Plant Director

Ventura Foods

. Lead the end-to-end performance of the manufacturing plant and distribution operations .

Posted 10/16/2026full-timeBirmingham • Alabama • United StatesLeadWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in leading manufacturing and distribution operations, ensuring compliance with food safety and quality standards, and driving continuous improvement through Lean methodologies. Proven ability to manage budgets, workforce planning, and capital projects while fostering a high-accountability culture.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Manufacturing Operations LeadershipFood Safety ComplianceLean ManagementFinancial AnalysisERP/MES Systems Proficiency

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Production PlanningQuality SystemsPreventive ControlsGMPsEHS ManagementCapital DeliveryRoot-Cause Problem SolvingPerformance AnalyticsChange ManagementLabor Relations

Soft Skills

Clear CommunicationCrisis LeadershipOrganizational Development

Tools & Technologies

ERP SystemsMES SystemsVisual Management Tools

Certifications & Qualifications

Lean CertificationSix Sigma CertificationHACCP CertificationPCQI CertificationSQF CertificationBRCGS Certification

Industry Keywords

Food ManufacturingBeverage ManufacturingHigh-Volume OperationsAutomated OperationsSafety ManagementContinuous ImprovementAudit ReadinessInventory ManagementCapital ProjectsEnvironmental Management

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

ERP

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead the end-to-end performance of the manufacturing plant and distribution operations
Direct production, warehousing, and distribution execution across all shifts
Translate demand into achievable plans and use daily management routines to deliver schedule attainment, case fill, order fill, and customer commitments
Own the site operating plan, forecasts, and controllable spending
Improve conversion cost, labor productivity, material usage, utilities, destroyed product, overhead, inventory, and working capital
Ensure food safety, product quality, sanitation, allergen, traceability, recall, and preventive-control programs meet company, customer, FDA, and applicable regulatory requirements
Maintain audit readiness and escalate material risk
Lead the site safety, health, and environmental management system
Ensure employee participation, hazard identification and control, training, emergency preparedness, contractor safety, incident investigation, and corrective action
Establish the asset-care and reliability strategy, including preventive and predictive maintenance, spare-parts discipline, utilities, facilities, and grounds
Improve OEE and downtime performance and maintain safe, reliable plant infrastructure
Develop and execute the site capital roadmap, including business cases, scope, budget, schedule, change control, installation, commissioning, and benefits realization
Select, coach, develop, and retain the leadership team and frontline workforce
Set goals, strengthen technical capability, conduct talent and succession reviews, administer policies, and promote an inclusive, high-accountability culture
Build a fact-based continuous-improvement system using Lean problem solving, standard work, visual management, and verified savings
Sponsor loss elimination, automation, digital tools, and data-quality improvements and sustain gains
Partner with Supply Chain, Procurement, Quality, R&D, Engineering, Sales, Finance, and HR to balance capacity, inventory, service, and cost
Govern plant trials, product transfers, and launches for safe, capable, and profitable scale-up
Maintain business continuity and crisis-response readiness
Manage environmental obligations and relationships with regulators, customers, suppliers, contractors, carriers, emergency responders, and community stakeholders
Communicate site performance and risks transparently

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree is required
10+ years of progressive manufacturing experience, including significant leadership of multi-function operations, is required
Demonstrated ownership of plant safety, food safety and quality, customer service, budgets, cost improvement, workforce planning, maintenance/reliability, capital projects, and KPI management
Travel up to 5%
Working knowledge of food-safety systems, preventive controls, GMPs, sanitation, allergen management, quality systems, EHS, maintenance and reliability, capital delivery, production planning, warehousing, and distribution
Skilled in financial analysis, root-cause problem solving, lean management, organizational development, labor and employee relations, crisis leadership, and change management
Demonstrated ability to use ERP/MES systems, production and quality data, visual management, and performance analytics
Clear communication with frontline employees, executives, customers, regulators, and external partners
Food or beverage manufacturing and high-volume or automated operations strongly preferred
Lean or Six Sigma; HACCP; PCQI when assigned responsibility requires it; and SQF, BRCGS, or other GFSI-scheme experience is helpful
Must be willing and able to wear personal protective equipment as required
Physical strength and dexterity; intermittent sitting, standing, walking, climbing, squatting, kneeling, pushing, and pulling; occasional lifting and/or moving up to 50 pounds or more with assistance may be required
Willingness and ability to work typical 8–12 hour shifts, additional unscheduled time after hours and on weekends, and potentially outside or in adverse temperatures, around operational chemicals, fumes, food allergens, confined spaces, dark spaces, and heights over 18 feet

Benefits

Comp & perks

Medical, Prescription, Dental, & Vision – coverage beginning on your 1st day for eligible employees
Profit Sharing and 401(k) matching (after eligible criteria is met)
Paid Vacation, Sick Time, and Holidays
Employee Appreciation Events
Employee Assistance Programs
Annual bonus (based on the incentive program terms and conditions)
Career growth opportunities
Competitive compensation and benefits