Operations Director jobs in La Crosse, WI

Location – Onsite for all Organic Valley Production Facilities 
Employee Type – Salaried  
Bonus Eligibility – Yes
Safety Sensitive – No

If a company is going to make a difference in today’s world, it’s going to have to think differently. At Organic Valley, our philosophy and decisions are based on the health and welfare of people, animals and the earth.  We’re a mission-driven cooperative, owned by family farmers, and we’ve been leaders in organic agriculture from the very beginning.  Once pioneers of organic agriculture, we’re now an established leader.  Organic is all we do.  We are driven by our mission to promote regional farm diversity and economic stability by the means of organic agricultural methods and the sale of certified organic products.

Summary of Role
The Senior Director of Plant Operations is responsible for the creation and execution of business strategies that help save money, create efficiencies, and drive efficient production throughout the overhead structure as well as within the supply chain.  Additionally, this position recommends and guides change within the Cooperative based on operational risk exposure, business process improvements, brick and mortar manufacturing.  This position is specifically responsible for directing and supervising the efficient operations and strategy of our creameries in McMinnville, OR and Chaseburg, WI as well as our cheese/ghee conversion facility in Cashton, WI and remaining facilities.   The Senior Director of Plant Operations will be accountable to the financial performance, food quality and safety, production efficiency, and human safety of these food plants as well as the facility efficiencies within our non-production spaces.  This role also promotes collaboration and teamwork within the industry, state, and federal agencies. This position requires a strong focus on providing leadership through planning, directing, organizing, and collaborating with all departments at CROPP. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversees and directs operational and capital budgets for the Chaseburg Creamery, McMinnville Creamery, CALF production facilities as well as non-production facilities.
• Drives Continuous Improvement strategy within the supply chain while collaborating with key stakeholders and process owners.
• Executes strategic plan that incorporates balance of employee engagement, employee safety, facility efficiency and profitability/ cost management.
• Responsible for the overall management of capital facility investments and infrastructure.
• Creates critical path operational plans that meet the Cooperative’s short term and long-term strategies that align with our commercialization process and internal customers.
• Advises the VP of Internal Operations on critical risks, risk tolerance, and business continuity as it pertains to our dairy production plants, capital investments and owned infrastructure.
• Communicates performance expectations by evaluating performance, providing timely feedback, training and coaching, and recommending personnel actions for assigned staff.
• Ensures compliance with policies, safety procedures, Good Manufacturing Practices, and fair employment practices.
• Handles confidential information with discretion.
• Improves capacity fulfillment thru collaboration with internal production planners that prioritizes brand first and co-manufacturing second.
• Responsible for all budget creation and financial forecasting for the respective areas assigned.
• Establishes and builds external customer relationships in form of co-manufacturing revenue in order optimize plant capacity.
• Creates efficiency initiatives and projects that realize cost savings at the plant level.
• Drives safety initiatives and collaboration with safety department to reduce and eliminate OSHA recordables and near misses.
• Responsible for the overall quality results of the plants while collaborating with the larger QA staff and team.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides project oversight or acts as business lead/ sponsor on business-critical projects at the plants.
• Create strategic visions relative to improving efficiencies and integration of technology into operations.
• Creates, revises and reports on key performance indicators for functional areas of oversight and reports on them to appropriate groups/individuals as required.
• Deep dairy, food, facility and logistics industry knowledge that helps facilitate and improves overall production
• performance as well as QA related audit cycles.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Relevant Bachelor’s or Master’s degree required with a minimum equivalency of 12-15 years supervisor experience and program management in operations/ supply chain management.
• Demonstrated record of progressively successful supervisory and management skills.
• Working knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices.
• Working knowledge of the certification standards applied to the creamery, including: Grade A licensing, IMS, Kosher, DATCP, PMO, USDA Organic and Organic Valley/CROPP Cooperative policies.
• Responsible for driving safety excellence with an “A-Zero” goal while being accountable to plant based safety metrics
• Establishes measurable criteria to ensure desired results are obtained and provides management with updates via tracking reports reflective of Key Performance Indicators in line with set priorities and timing targets.
• Knowledge of OSHA regulations, Bio-security, and applicable State and Local regulations.
• Competent operational ability and deep knowledge of Microsoft Office software or comparable business applications.
• Critical thinking and decision-making skills; able to make effective decisions among primarily known / understood conditions with occasional variables.
• Strong strategic business skills and excellent personal relationship skills.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, required.
• Capacity for stress in service-oriented environment.
• Must have valid driver’s license.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Ability to travel as needed.

Base salary range: $124,384 - $172,192 per year 
This salary range is exclusive of fringe benefits. The compensation package may also include incentive compensation opportunities in the form of discretionary bonuses. If you are hired at CROPP, your final base salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as geographic location, skills, education, and/or experience. Additionally, we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider the internal equity of our current team members as a part of any final offer. Please keep in mind that entry-level candidates to this role should expect to be at the lower end of the salary range, and hiring at the maximum of the salary range is not typical.

Benefits
We believe when our people are strong, our mission is strong. Therefore, we offer a comprehensive and holistic Total Rewards package meant to strengthen employees’ and their family's total wellbeing. Here are some of the great benefits offered: 

• Comprehensive Health Insurance - Choice of plans for you and your family, including some that can be paired with an HSA (which CROPP contributes to on your behalf)
• Supplemental insurances: we offer accidental insurance, critical illness insurance, and hospital indemnity insurance.
• Time Off – 136 hours in the 1st year of employment prorated by start date. Plus 9 paid holidays, plus one floating holiday to use at will. 
• 6 Weeks Paid Parental Leave – For all gendered partners in childbirth or adoption.
• Vision & Dental Insurance – Free annual eye exam, discounts on glasses/contacts, flexible dental network, adult ortho.
• 401k – We match 100% up to the first 3% of an employee’s contribution, and then 50% for 3.1%-5.0% of employee contributions.
• Tuition Reimbursement – Up to $1,500 per year to support continuing higher education.
• Flexible Spending Account – For dependent care costs or to help with dental and vision costs.
• Life Insurance - $50,000 policy funded by CROPP for each employee. Supplemental voluntary coverage available for employees, spouses, and children.
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability/AD&D Insurance - $50,000 of life insurance coverage of $50,000 of AD&D coverage funded by CROPP for each employee.
• Mental Health Support – Free 24/7 access to therapists, coaches, and self-led mental health resources. 
• Free onsite fitness centers available 24/7
• Free biometric screenings (cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure) and health coaching.
• Financial advisors and seminars
• Annual $360 wellness reimbursement
• Flexible Scheduling
• On-site all-organic cafeterias