Plant Director

company information

fairlife, LLC is a Chicago-based dairy company that creates great-tasting, nutrition-rich and value-added products to nourish consumers.

With more than $1B in annual retail sales, fairlife’s growing portfolio of delicious, lactose-free, real dairy products includes: fairlife® ultra-filtered milk; Core Power® High Protein Shakes, a sports nutrition drink to support post-workout recovery; fairlife® nutrition plan™, a nutrition shake to support the journey to better health.

A wholly owned subsidiary of The Coca-Cola company, fairlife, LLC has been recognized by both Fast Company and Nielsen for its industry leading innovation.

The company is driven by its values of caring for people, the animals that supply us with milk, and the planet. By providing nourishing products, implementing stringent care standards for animals, and stewarding efficient operations and responsible packaging, fairlife, LLC puts a focus each day on making a positive impact for all. 

To learn more about fairlife and its complete line of products, please visit fairlife.com.

job purpose:

The Plant Director is responsible for the overall leadership and management fairlife's Goodyear, AZ plant milk receiving until packaged finished goods. The Director will be fully accountable for meeting Safety, Environmental, Quality, Production, Efficiency, Service Levels and People objectives for the site. In addition, this role will provide inspiration, direction, coaching and feedback to the plant leadership team which is responsible for meeting the business plan and strategic objectives whilst strengthening the fairlife culture of Believe in Better and fostering a culture of measurement driven continuous improvement. The Plant Director is responsible for the coordination, administration, and all day-to-day management of the operational activities for the production facility. They will develop and implement internal operating protocol, policies, and procedures in accordance with established company policy.

responsibilities:

• Responsible for the development of strategic initiatives, projects, plant processes, and management systems to continuously improve results in safety, quality assurance, productivity, cost savings, environmental stewardship, and customer service
• Ensure adherence to all health and safety policies, GMP policies, and regulatory requirements
• Partner with relevant stakeholders to ensure production plans are in accordance with plant capacities and capabilities. Refine near term plans to maximize productivity, quality, and customer service
• Support development of plant operational budgets, capital budgets, organizational structure, and policies and procedures.
• Conduct regular meetings with plant employees to communicate state of the business, plant goals, performance against targets, policy changes, and opportunities for operational improvement
• Provide dairy science, mechanical, process, and technical problem-solving support to engineers and operators
• Communicate and engage with the workforce at every level to build trust and continuity throughout the teams, consistently demonstrating the fairlife culture of Believe in Better
• Foster environment of collaboration and ownership across the company and departments
• Meet short term goals while balancing long term objectives
• Be an ambassador for the Arizona plant, representing the values, culture, and ethos of fairlife with internal and external stakeholders
• Lead the team in executing against competing priorities in a fast-paced environment balancing tactical and strategic initiatives to meet business objectives

skills/qualifications required:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or related discipline required
• A minimum of 10 years of Plant Manager or equivalent experience that is directly related to the duties and responsibilities outlined
• Dairy or brewing experience preferred; pharmaceutical or food experience considered. Aseptic processing experience a plus
• Proven ability to identify and mitigate food safety risks with a temperature sensitive pathogen risky raw material such as milk
• A proven track record of implementing TPM principles creating short- and long-term value in a technical manufacturing environment
• Proven ability to lead a team to achieve goals with trust and integrity
• Skilled in examining and re-engineering operations and procedures, formulating policy, and developing and implementing new strategies and procedures
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community
• Ability to make administrative and procedural decisions and judgments on sensitive, confidential issues
• Ability to analyze and assess training and development needs and manage performance
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Working knowledge of information technology and information systems such as ERP, MRP, MES, SCADA and business analytics  
• Ability to manage relationships with local government and regulatory officials to maintain and improve compliance of federal and state environmental laws, regulations, procedures, and standards
• Knowledge of budgeting cost estimating and fiscal management principles and procedures
• Ability to handle ambiguity and work in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment

position location: Goodyear, AZ

reports to: Vice President, Manufacturing Operations

travel requirements: up to 10% travel

fairlife, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. All qualified applicants and employees will be given equal opportunity. Selection decisions are based on job-related factors.

In addition to its nondiscrimination commitment, the Company will also provide reasonable accommodation of qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the Company. If you have a disability and would like to request accommodation in order to apply for a position with us, please email [email protected].