Plant Manager in Appleton

Job Description

Dairy Plant Manager job opening in northeast Wisconsin! This family-owned dairy company is highly respected in the region and has been in business for 50 years. We’re looking for a hands-on leader who focuses on building employee relationships, working on the floor, and can drive excellence across all plant operations—including manufacturing, efficiency, inventory, safety, maintenance, transportation, capital projects, and the facility budget. This is a highly visible, high-impact leadership role that will report directly to the President and Owner.

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee full scope of plant operations: production, maintenance, logistics, and budget

• Ensure compliance with quality, safety, and regulatory standards

• Lead capital projects and implement process improvements

• Analyze performance metrics to optimize output and reduce costs

• Partner with senior leadership on long-term strategic planning

• Champion employee development, morale, and operational excellence

Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in plant leadership within the dairy or food manufacturing industry

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, regulated environment

• Strong skills in communication, performance management, and team development

• Experience with plant engineering, maintenance, and lean manufacturing preferred

• Hands-on leadership style with a strategic mindset

• Bachelor’s degree preferred

This is a critical leadership hire and the company is moving quickly.  For more information, contact Alana at gpac at alana.seddon@gogpac.com

Keywords: plant manager, operations manager, dairy manufacturing

All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, age, color, sex (including pregnancy), religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable laws or regulations. GPAC (Growing People and Companies) is an award-winning search firm specializing in placing quality professionals within multiple industries across the United States since 1990. We are extremely competitive, client-focused and realize that our value is in our ability to deliver the right solutions at the right time.