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About Flora Food Group
We offer consumers a compelling choice in four growing categories: butters and spreads, creams, liquids and cheeses. We hold leadership positions in many of the 100 countries we operate in, with iconic brands including Flora, Becel+ProActiv, Blue Band, Country Crock, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, Rama, and Violife, together with our local brands and Professional business.
Global branded food champion Flora Food Group, offers the next generation of delicious, natural, nutritious food. Our products are more affordable and more sustainable than their dairy equivalents.
Reports To: Factory Director
Location: Hugoton, Kansas
Position Summary
We are seeking a dynamic, experienced, and hands-on Production Manager to lead daily manufacturing operations in a start-up dairy/aseptic facility. This role demands a strategic thinker with a strong engineering foundation, proven leadership in high-speed aseptic processing, and the agility to build systems from the ground up. You’ll be instrumental in shaping the operational backbone of a cutting-edge facility focused on safety, quality, and efficiency.
This is a rare opportunity to be part of a groundbreaking facility from its inception. You’ll help shape the future of dairy innovation while working alongside passionate professionals in a collaborative and entrepreneurial environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Oversee end-to-end plant operations
- Assist with developing and implementing SOPs, KPIs, and operational systems for a new facility
- Lead and mentor cross-functional teams to meet safety, quality, and productivity goals
- Collaborate with the Factory Director on strategic planning and capital projects
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies
- Ensure compliance with regulatory standards (FDA, USDA, cGMP, HACCP)
- Manage aseptic processing lines and troubleshoot technical issues
- Coordinate training for new production operators
- Develop and lead production supervisors
- Optimize resource utilization (labor, materials, equipment) to control costs
- Coordinate with engineering and project teams during commissioning and scale-up phases
- Build a culture of accountability, innovation, and operational excellence
About You
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Chemical, Industrial, or related)
- 8+ years of manufacturing experience, with at least 3 years in aseptic/dairy operations
- Experience in launching or scaling up a manufacturing facility is highly preferred
- Strong knowledge of aseptic processing, high-speed packaging, and utility systems
- Proven leadership in managing multi-disciplinary teams in a fast-paced environment
- Familiarity with ERP systems (e.g., SAP), QMS platforms, and data-driven decision-making
- Excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills
Preferred Attributes
- Startup mindset: adaptable, resourceful, and proactive
- Experience with commissioning new equipment and facility validation
- Certification in Lean, Six Sigma, or Project Management (PMP) is a plus
- Ability to thrive in ambiguity and drive structure where none exists
What’s next
If this position sounds interesting, please hit the apply button now!
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We understand your resume might not be up to date and recommend that you apply with what you have or your LinkedIn Profile. Flora Food Group is dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workplace, we understand that you might not meet all the requirements stated in the description, but we encourage you to apply anyway. You might be the right candidate for this role or other roles.
Flora Food Group is an employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and equal opportunities for all. We recruit based only on values, qualifications, performance, skills, behaviours, experience, and knowledge. We ensure job advertisements are free from unintentional bias.
No personal characteristics should be a barrier to joining Flora Food Group. We prohibit discrimination and harassment based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or other personal characteristics.
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