Plant Manager

Plant Manager

Location: Valencia, CA

Work Arrangement: On-site

Industry: Food / Ingredient Manufacturing

Schedule: Full-time | Leadership responsibility for a 24/7 operation

Compensation: $140,000 to $155,000

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Plant Manager to lead a high-volume manufacturing facility in Valencia, CA. This is a key leadership position responsible for driving safety, quality, production, supply chain, inventory control, operational efficiency, cost management, and employee development across the facility.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on manufacturing leader with a strong background in food or ingredient manufacturing and experience managing complex, 24/7 operations. This individual will build a strong safety and accountability culture while continuously improving plant performance, developing future leaders, and ensuring customers receive high-quality products on time and at competitive costs.

Experience with liquid flavor production, dry powder blending, spray drying, food processing, or process extraction is especially valuable.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership for plant operations across all shifts in a 24/7 manufacturing environment.

• Champion a strong safety culture and partner closely with EH&S to ensure safe operating practices, training, and regulatory compliance.

• Lead manufacturing strategy and develop operational plans supporting safety, quality, service, productivity, and profitability goals.

• Ensure production and shipping schedules meet customer requirements while maintaining appropriate raw material and finished-goods inventory levels.

• Drive compliance with food safety, product quality, SOP, and regulatory requirements.

• Lead, mentor, and develop plant leadership and production teams through training, talent development, succession planning, and clear accountability.

• Establish performance expectations and provide ongoing coaching and feedback to direct reports.

• Support resolution of customer concerns and quality issues in partnership with Quality and other functional teams.

• Lead continuous improvement and Lean initiatives focused on productivity, throughput, waste reduction, cost savings, and operational efficiency.

• Develop and execute maintenance strategies incorporating preventive, predictive, and reliability-centered maintenance.

• Lead operational readiness efforts supporting major CAPEX, equipment, automation, and ERP implementations.

• Develop long-term site and capital plans and build business justification for capital investments.

• Maintain strong inventory controls and ensure established processes are consistently followed.

• Monitor plant P&L, budgets, operating costs, and financial performance.

• Develop and track KPI dashboards measuring safety, quality, service, efficiency, and throughput across the operation.

• Support environmental stewardship initiatives related to wastewater, air permitting, and solid-waste reduction.

• Understand ingredient market dynamics, including seasonality, commodity pricing, and changing customer demand.

• Participate in customer visits and cross-functional initiatives that strengthen plant capabilities and customer relationships.

• Partner closely with Quality, Production, Supply Chain, Distribution, Logistics, Engineering, Maintenance, Customer Service, Sales, and Marketing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required; degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Food Chemistry, Biology, Chemistry, or a related discipline preferred.

• 10+ years of progressive production/manufacturing leadership experience, with increasing levels of responsibility.

• Demonstrated experience leading a 24/5 or 24/7 manufacturing operation.

• Strong food or ingredient manufacturing background preferred.

• Experience with liquid production, dry powder blending, spray drying, or similar manufacturing processes highly desirable.

• Food-related process extraction experience is a plus.

• Strong understanding of food safety, quality systems, regulatory compliance, and manufacturing best practices.

• Proven success developing supervisors, managers, and future operational leaders.

• Strong background in Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement.

• Experience developing and implementing preventive, predictive, and reliability-centered maintenance strategies.

• Demonstrated experience supporting or leading significant CAPEX and plant improvement projects.

• Experience with equipment automation and the ability to work with PLC-controlled systems, automated batching, and production processes.

• Strong ERP/MRP experience; SAP and/or SAGE experience is a plus.

• Experience supporting large-scale ERP implementations and operational readiness initiatives.

• Strong financial acumen with experience managing budgets, P&L performance, cost controls, KPIs, and capital expenditures.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, spreadsheets, databases, ERP systems, and analytical tools.

• Strong communication, leadership, problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Why This Opportunity?

This is an excellent opportunity for an accomplished manufacturing leader to take ownership of a complex operation and have a direct impact on safety, people development, operational excellence, continuous improvement, customer satisfaction, and long-term plant strategy.

If you are a hands-on Plant Manager who enjoys developing teams, improving manufacturing processes, and leading change in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment, we would like to hear from you.

Location: Valencia, CA | On-site

Benefit offerings: include medical, dental, vision, additional voluntary benefits, 401K plan. Our program provides employees the flexibility to choose the type of coverage that meets their individual needs. Available paid leave may include Paid Sick Leave, where required by law; any other paid leave required by Federal, State, or local law; and Holiday pay upon meeting eligibility criteria.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

To read our Candidate Privacy Information Statement, which explains how we will use your information, please navigate to https://www.lhh.com/us/en/candidate-privacy

The Company will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and/or security clearance requirements, including, as applicable:

• The California Fair Chance Act
• Los Angeles City Fair Chance Ordinance
• Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers
• San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Pay Details: $140,000.00 to $155,000.00 per year

Search managed by: Lisa Hustler

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

Military connected talent encouraged to apply

To read our Candidate Privacy Information Statement, which explains how we will use your information, please navigate to https://www.lhh.com/us/en/candidate-privacy

The Company will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and/or security clearance requirements, including, as applicable:

• The California Fair Chance Act
• Los Angeles City Fair Chance Ordinance
• Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers
• San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Massachusetts Candidates Only: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.