Production Leadership

Production Leadership Darlington Wisconsin (US) Supply Chain & Logistics 40+

The best production leaders know this job isn't really about machines.

It's about people.

It's about helping someone grow into their first leadership role, coaching a team through a tough day, celebrating a production win together, and creating an environment where people feel supported, challenged, and proud of the work they do.

At Friesland Campina , we're looking for leaders who believe that strong relationships drive strong results. Leaders who aren't afraid to roll up their sleeves, jump in to support the team, and build a culture where safety, quality, and continuous improvement come naturally.

If you're passionate about developing people just as much as improving processes, we'd love to meet you.

No two days in Production Leadership are exactly the same and honestly, that's one of the best parts of the job.

One day you might be coaching an employee who's ready for their next opportunity.

The next, you could be partnering with Maintenance to improve equipment reliability, working with Quality to solve a production challenge, reviewing performance metrics, or helping your team navigate an unexpected issue.

Every day brings new opportunities to lead, support your team, and make the operation better than it was yesterday.

• Helping create an environment where safety is always the first priority and people enjoy coming to work and feel proud of what they accomplish together.
• Leading, coaching, and developing production employees and frontline leaders to build a high-performing team.
• Partnering with Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, Supply Chain, Warehouse, and other departments to achieve shared goals.

Monitoring production performance, quality, downtime, yields, and efficiency to identify opportunities for improvement.

• Driving continuous improvement initiatives that improve safety, productivity, quality, and employee engagement.
• Supporting production planning, staffing, scheduling, and operational priorities.

Responsibilities may also include strategic planning, budgeting, capital projects, asset reliability, succession planning, and overall site performance.

We're not just looking for someone who's managed people. We're looking for someone who enjoys leading people.

Someone who builds relationships before giving direction. Someone who understands that accountability and empathy aren't opposites, they go hand in hand.

Leadership experience in food, dairy, beverage, ingredient, or other manufacturing environments.

Experience leading teams in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.

• A passion for developing people and building engaged teams.

Commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement.

Experience in dairy, cheese, whey, or food manufacturing.

Experience leading continuous improvement, Lean, or operational excellence initiatives.

Knowledge of GMPs, HACCP, food safety, OSHA, and manufacturing best practices.

Experience using production metrics to improve performance and decision-making.

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, Food Science, Business, or a related field.

Multi-shift leadership experience and strategic operations experience for senior leadership opportunities.

The leaders who are most successful at Friesland Campina aren't the loudest people in the room. They're the ones people naturally want to follow. They:

Lead by example.

Stay calm when things don't go according to plan.

Coach before they criticize.

• Celebrate wins and learn from setbacks.
• Hold themselves to the same standards they expect from others.

Believe their team's success is the best measure of their own success.

Whether your goal is becoming a Plant Manager, expanding your operational leadership experience, or continuing to develop high-performing teams, we'll provide opportunities to strengthen your leadership skills and make a lasting impact.

$65,000-$195,000 annually based on your experience and education

Medical (through Anthem), Dental & Vision Insurance starting after 30 days

401(k) with up to 4% Company Match

23 Paid Vacation days annually & 13 paid Holidays

Company-paid Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Everything we do comes back to three simple values.

We build trust by treating one another with integrity, professionalism, and respect.

We challenge ourselves to improve every process, every shift, and every day.

We believe our greatest accomplishments happen when we support one another and work toward a common goal.

We'll provide the opportunity to turn that into a career you'll be proud of.

For thousands of people every day, we are more than just a dairy company. To our farmers, our employees, the communities we serve, the businesses we work with, and the people we bring happiness to, Friesland…