Raw Materials & Production Manager

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 At Lactalis in the USA, we’re committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our people to learn, grow, and thrive—whether you’re just starting your journey with us or looking to take the next step in your career. From day one, we offer the tools and support to help you succeed.

 As the world leader in dairy, Lactalis is a family-owned company with over 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Each day, we’re proud to produce award-winning dairy products that bring people together.

 In the US, we proudly offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani® Italian cheeses and ricotta, Président® specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft® natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone’s® cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel®, Black Diamond® cheddar, and Parmalat® milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi’s®, Stonyfield Organic®, Brown Cow™, Oui®, Yoplait®, Go-Gurt®, :ratio®, Green Mountain Creamery®, and Mountain High®, along with a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun®, Gopi®, and Arz®.

 At Lactalis, we live by our core values—Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity. We foster a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone’s unique background and ideas are valued.

 Even if you don’t meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how your EXPERTISE can help us shape the future of dairy. 

 From your PASSION to ours

Central Valley Cheese, Inc./Karoun Dairies, LLC, part of the Lactalis family of companies, is currently hiring a Raw Materials & Production Manager based in Turlock, CA.

The Production & Raw Materials Manager is responsible for overseeing end-to-end production operations and raw material management within a cheese manufacturing facility. This dual-role position ensures efficient production scheduling, optimal use of raw materials (milk, cultures, ingredients, packaging), compliance with food safety regulations, and alignment with cost, quality, and delivery targets. The role requires strong cross-functional leadership across production, procurement, quality assurance, warehousing, and supply planning to ensure uninterrupted manufacturing operations.

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Key responsibilities for this position include:

Raw Materials Management

• Manage procurement, receiving, storage, and usage of all raw materials including milk, cultures, enzymes, salt, and packaging supplies.
• Maintain optimal inventory levels to support production while minimizing spoilage and carrying costs.
• Develop and manage supplier relationships to ensure consistent quality, pricing, and delivery reliability.
• Track and control raw material usage, variances, and losses.
• Implement inventory control systems (FIFO, lot traceability, expiration control) specific to dairy requirements.
• Coordinate with Quality Assurance to ensure incoming materials meet all safety and regulatory standards.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, traceability, and documentation requirements.
• Monitor market trends for dairy inputs and adjust sourcing strategies accordingly.

Production Management

· Oversee daily cheese production operations, ensuring adherence to production schedules, yields, and quality standards.

· Lead production teams to meet safety, quality, cost, and efficiency targets (SQCD metrics).

• Supervise production staff, including cheesemakers, line leads, and operators, ensuring proper training and performance management.
• Analyze production data (downtime, yields, waste, labor efficiency) and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
• Coordinate preventative maintenance and collaborate with Maintenance to minimize downtime.
• Drive labor planning, staffing, and training initiatives for production personnel.
• Enforce workplace safety and regulatory compliance (Cal/OSHA standards).
• Ensure adherence to standardized recipes, batch controls, and process parameters.
• Maintain accurate inventory records in SAP/ERP systems.
• Coordinate production timelines with aging/curing schedules, packaging, and distribution needs.

People Management

• Supervise production supervisors, warehouse leads and inventory personnel.
• Coach, train, and develop team members.
• Manage employee performance, discipline, and engagement.
• Promote a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement.

Quality & Food Safety Compliance

• Ensure compliance with FDA, USDA, state regulations, and industry standards (e.g., HACCP, SQF, GMP).
• Partner with QA/QC teams to maintain product quality, traceability, and audit readiness.
• Enforce sanitation protocols and environmental controls critical to cheese production.
• Lead investigations and corrective actions related to quality deviations or recalls.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate with Quality Assurance to maintain product consistency and regulatory compliance.
• Partner with Supply Chain/Planning to align production plans with demand forecasts.
• Coordinate with Warehouse & Logistics for inventory flow and finished goods movement.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for production or material issues.
• Participate in audits (internal, customer, regulatory) and ensure readiness.

Financial and Operational Performance

• Develop and manage production and material budgets.
• Monitor KPIs such as:
  • Yield and waste.
  • Labor efficiency
  • Inventory turns.
  • Material variances
  • On-time production attainment
• Implement cost-reduction and process improvement Initiatives.
• Manage departmental budgets related to materials, labor, and production costs.
• Implement lean manufacturing or continuous improvement methodologies where applicable.

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, Dairy Science, Operations Management, or related field (preferred).
• Equivalent experience in dairy or food manufacturing may be considered.
• 5-8 years of experience in food or dairy manufacturing, preferably cheese production.
• 3+ years in a leadership role managing production and/or materials.
• Strong knowledge of cheese processing and dairy operations is highly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong understanding of:
  • Dairy processing and cheese manufacturing systems.
  • Raw milk handling and ingredient functionality.
  • Inventory control and ERP system.

Knowledge of:

o HACCP, SQF, GMPs, and food safety regulations.

o California labor and safety compliance(preferred)

o Knowledge of inventory management systems and ERP platforms.

· Proficiency in data analysis and production planning tools.

Leadership & Competencies

• Strong leadership, team development, and communication skills.
• Operational Excellence
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced production environment.
• Problem-solving mindset with a focus on continuous improvement.
• High attention to detail, especially regarding quality and compliance
• Results-driven mindset

At Lactalis, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards Program with a variety of affordable benefits and coverage options. We support insurance costs significantly, contribute generously to retirement plans, and offer Paid Time Off from day one. We are committed to your professional growth, providing training and development opportunities, including Education Reimbursement. Join us and grow your career.

Lactalis is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally-recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities. Further, any division of the Company that is an Affirmative Action Employer will comply with all related legal obligations.