Plant Director

Job Summary:
At Danone, manufacturing innovative, high-quality beverages and meeting market demand drives our plant team's strategic success. We are currently looking to hire a Plant Director based in Bridgeton, New Jersey! The Plant Director strategically leads factory operations to optimize business performance and achieve key organizational priorities. They deliver breakthrough results by optimizing factory performance, ensuring superior product quality, cost-effectiveness, and unparalleled operational excellence. They lead operationally and develop the teams on both functional & managerial skills to create high performing teams. They contribute to Danone's corporate image by establishing the right culture within the facility, relationships with the local community and unions representatives.

This role will oversee the manufacturing activities in the Bridgeton plant, which has approximately 110 Danoners and 3 production lines, manufacturing Silk and So Delicious beverages. The role reports into the VP of Manufacturing and has 5 direct reports and 2 dotted line reports.

Key Responsibilities:
As a key member of our team, you will play an important role in driving our mission forward. The following responsibilities outline the core expectations and contributions for this position:

Set the Factory Strategy and Master Plan required to deliver business, manufacturing and people priorities, in conjunction with Danone's growth and improvement strategies. This includes developing long and short-term performance metrics.
• Lead the factory organization to be a highly reliable, responsive, and competitive operation
• Establish a zero-risk operating culture delivering a safe environment for anyone working in the factory (Danoners and Contractors)
• Accelerate performance rate of improvement, improving KPI's.
• Build productivity pipeline to secure cost reduction (Plant and COGS)
• Drive IWS implementation to achieve the best practices and standards of manufacturing & supply chain
• Drive connectivity, networking, and benchmarking both internally and externally
• Secure product superiority through minimized product variability and spec consistency, developing and driving strategic and operational plans to support new product / existing product development
• Strengthening the factory organization through all Danoners
• Drive organizational development, high performing teams through structure and proximity leadership
• Develop internal, talented leaders who can further grow within Danone (First Line Leaders and Plant Leadership Team members)
• Strengthening the factory contribution to business innovation pipeline
• Drive growth and change in a fast-moving, high-energy environment
• By embodying transformative leadership, you'll cultivate an empowering, innovative culture that inspires and elevates every associate's potential
• Build relationships and set long-term action steps with local community and other representatives protecting both site reputation and competitiveness
• Develop and maintain positive community relations related to all aspects of plant interactions: wastewater treatment/ utilities interactions, noise abatement, employment, expansion planning, etc.
• Maintain lines of communication to all associates on company policy, suggestions, concerns, complaints, and other issues defined by the company. Implement necessary programs and procedures to promote and ensure open communication
• Support and ensure compliance of the facility with all Environmental, Health and Safety programs, policies, regulations and with beverage safety, quality, and reliability conditions
• Ensure the highest level of commitment to quality to provide assurance all products are produced, prepared and handled according to the highest possible standards.
• Measure, track and maintain the controls and reports necessary to evaluate plant costs, quality and service level necessary for more efficient and effective operations
• Develop and maintain a strong local talent pipeline and prepare succession planning for all positions
• Promote and ensure positive associate and union relations
• Promote a one-team approach with sales and marketing. This includes but is not limited to sales and customer visits, attending industry conferences, additional meetings and conference calls.

Physical Demands

• This role requires frequent wearing of PPE, plant floor walking and standing for prolonged periods to conduct observations and coaching (i.e., safety walks, leadership presence, and general site management)
• Moderate office/desk work with prolonged sitting or standing (i.e., scheduling, reporting, problem solving, general oversight)
• Potential, occasional climbing and lifting up to 50 pounds
• Frequent exposure to noise, varied levels of temperatures and other industrial hazards

Work Environment

• Work is performed in a manufacturing environment with exposure to moderate noise and temperature variations.
• Work schedules could include nights, weekends and/or holidays to provide the ability to support a 24/7 manufacturing environment as business needs dictate.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Total Frequency Rate & Wise Evolution
• Right First Time
• Product Conformity & Consumer Complaints
• Manufacturing Controllable Cost / COGS Productivity
• Customer Service
• Operational Efficiency
• CO2 reduction through Utilities Consumption and Loss Reduction
• Cash > Capex & Inventory
• Danone People Survey Scores, Culture & Team Succession Plans
• IWS/TPM/Lean Implementation

Engagement in our Integrated Work Systems
Ensure adherence to plant standards and procedures (including but not limited to GMP, AIB, FDA, IWS, Quality, Safety, Finance, ISO, HOPE, Danone Behaviors, Daily Direction Setting, Driving OE). As a fundamental piece of the organization, your responsibility is to participate and own the implementation and deployment of IWS system and its pillars (Leadership foundation, Daily Direction Setting, Driving OE; Autonomous Maintenance; planned Maintenance; Focused Improvement; Education and Training; Environmental, Health and Safety; Quality; Organization; Supply Network; Early Equipment Management) with the objective of owning your space, owning your performance (Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery, Mobilization, Nature) and owning your continuous improvement.

Compensation & Benefits:
Danone North America additionally offers a performance-based bonus and has a strong benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Coverage, 401k Plan, Wellness Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Flexible Time Off, and Paid Parental Bonding Leave, among other benefit plan options.

The ideal candidate will bring a combination of education, experience, and skills that enable them to excel in this position. The following qualifications outline what we're looking for, including both required and preferred criteria:

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in business or engineering or a related field, required.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in a high-performance, transformative environment.
• Experience within a food/beverage/pharmaceutical/chemical or other high speed CPG manufacturing environment is strongly preferred
• Experience with TPM/Lean culture
• Experience as a change agent
• Experience in managing numerous direct reports and matrix reporting
• Experience with budget and cost management
• Excellent Project Management experience

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Exceptional interpersonal and strategic communication skills, enabling you to build powerful cross-functional relationships and drive collaborative success at every organizational level.
• Advanced problem-solving skills with proven ability to drive strategic decision-making in complex, dynamic manufacturing environments.
• Process-oriented; able to identify process improvements and implement changes successfully.
• Ability to drive change with a positive attitude and influencing style
• Interacts well with all levels of the organization
• Strong networking skills and abilities
• Able to develop authentic relationships and show empathy
• A holistic view of running an entire business
• Committed to achieve our mission through the leadership and guidance of a team
• Open to new ideas, willing to challenge the status quo
• Values different opinions and ways of thinking
• Shows an active interest in learning from and sharing with others
• Willing to make decisions and act in an uncertain environment
• Shows passion for growth and development within a team

Danone U.S. is part of Danone North America, a purpose-driven company and an industry leader in the food and beverage category. You'll work with some of the best-known food and beverage brands in the world. Our strong portfolio of brands includes: Activia, DanActive, Danimals, Dannon, evian, Follow Your Heart, Happy Family Organics, International Delight, Light + Fit, Nutricia , Oikos, Silk, So Delicious Dairy Free, STK Cold Brew Coffee , Too Good & Co, and YoCrunch.

With approximately 5,000 employees and 13 production locations across the U.S., Danone North America's mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible.

You'll be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps in the world, working to make sure our company creates real value for people and the planet. Come join our movement for a healthier world: One Planet. One Health BY YOU.

Danone North America is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. It is our policy to give equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to legally protected characteristics, or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state/provincial and/or local law. For our EEO policy statement and your EEO rights under law click here.

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