Production Manager

Leprino•Waverly, NY

13d•Onsite

About The Position

Leprino is seeking a Plant Production Manager for its 200-person manufacturing facility in Waverly. The role leads operations across cheese, nutrition, and processing, and is intended to build bench strength within Leprino’s manufacturing organization. The successful candidate will make an immediate impact at the Waverly facility while developing experience across plant operations, people leadership, safety, quality, and financial performance. The position offers preparation for potential future Plant Manager opportunities across Leprino’s manufacturing network. The Plant Production Manager partners with the Plant Manager to lead daily manufacturing operations across production, sanitation, and plant support functions. The role guides department managers and supervisors, coordinates priorities across plant departments, sets the operating cadence, develops production plans, reviews performance, and supports improvement initiatives, capital projects, equipment reliability, compliance, and financial planning. The position is a key member of the plant leadership team and provides operational leadership in the Plant Manager’s absence. Starting compensation typically ranges from $134,000 to $154,000, with an annual target bonus of 15%.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Food Science, Dairy Technology, Business, Operations Management, or a closely related field, or equivalent experience.
12 or more years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience within food manufacturing.
7 or more 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.

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 and build 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, and 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 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.