead root-cause analysis, and implement effective corrective and preventive actions.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on OEE, throughput, yield, schedule attainment, labor productivity, conversion cost, material usage, and overall equipment reliability.
Lead Maintenance and Engineering priorities to improve equipment uptime, reduce unplanned downtime, strengthen preventive maintenance programs, and support long-term asset reliability.
Develop, justify, and execute capital projects that improve safety, capacity, reliability, quality, productivity, and cost performance.
Manage the plant operating budget, monitor financial performance, and deliver sustainable cost and productivity improvements.
Develop plant leaders and employees through coaching, performance management, training, succession planning, and accountability systems.
Sustain Lean Manufacturing, TPM, Six Sigma, and other continuous improvement methodologies to improve daily management and operational performance.
Serve as the senior site leader during customer visits, regulatory inspections, internal reviews, and third-party certification audits.
Provide leadership and oversight for Production, Quality and Food Safety, Maintenance, Sanitation, Warehouse, Continuous Improvement, and related plant functions.
Communicate job expectations; plan, monitor, and evaluate performance; coach and develop direct reports.
Motivate and develop leaders to ensure an engaged, accountable, and high-performing workforce.
Establish goals and objectives aligned with business strategies and operational priorities.
Routinely review plant performance with the management team and implement actions to achieve targeted results.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on operational excellence, cost reduction, and process reliability.
Effectively communicate plant goals, objectives, and results at all levels of the organization.
Support and reinforce a culture of safety, food safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
Ensure staffing and resources are aligned with operational requirements and business needs.
Develop succession plans and leadership capabilities to support long-term organizational growth.
Empower employees to identify and address safety, food safety, and quality issues within their scope of responsibility.