Operations Leadership Associate Job Lake Norden South Dakota USA,Manufacturing / Production

Location: Lake Norden

Job Type: Temporary (Fixed Term)

People are at the heart of our success. Our culture encourages collaboration, transparency, and accountability to create value and achieve sustainable results. Being part of Agropur means joining a team where your contributions matter, your ideas are heard, and your work has a meaningful impact on the future of our business.

Manufacturing & Operations Leadership Development Program is designed for new graduates who aspire to become the next generation of leaders within our manufacturing network. Inspired by industry-leading programs, this structured 18 month rotational experience offers hands-on exposure across key areas of our operations. Through progressive rotations, mentorship, and leadership coaching, you will gain the technical, operational, and people-management skills needed to lead teams in a high-performance manufacturing environment.

A

structured work environment:

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Short and Long-term Disability Insurance
401(k) with 7% company contributions
3 weeks Paid Time Off
Paid holidays and 2 floating holidays
Paid parental leave
Advancement Opportunities
Starting salary: $70,000

Your day-to-day responsibilities:

As an Associate in our Manufacturing & Operations Leadership Development Program, through structured rotations, mentorship, and leadership coaching, you will gain the technical, operational, and people-management skills needed to lead teams in a high-performance manufacturing environment. You will rotate through several key operational functions including:

Production & operations
Maintenance & automation
Planning & distribution
Quality & Food safety
Continuous improvements

Your role in achieving results:

Work directly in production environments, supporting process optimization and taking on early team coordination responsibilities.
Follow a personalized development plan supported by mentorship, coaching, and leadership workshops.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams and gain visibility with senior leaders.
Be considered for a frontline leadership or supervisory role upon successful completion.

You will learn:

How to build foundational leadership and people-management skills.
How manufacturing operations and production processes function from end to end.
Key principles of Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and root cause analysis.
How supply chain planning, scheduling, and workflow optimization drive operational success.
How to make data-driven decisions using performance metrics and operational insights.

What you need to join our team:

Bachelor's degree or Associate's degree in Dairy Manufacturing, Food Science, Production & Operations Management, Industrial Technology, or a related technical or business field
Internship or relevant project experience in manufacturing, operations, or industrial technology (preferred)
Demonstrated leadership through internships, campus involvement, or team projects
Strong communication, analytical, and problem solving skills
Mobility to relocate for assignments (if required)
Genuine interest in leading teams in a manufacturing environment

A role for those who want to create real impact and contribute to measurable and sustainable results.

Agropur welcomes people from all backgrounds and origins. We are proud to be an employer with a diverse community and are committed to providing a respectful and inclusive experience for all employees and applicants. We will work with candidates who request accommodation. Please note that an adequate knowledge of French is required for positions in Quebec.

Agropur uses artificial intelligence technology to assist our recruiters in screening, assessing, or selecting applicants for this position.

In this text, the use of the masculine gender to designate persons is intended only to lighten the text.