Senior Manager of Manufacturing Operations
About The Position
As a member of the La Colombe Norton Shores Leadership Team, the Senior Manager of Manufacturing provides strategic leadership and oversight for the Norton Shores, Michigan plant. The role leads manufacturing strategy, operational excellence, continuous improvement, and business results while collaborating across the organization. It is accountable for ensuring the highest levels of safety and quality for Chobani and La Colombe employees and products. The Senior Manager develops manufacturing leaders, aligns production capacity and workforce with demand, monitors performance metrics, and partners with Sales & Operations Planning, Quality Assurance, and senior site leadership. The role also supports capital projects, equipment installations, process changes, and site expansion, while championing safety procedures and Good Manufacturing Practices.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in engineering, manufacturing, business administration, or a related field.
- 5–7 years of progressive experience in manufacturing, production, or operations leadership; includes 3–5 years leading managers and/or supervisors.
- Strong leadership and management skills, with the ability to inspire and empower teams to achieve goals.
- In-depth knowledge of manufacturing processes, quality systems, and continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean and Six Sigma.
- Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and partners.
- Willingness to spend significant time on the production floor interacting with employees at all levels.
Nice To Haves
- Manufacturing leadership experience in the food and beverage industry.
- Experience in a fast-paced, multi-SKU product environment.
- Experience leading or participating in a site transformation.
Responsibilities
- Support the development and execution of manufacturing strategies aligned with company goals, leading initiatives to improve productivity, efficiency, quality, and overall manufacturing performance.
- Develop managers and supervisors, establish clear expectations and accountability, and create development and succession plans.
- Identify and execute process optimization, cost reduction, waste elimination, and standardized-process opportunities; champion lean manufacturing principles.
- Lead and support cross-functional continuous improvement initiatives and foster problem-solving, innovation, accountability, and operational excellence.
- Partner with the Vice President of Operations and La Colombe Sales & Operations Planning team to align production capabilities with customer demand and improve responsiveness.
- Lead capacity and workforce planning to align staffing, equipment, and production capabilities with current demand and future growth.
- Establish, monitor, and report manufacturing KPIs, including safety, quality, productivity, labor efficiency, waste, downtime, schedule attainment, and OEE; analyze trends and take corrective action.
- Partner with Quality Assurance to maintain quality control standards and procedures and ensure products meet or exceed company and customer expectations.
- Improve labor utilization, production flow, changeover performance, material usage, equipment effectiveness, and manufacturing efficiency.
- Partner with senior site leadership on capital projects, equipment installations, process changes, and site expansion to ensure operational readiness and successful implementation.
- Champion safety procedures and Good Manufacturing Practices, reinforcing employee safety, food safety, and product quality.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
- Disability insurance.
- Health savings account and flexible spending accounts.
- Tuition reimbursement.
- 401(k) match of 100% on up to 5% of eligible pay.
- Fertility and childcare assistance.
- 12 weeks of parental leave at full pay after six months of continuous employment.
- Employee assistance program, fitness discounts, wellness reimbursement, on-site gym access at certain locations, and wellness resources.
- Paid and flexible time off based on start date and tenure.
- 11 holidays each year.
- Bonus, equity, and benefits are included in the compensation offering.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
