Vice President, Manufacturing

Darigold is looking for a Vice President, Manufacturing to join our team. The Vice President, Manufacturing is a critical role in Darigold’s leadership structure. This individual will oversee the operations of our six B2B Plants through strong leadership and coaching of the Plant Managers and Site Directors, encouraging employee engagement in continuous improvement activities, high-touch involvement in lean manufacturing principles and executing successful outcomes against matrices developed and ensuring conversion costs are met with overall P&L responsibility.

The Vice President, Manufacturing must have strong organizational and leadership skills, customer focus, people skills, problem solving and a strong sense of integrity. The ability to make strong recommendations based on sound analysis, clear communication and presentation of information to management and employees is key. This leader will make ongoing operational recommendations to Senior Leadership on increasing efficiencies, capital equipment needs, staff development and overall facility improvements.

Darigold is the fifth largest dairy cooperative in the United States based on milk volume, and one of the largest privately held organizations headquartered in the state of Washington. Since 1918, our producers have taken pride in producing dairy products with unsurpassed quality. Today we are one of the nation's largest agricultural cooperatives, producing over 8.5 billion pounds of milk every year. Through innovative technology and our efficient, flexible production capabilities, we deliver value-added products and customer-driven solutions. Darigold is now known throughout the world for bringing fresh, wholesome dairy products and ingredients from the Northwest to people all around the globe.

What You Will Do

• Responsible for the overall safe and successful operation of the manufacturing plants under your direction.
• Ensures accurate and timely delivery of company products to Darigold customers.
• Coaches plant leadership under your responsibility ensuring best in class manufacturing based on fact-based data supported by Darigold’s Performance System.
• Drives a positive and collaborative culture within the portfolio that emphasizes food safety, quality and best practices in line with industry standards all while driving employee engagement and pride to work at Darigold.
• Determines and drives plant manufacturing initiatives from start to finish, which optimize overall plant performance and implements performance indicators.
• Participates in the development of the Annual Operating Plan and is accountable for the plants under your responsibility, achieving the key metrics and budget based on the comforted authority and ensuring appropriate management of the resources allocated for the plants under your direction.
• Lead role in developing and executing long-range strategic plans, including capital projects, new product possibilities, future footprint and business partnerships, in alignment with Darigold’s short and long-term business plan.
• Drive high levels of sustainable change and best practices across the board to deliver a high-performance culture and capability including engagement, quality, safety and DPS.
• Focus on individual and organizational development, while actively focusing on talent development, retention and succession-planning, develop the talent bench and manage long-term succession planning by identifying, recruiting and mentoring high-potential employees.
• Ensure compliance with all Federal, State and local laws and governing bodies (e.g., employment law/regulations, OSHA, USPHS, DOT).
  
  

What You Bring

• 15 years of progressive leadership experience in food or beverage manufacturing.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Science, Business or Engineering preferred or equivalent applicable work experience, MBA is preferred.
• Experience in dairy manufacturing leading multi-site network.
• Experience leading site improvement activities and CAPEX projects.
• Experience in budgeting, tracking costs, analyzing data and developing action plans.
• Experience working in regulated environment driving high performance.
• Quality systems management experience required.
• A proven track record of achieving results against production and manufacturing goals.
• Understanding of plant financials and prior P&L responsibility.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and demonstrated ability to lead people and achieve results through others.
• Excellent conflict resolution skills and demonstrated experience in directing and motivating multi-level talent.
• Strategic and operational planning expertise with an action-oriented perspective, sound problem analysis and logical thinking with the ability to develop effective solutions and execute to achieve desired results.
• A proven track record of managing: production resources, manufacturing capacity, establishing positive employee relations.
• Ability to initiate and implement continuous improvement projects addressing process efficiency, product costs and performance/output in response to operational objectives, budget parameters and customer demands.
• Understanding the overall strategy of the cooperative and align the division’s assets accordingly with the overall value chain.
• Working knowledge of Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO), FDA and USDA regulations.
• Knowledge of Environmental Regulations, and OSHA.
• Positive, proactive, self-directed approach.
• Ability to anticipate needs, forecast conditions, set goals/standards and measure results.
• Effectively adapt to changing situations, unexpected issues and varied job demands.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to work in a fast, efficient environment with cross-functional teams.
  
  

Benefits Of Working At Darigold

We understand that as an employee, benefits that support you and your family in and out of work are important. We’re proud to offer eligible positions a competitive total rewards package that includes:

• 401k competitive employer matching
• Comprehensive medical, dental & vision benefits
• Employer paid life & disability coverage
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• 8 weeks paid parental leave
• Education assistance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible hybrid working arrangement where applies (up to 2 days/week after initial 90 days and approval by hiring manager and HR)
• Access to great dairy products & participation in our employee butter purchase program
• Compensation range: $199,532 - $352,115 (individual wage based on previous experience, knowledge and skills)
• This role is eligible to participate in our incentive program
  
  

Our Commitment To Diversity

Achieving our vision to Lead Dairy Forward requires cultivating and supporting a team with varying backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We are committed to providing a workplace based on mutual respect where all employees feel included and can bring their best and authentic selves to work every day. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and Affirmative Action Employer. We welcome all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, marital status, creed, religion, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. As a condition of employment applicants offered a role will be required to successfully pass our pre-employment background screen, receive a negative drug screen result & confirm eligibility to work in the U.S. We participate in E-Verify - please follow the links for details, English / Spanish & view our Right to Work Statement, English / Spanish.