Plant Manager

Description

The Plant Manager is responsible for leading all operations at the Troyer facility, including production, distribution, food safety and quality, maintenance, product development support, sourcing coordination, and overall plant performance.

Reporting to the Vice President of Manufacturing, this leader will oversee day-to-day operations while building a culture centered on teamwork, accountability, quality, and continuous improvement. Success in this role will be driven by strong leadership, effective communication, operational discipline, and the ability to honor the craftsmanship, consistency, and customer trust that define the Troyer brand while leading the operation into its next phase of growth.

This role requires a highly visible and relationship-oriented leader who can build trust, develop people, and create alignment across the organization. The ideal candidate will be equally comfortable leading strategically and operating tactically, maintaining a strong presence throughout the facility while partnering with employees, leaders, and cross-functional teams to achieve business goals. This individual will serve as an important link between the Troyer operation and the broader Lipari organization, helping ensure the facility's needs, opportunities, and challenges are understood while connecting employees to the company's vision and direction.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all day-to-day operations for the Troyer facility, including production, warehouse, maintenance, and distribution activities.

• Build trust and credibility through visible leadership, regular engagement with employees, and a strong presence throughout the operation.

• Foster a positive, respectful, and accountable work environment focused on teamwork, communication, and continuous improvement.

• Develop, coach, and empower leaders and team members while creating opportunities for growth and maintaining accountability for results.

• Build and develop a high-performing team by improving employee engagement, retention, leadership effectiveness, succession readiness, and workforce capability while creating opportunities for growth and development at all levels of the organization.

• Drive operational improvements focused on safety, quality, efficiency, service, and waste reduction.

• Maintain high standards for food safety, sanitation, SQF compliance, and audit readiness.

• Partner with Quality, Procurement, R&D, and Commercial teams to support product innovation, recipe development, sourcing initiatives, and business growth.

• Oversee production scheduling, labor planning, inventory management, and operational execution to meet customer expectations.

• Manage plant financial performance, including labor, productivity, inventory, capital improvements, and cost management initiatives.

• Utilize operational and financial metrics to drive performance, decision-making, and continuous improvement.

• Partner with senior leadership to support future growth opportunities, operational improvements, capital investments, and long-term planning initiatives.

• Serve as a strong advocate for the facility by communicating operational needs, challenges, and opportunities while helping connect plant operations with broader business priorities.

• Support Lipari Foods' continued growth in owned and specialty brands through operational excellence and strong cross-functional partnership.

•


Leadership Profile

The ideal candidate will be:

• A hands-on and approachable leader who builds trust through visibility, consistency, and follow-through.

• Relationship-driven with strong communication skills and the ability to connect with employees at all levels of the organization.

• Comfortable spending time on the production floor, listening to employees, understanding challenges firsthand, and supporting the team.

• Calm, steady, and decisive under pressure while maintaining respect and credibility.

• Focused on developing people, empowering leaders, and building strong teams rather than personally owning every decision.

• Able to balance operational discipline with humility, authenticity, and respect.

• Passionate about quality, food, and continuous improvement.

• Able to preserve the strengths, culture, and values that have contributed to the success of the Troyer operation while helping position the business for future growth.

• Comfortable serving as a bridge between plant operations and company leadership, ensuring strong communication and alignment in both directions.

•


Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in food manufacturing, production, operations, or related environments.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust, develop teams, and lead through relationships, communication, and accountability.
• Proven success leading teams, improving processes, and driving operational performance.
• Strong understanding of food safety, quality systems, and manufacturing operations.
• Experience managing budgets, labor, productivity, inventory, and operational performance metrics.
• Ability to balance day-to-day operational leadership with long-term business and growth objectives.
• Strong problem-solving, communication, and organizational skills.
• Bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent combination of education and operational leadership experience.

About Lipari:

Headquartered in Warren, Michigan, Lipari Foods is a leading independent distributor built around global and specialty foods. With a customer-first mindset, they serve customers through 67 depots across 32 states and growing. Lipari brings the world's most craveable flavors to shelf with an end-to-end approach that combines exclusive and owned brands, retail services, innovative tools, and dependable delivery across 10 categories including deli, bakery, frozen/dairy, specialty grocery, international specialty, meat/seafood, packaging, confections, foodservice/prepared foods, and convenience.

Lipari Foods LLC is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.