Operations Manager

Reporting to the Plant Manager in Saint Elmo, IL, you will lead daily plant production operations while cultivating a collaborative, high‑performance manufacturing environment. You will guide production teams in standard work, implement sustainable improvement behaviors, and champion the practices that keep our people safe and our products exceptional.

A Taste of Your Responsibilities

• Guide production supervisors throughout the day, providing direction, coaching, and support to elevate performance,   engagement   and meet production goals .

• Implement plant‑specific vision and contribute to continuous improvement activities that connect directly with enterprise goals.

• Foster an inclusive, people‑focused culture by promoting engagement, development, and teamwork across all production areas.

• Share results, insights, and action plans with employees, leadership partners, and cross‑functional teams.

• Temporarily serve as Plant Manager when needed to ensure continuity of operations.

• Partner with production planning and materials management to improve scheduled completion and customer service outcomes.

• Collaborate with Human Resources to promptly address employee concerns and support a positive work environment.

• Work closely with Finance to develop and manage capital budgets and maintain strong financial stewardship.

• Initiate cost‑savings actions related to crewing, standards, yields, and operational efficiency.

• Champion a culture of safety, ensuring all plant activities occur in a controlled and responsible environment.

• Ensure adherence to all quality standards, regulatory requirements, and product specifications.

• Elevate food safety by reporting issues , supporting corrective actions   and driving accountability .

Ingredients Required for Your Success

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Industrial Management, Engineering, Food Science, Management, Product Operations, or a related field.

• 5–7 years of manufacturing experience.

• 3–5 years of management or supervisory experience leading production teams.

• Experience within the food industry in a unionized environment preferred

• Mathematical and statistical knowledge supporting decisions and analysis.

• Financial knowledge supporting budgeting, cost management, and performance reporting.

Physical Requirements

More information about essential tasks and the facility will be shared during the hiring process.
This role may require you to be in our manufacturing facilities. When visiting these sites, the physical requirements below may apply:
You may be required to walk around the facility, climb stairs/ladders, kneel, or perform repetitive tasks that require hand-eye coordination.
You may be required to lift or carry materials that can vary in weight and size.
This is a manufacturing environment with large, moving equipment. Noise levels can be high, and temperatures may vary.

Relocation assistance is available for this position. Preference will be given to local candidates.

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Compensation 

The annual salary listed above is the expected offering for this position. An employee’s actual annual salary will be based on but not limited to: location, relevant experience/level and skillset, while balancing internal Conagra employees’ equity. Conagra Brands will comply with applicable law regarding minimum salaries for exempt employees.

Our Benefits

We care about your total well-being and will support you with the following, subject to your location and role:

• Health: Comprehensive healthcare plans, wellness incentive program, mental wellbeing support and fitness reimbursement

• Wealth: Great pay, bonus incentive opportunity, matching 401(k) and stock purchase plan

• Growth: Career development opportunities, employee resource groups, on-demand learning and tuition reimbursement

• Balance: Paid-time off, parental leave, flexible work-schedules (subject to your location and role) and volunteer opportunities

Our Company

At Conagra Brands, we have a rich heritage of making great food. We aspire to have the most impactful, energized and inclusive culture in food. As a member of our 18,000+ person team across 40+ locations, you are empowered to reach your potential, make an impact and own your career. We're in the business of building champions – within our people and our iconic brands like Birds Eye®, Slim Jim® and Reddi-Wip®.

Our focus on innovation extends beyond making great food, it also reflects our commitment to embracing new solutions that positively impact our team, the communities we serve and the health of our planet. Foodies Welcome.

Conagra Brands is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, pregnancy, leave status, disability, veteran status, genetic information and/or any other characteristic or status protected by national, federal, state or local law. Reasonable accommodation may be made upon request.