Technical Operations Manager

Select Milk Producers is one of the nation’s largest and most progressive dairy cooperatives, with 32 wholly owned subsidiaries, 12 processing plants, and 8 joint ventures including Fair Oaks Farms, Continental Dairy Facilities, Continental Dairy Facilities Southwest, Mill Haven Foods, Select Custom Solutions, GreenLink and Select Services. With over 1,000 employees, the Select Milk family of companies impacts all aspects of the dairy farm business and at the heart of our family of companies, is you.

"We strive to go above and beyond what’s expected in providing for our families, leading our employees, caring for our land and animals, serving our customers, producing quality milk, and serving one another. This commitment is more than our business, it’s in our culture and our character. We believe in being accountable, in doing what’s right, in performing at our best, in setting a higher standard."

Select Milk Producers and its subsidiaries offer attractive compensation and a best-in-class benefits package that includes but is not limited to medical, vision, dental, life insurance, and more that can be tailored for you and your family. Other benefits for eligible employees include 401(k) up to 6% company match, life and disability insurance, and paid holidays & vacation. We are proud to promote an equal employment opportunity workplace.

The Technical Operations Manager is a key member of the Mill Haven Foods Group Holdings (MHFGH) team, reporting directly to the VP Operations – Value Added Business. This role oversees the technical strategy and health of all MHFGH facilities, focusing on capital planning, preventive maintenance, and reliability programs. The Technical Operations Manager is responsible for building the technical skills and capabilities of the maintenance/technical team, developing a 3-year CAPEX plan, and integrating technical initiatives into site operating plans. The position will also serve as the primary contact for Select Services Engineering support, ensuring efficient operations across sites, which currently operate on a 24/5 or 24/4 schedule with potential expansion.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Execute capital and non-capital projects with precision, collaborating with local and corporate stakeholders, including Procurement, Suppliers, Planning, R&D, Safety, Quality, Legal, and Engineering teams.
• Enhance capital efficiency by identifying cost-saving opportunities and implementing alternative technical solutions.
• Drive continuous improvement in site performance, focusing on safety, maintenance cost-effectiveness, productivity, equipment longevity, yield improvements, and reduced operating costs.
• Champion a “Zero Loss and Zero Breakdown” culture within the site and broader organization.
• Foster innovation by encouraging creative problem-solving, sharing best practices, and supporting collaboration across teams.
• Build and lead high-performing teams, developing technical capabilities to achieve exceptional site performance.
• Collaborate with site teams to develop and execute a comprehensive site master plan that exceeds core performance goals.
• Engage with technical leaders across Select Milk Producers (SMP) to enhance collective technical and operational capabilities across the organization.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Direct responsibility for the leadership, supervision, guidance and support for all manufacturing, safety, shipping, receiving, warehouse, sanitation and maintenance personnel for the La Crosse, New Lisbon, and Tomah facilities.
• Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and procedures.
• Understand adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices.
• Stop any observed unsafe acts and obey facility safety rules and procedures.
• Correct or report any observed safety hazards.
• Support safety policies and programs.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities, as management may deem necessary from time to time.

Qualifications:

Education Required:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, or Technical related field required
• Equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be considered.

Experience Required:

• 10 years of progressive Technical Leadership experience leading a Maintenance and Engineering Department required.
• In depth knowledge of OSHA, HAACP, GMP, SQF, and USDA regulations.
• Adept at navigating and working in traditional Engineering and Maintenance support programs such as: AutoCAD, MS Project, E-Maint (or equivalent CMMS)

Certification/Licensure Required:

• Formal Project Management training or certifications are a plus

Competencies/Skills Required:

• Proficient in processing, filling, packaging, and utility systems commonly used in food manufacturing.
• Strong expertise in capital management, with a proven track record of leading projects valued at $3–$5MM and setting strategic investment priorities for a site.
• In-depth knowledge of sanitary design principles and project chartering processes to ensure smooth project startups.
• Familiarity with LEAN principles (e.g., standard work, 5S, PDCA) and their application in operational excellence.
• Extensive experience with reliability systems and processes to drive performance improvements.
• Exceptional leadership, organizational, and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to resolve conflicts effectively.
• Proven ability to lead and develop technically diverse teams in dynamic environments.
• Adaptability and resilience in navigating uncertainty and ambiguity.
• Collaborative, results-driven, and committed to achieving excellence in alignment with organizational values.
• Experience with developing and managing annual budget.
• Intermediate skills in MS Office suite of software, with focus on Excel and PowerPoint.
• Understanding of Key Performance Indicators and Lean Manufacturing preferred.
• High level of leadership skills including strategic thinking, fostering teamwork, cultivating relationships, and demonstrable experience leading teams through change.
• A servant leader mindset with a proven track record of success in building, managing, and leading a high performing teams through meaningful coaching and engagement.
• Excellent concise written and verbal communication skills. Ability to effectively present information to executive management, manufacturing associates, peers, and members outside of the organization.
• Drive “The Select Standard” (Continuous Improvement program), MOS, and KPIs to define problems, collect data, establish facts, draw valid conclusions and eliminate chronic performance issues.
• Committed to and actively work to continuously improve personally and professionally.

AA/EEO – Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity