Sr. Plant Director

Work Location: ​Fairfield​

Due to the highly interactive nature of this manufacturing position, in-person attendance and flexibility are essential for supporting production schedules, effective communication and collaboration, real-time problem solving, and participation in cross-functional initiatives. Schedules may vary and are subject to change.

Want to make an impact?

The Senior Plant Director is a hands-on leadership position that manages all facility operations with overall responsibilities for team, production, maintenance, facilities, and safety. The Senior Plant Director is a critical component of the leadership team, ensuring that our plant operations deliver safe, high-quality products efficiently. We are seeking a proven leader, team player, who is focused on people development, safety, quality, efficiencies, understands TPM methodologies, has a Lean mindset, and delivers solid financial performance for the facility. This is a challenging and rewarding opportunity for the operations professional who understands that in this role 95%+ of the plant team reports indirectly up this leader, and that they will be ultimately responsible for total plant performance. 

This position is based at the Jelly Belly Manufacturing Site in Fairfield, CA, an acquired organization now part of the Ferrara Group.

This position reports to the Vice President of Manufacturing, North America. 

Ways you will make a difference

• Manage facility production, packaging, and storage of quality food products including food safety, quality, employee and asset safety, and operational efficiencies
• Champion continuous improvement and TPM methodologies along with a Lean mindset across the facility and train/support managers and supervisors as necessary 
• Oversee production planning to ensure efficient schedules are delivered that drive lowest cost and met customer demands 
• Manage daily and long-term production activities to meet or exceed budgeted production goals and drive optimum equipment efficiency and productivity 
• Directly manage and develop Production, Maintenance, and Factory Supply Chain Managers, providing developmental, coaching, and mentoring opportunities 
• Lead and partner with the facility leadership team to ensure the total manufacturing objectives are accomplished in a timely and cost-effective manner. Success is defined as no food safety or quality issues, zero accidents, and an overall cost-effective operation. 
• Manage monthly plant reviews and management report-outs to accurately determine operational efficiency, financial performance, improvement plans, and safety 
• Guide the plant floor data standardization, collection, utilization, and management to drive continuous improvement 
• Implement effective systems and strategies of cost control over capital, operating expenditures, hourly wages, and salaries 
• Establish and monitor overall plant performance for production and quality standards including compliance with established HACCP, BRC and GMP guidelines, preparing teams for customer and regulatory audits 
• Partner cross functionally with other Sr. Plant Directors and leaders to share best practices 
• Oversee and maintain preventative maintenance programs and related costs in partnership with Maintenance team 
• Ensure efficient facility supply chain flow in and oversee inventory readiness, including raw materials, WIP, and packaging  
• Partner with facility Human Resources, Environmental, Health, & Safety, Continuous Improvement, Quality, Finance, and Engineering teams 

Skills that will make you successful

• Proven leadership abilities in championing continuous improvement, safety, and team building 
• Strong interpersonal skills (communication, coaching, setting expectations, providing feedback) 
• Demonstrated problem-solving and decision-making skills 
• Comprehensive business acumen in managing and improving operations, team performance, communication, and processes 
• Knowledge of budgeting, procurement, and cost control  

Experiences that will support your success

• Bachelor’s Degree in an appropriate business or operations discipline required 
• 10+ years of relevant and successful job experience leading a food manufacturing environment 
• Knowledgeable in all aspects of food manufacturing, processing, and warehousing 
• Strong interest and proven capabilities in taking full accountability for plant performance including management of team, process, reporting, and day-to-day execution of objectives.  
• Demonstrated Continuous Improvement experience 
• Experience with TPM methodologies, with focus on AM and PM pillars 
• Lean Manufacturing experience  
• SAP experience 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite 

What We Offer

At Ferrara, we’re proud to support our employees by providing comprehensive benefits such as health insurance, dental insurance, a 401(k), and paid time off (PTO).  Eligible employees may also receive an annual bonus based on company performance. Learn more about our benefits at https://flimp.live/Ferrara-Candy-2025-OE-QR

Compensation

The salary range for this role is $170,000-$225,000 annually.