Production Processing Manager

The Production Processing Manager leads all aseptic beverage-processing operations, ensuring the safe, efficient, and compliant production of high-quality products. This position is a key member of the Site Leadership Team and contributes to broader plant strategy, operational performance, workforce development, and continuous improvement.

The ideal candidate is an experienced manufacturing leader with a progressive career history, strong business judgment, and the ability to lead beyond their immediate area of responsibility. This role provides opportunities to expand leadership scope over time based on demonstrated performance, capability, and organizational needs.

• Lead day-to-day aseptic processing operations, including batching, mixing, blending, UHT/HTST processing, and sterilization.
• Ensure production targets are achieved for safety, quality, volume, yield, throughput, cost, and efficiency.
• Monitor and optimize Clean-in-Place (CIP) and Sterilize-in-Place (SIP) processes.
• Promote a safety-first culture and ensure consistent adherence to safe operating practices.
• Coordinate with Packaging, Quality, Sanitation, Maintenance, Warehouse, and Supply Chain teams to support seamless plant operations.
• Provide visible leadership on the production floor and ensure timely escalation and resolution of operational issues.
• Provide leadership coverage for broader site priorities when needed.

• Serve as an active member of the Site Leadership Team and contribute to the development and execution of site priorities.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives that improve overall plant safety, quality, service, cost, culture, and operational performance.
• Use operational and financial data to identify risks, evaluate opportunities, and make sound business recommendations.
• Support annual operating plans, departmental budgets, labor planning, capital priorities, and cost-improvement initiatives.
• Build effective partnerships across all site functions and influence decisions beyond the processing department.
• Support organizational change and create alignment around plant goals, expectations, and performance standards.

• Ensure compliance with FDA regulations, aseptic-processing requirements, Good Manufacturing Practices, and site food safety standards.
• Maintain adherence to HACCP plans, critical control points, preventive controls, and established processing parameters.
• Partner with Quality Assurance to ensure product sterility, consistency, and conformance to specifications.
• Lead investigations involving process deviations, contamination risks, product holds, and nonconformances.
• Ensure corrective and preventive actions are effective and completed within established timelines.

• Oversee the operation and performance of processing equipment, including:
• UHT and HTST systems
• Blending and batching systems
• Aseptic tanks and related processing equipment
• Process-control and automation systems
• Analyze process and equipment data to improve efficiency, increase reliability, and reduce downtime.
• Lead continuous-improvement initiatives focused on waste reduction, yield improvement, process capability, and operational efficiency.
• Apply structured problem-solving and root-cause analysis to eliminate recurring issues.
• Partner with Maintenance and Engineering on equipment reliability, preventive maintenance, capital improvements, and long-term processing capability.

• Lead, coach, and develop processing operators, leads, supervisors, and technicians.
• Establish clear performance expectations and ensure accountability for safety, quality, productivity, attendance, and workplace conduct.
• Manage staffing,…