General Manager

Lead the Next Chapter of Growth at Winona Foods

A rare opportunity to join one of the cheese industry's most respected privately held companies.

Locally owned and operated since 1995, Winona Foods is proud to be a growing industry leader in innovative cheese manufacturing, converting, and distribution. We support a wide range of partners — from major dairy manufacturers to industrial and food service customers across the country. If you’re looking for a workplace where people matter, your ideas are valued, and your work makes a real impact on product quality and customer satisfaction, you’ll feel right at home here.

Winona Foods — Imagine the Possibilities!

The General Manager is responsible for leading and developing the business through a team of operational leaders while ensuring the organization consistently delivers on its commitments to customers, employees, and ownership. Reporting to the President, the General Manager provides leadership across Operations, Quality, Engineering, and MRP/Materials Planning functions to achieve objectives related to safety, quality, service, cost, and growth.

The General Manager partners closely with Sales, Finance, and Procurement to evaluate business opportunities, align manufacturing capabilities with customer requirements, and enable profitable growth. The General Manager ensures the organization remains agile, customer-focused, and positioned for continued success.

The list of duties and responsibilities is not all inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities, as management may deem necessary from time to time.

• Provide overall leadership and direction for the organization through a team of functional leaders.
• Establish priorities, objectives, and performance expectations that support the company’s strategic and financial goals.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.
• Lead, develop, and coach direct reports while strengthening organizational capability and succession readiness.

• Provide leadership and oversight for manufacturing operations, quality, engineering, and MRP/materials planning functions.
• Ensure operational performance meets or exceeds established objectives for safety, food safety, quality, productivity, customer service, and cost.
• Drive sustainable cost reduction initiatives through Lean Manufacturing, waste elimination, labor productivity improvements, process optimization, and operational excellence programs while maintaining safety, quality, and customer service objectives.
• Monitor key performance indicators and drive corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives as needed.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, customer requirements, and applicable regulatory standards.

• Partner with the President and Senior Leadership Team to develop and execute business strategies that support sustainable growth and long-term success.
• Evaluate business opportunities by assessing manufacturing capabilities, operational requirements, risks, and constraints.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational capabilities, capacity, efficiency, and organizational effectiveness.
• Serve as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, providing operational insight and recommendations regarding business opportunities, capital investments, operational capabilities, capacity planning, and long-term business objectives.

• Lead the annual operating budget process for manufacturing functions and support achievement of financial objectives.
• Partner with Sales, Finance, and Procurement to evaluate business opportunities and support profitable growth.
• Translate business forecasts into labor, equipment, facility, inventory, and operational resource requirements.
• Identify, prioritize, and support capital investment projects that improve safety, quality, productivity, capacity, and profitability.
• Develop and execute plans to achieve annual productivity and cost savings targets through continuous improvement…