Production Manager

Darigold is seeking an experienced and motivated Production Manager to join the leadership team at our Rainier Plant. The Production Manager should possess the desire and ability to dynamically contribute to the success of the facility. The primary purpose of the position is to direct and to be accountable for the activities of the plant’s production departments including Receiving, Processing and Packaging while collaborating with Safety, Quality, Warehouse and Maintenance.

The Production Manager reports to the Assistant Plant Manager. Ideal candidates will excel in a fast‑paced environment, will consistently demonstrate initiative, will handle multiple rigorous projects and endeavors, will exhibit strong attention to detail and will be committed to producing high quality products.

Darigold is the fifth largest dairy cooperative in the United States based on milk volume and one of the largest privately held organizations headquartered in the state of Washington. Since 1918, our producers have taken pride in producing dairy products with unsurpassed quality. Today we are one of the nation's largest agricultural cooperatives, producing over 8.5 billion pounds of milk every year.

Through innovative technology and our efficient, flexible production capabilities, we deliver value‑added products and customer‑driven solutions. Darigold is now known throughout the world for bringing fresh, wholesome dairy products and ingredients from the Northwest to people all around the globe.

• The Production Manager will serve as a true strategic partner within the facility by:
• Providing leadership and guidance to all Production Department Supervisors; define and ensure that individual performance of subordinates meets or exceeds goals and expectations.
• Ensuring effective communication and status reports are maintained with the entire management team.
• Ensuring superior levels and delivery of safety, reliability, sanitation, quality and regulatory conformance in all arenas.
• Sponsoring continuous improvement initiatives and providing momentum to ensure successful completion.
• This function has a direct impact on the fiscal stability of the business and productivity of the business unit.
• Prepare and conduct team meetings to ensure proper communication and updates.
• Work aggressively and cooperatively with Engineering, Quality Assurance, Human Resources and EHS staff to ensure goals and objectives for the facility are accomplished:
  • Maximizes yields (product to raw material/ingredient ratios).
  • Minimizes off‑specification product.
  • Maximizes throughput (gallons/pounds per cycle).
  • Ensure safe work performance standards.
• Demonstrate excellent diplomacy and prompt intervention tactics in handling potentially disruptive personnel issues.
• Serve as the Subject Matter Expert in the arenas related to the production process and its associated equipment.
• Guide, and provide momentum, for the operations teams during periods of downtime.
• Through support and coordination ensure training and development of all plant production personnel.
• Assess, identify and report on plant operations and the fiscal impact on those operations of upsets, downtime and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Predictively, creatively and decisively address production issues to guarantee swift resolution and minimal system or process upset.
• Identify potential in, sponsor, mentor and ensure development of supervisor subordinates.
• Ensure effective employee communication, training and compliance on quality programs, policies and standards. Take action to address quality issues and the root cause.
• Review and analyze production, quality control, maintenance and operational reports to determine causes of nonconformity with product specifications and operating or…