Production Manager

Title

Production Manager

Associate Plant Director

Tulare, CA

Looking for a job that can grow into a lifelong career?

At Lactalis USA, we believe in promoting from within and giving our employees meaningful opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive. Whether you're just starting out or bringing years of experience, we'll provide the tools and support you need to succeed.

Lactalis is the world leader in dairy—a family‑owned company with over 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Every day, we’re proud to produce award‑winning dairy products that bring people together every day.

In the US, we offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani Italian cheeses and ricotta, President specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft natural and grated cheeses, Break stone's cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond cheddar, and Parmalat milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi's, Stonyfield Organic, Brown Cow, Oui, Yoplait, Go‑Gurt, :ratio, Green Mountain Creamery, and Mountain High, along with sour cream and a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun, Gopi, and Arz.

At Lactalis, we live by our core values—
Ambition
, Engagement
, and Simplicity
. We're building a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone's unique background and ideas are valued.

Even if you don't meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY
, and how your EXPERTISE can help us make an impact.

The Department Manager is responsible for the overall management and direction of the department processes. Ensures manufacturing performance, volume and quality goals are met by utilizing efficient methods, along with maintaining appropriate staffing and labor cost levels. Responsibilities may include but are not limited to: achieving project/department goals within budget; coordinating manufacturing with other departments (Marketing, R&D, etc.) as well as with vendors;

oversees the interviewing and hiring of employees to include appraising performance, rewarding and coaching employees; and addressing complaints and resolving problems.

• Analyzes manufacturing data and identify trends, variances, and opportunities for improvement; identifies and utilizes methods to assure manufacturing processes are more efficient and effective (reducing waste, reducing labor cost, etc).
• Directs adjustments of the manufacturing processes to maintain conformance with standards, specifications and customer requirements.
• Ensures compliance with workplace and government‑mandated standards (FDA, USDA, OSHA, etc.)
• Responsible for maintaining all GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) and all regulatory requirements.
• Responsible for preparing a variety of manufacturing reports and presenting to top management, including corrective actions or adjustments as required.
• Responsible for the overall safety of personnel through continual inspection of the department and processes, making necessary changes to ensure efficiency is not compromised by safety and health concerns.
• Confers with the Production Manager and other Department Managers to coordinate departmental activities.
• Will be required to explain variances in labor costs and productivity.
• Ensures adherence to GMP, GSP, FSSC practices, and QC policies and procedures, and proper maintenance of equipment.
• Responsible for the overall department budget and Cap Ex process; to include collection, preparation and presentation of data to top management.
• Cooperates with other management in establishing and communicating company policies, operating procedures and goals.
• Ensures quality assurance programs prevent or eliminate defects in new or existing products.
• Ensures successful completion of department specific initiatives (e.g. capital projects).
• Ensures effective employee relations by supporting and maintaining a safe and positive work environment. Analyzes and assists in resolving work and/or employee issues through problem resolution.
• Manage, train and develop team members through mentoring, coaching and coordination of individual…