Start-up Leader

Danone•Mount Crawford, VA

18h•Onsite

About The Position

At Danone, Manufacturing the best products and supplying them to meet demand is a key driver for our plant teams. We are currently looking to hire a Start-Up Leader (SUL) based in Mt. Crawford, Virginia! Start‑Up Leader (SUL) is accountable for leading the successful start‑up of assigned initiatives in alignment with Global Initiatives Management standards. The role ensures readiness, risk mitigation, and delivery of initiative objectives while supporting zero-loss ambition at the site. This position is responsible for managing the full startup lifecycle from planning and risk assessment to execution and final closeout while improving quality, minimizing downtime, and accelerating productivity. Acting as the primary operations point of contact, the Start-Up Leader (SUL) ensures seamless integration of new processes into plant systems, supports continuous improvement efforts, and enables manufacturing teams to achieve sustainable, high-performance outcomes.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required
Analytical and problem-solving skills
Fundamental skills in influencing and persuasion
Strong interpersonal skills associated with developing trusting relationships
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Ability to prioritize and multitask
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and SAP
Ability to work in a fluid environment
Ability to identify problems, draw conclusions, and make recommended solutions
Ability to be self-directed with little supervision
Ability to adjust schedule to support 24/7 Manufacturing Operation, may include working overtime, night shift and/or weekends as needed.

Nice To Haves

4-year engineering degree or equivalent preferred
3 plus years manufacturing experience with demonstrated technical aptitude and leadership

Responsibilities

Insuring project goals are met within 2 months of start up
Delivering initiative outcomes that support compelling business needs by improving: Quality-by-design, Reduction of plant unplanned downtime associated with the initiative, Productivity and speed to deliver results
Owns the site start‑up team assigned to the initiative
Owns the Start Up Management, including Daily Direction Setting routines and communication with Operations on progress against tasks, deliverables, and results
Owns the integration of initiative deliverables into plant standard systems
Owns tracking, reporting, and final close‑out of: Start‑Up process performance, Overall initiative deliverables
Maintain the Change Masterplan and Dashboard across the initiative lifecycle – use for launch leader
Ensure system scope, documentation, and start‑up readiness
Train and qualify teams
Support Site Start Up Management+ Standard Work Process health checks and IM Pillar assessments
Provide support to core operations as needed
Enable early manufacturing involvement and align on start‑up success criteria
Charter and lead the initiative start‑up team and communication plan
Own completion of the GSUM+ Initiative Tracker
Lead Manufacturing Readiness, Instantaneous Start Up Risk Assessments, and Technology, Transfer and Training plans
Coordinate plant‑level risk mitigation with operations and external partners
Own staffing, resourcing, and start‑up support
Serve as the single operations point of contact for pre/post start‑up actions, issue resolution, and cross‑functional alignment
All other duties as assigned