Overview
Plant Director – Food Manufacturing Jobs in Washington DC-Baltimore Area at Direct Recruiters, Inc.
Title: Plant Director – Food Manufacturing
Company: Direct Recruiters, Inc.
Location: Washington DC-Baltimore Area
Plant Director | Food Manufacturing | Full P&L Ownership | Operational Excellence | Growth & Expansion Leadership | Relocation Available
A rapidly growing food manufacturer is seeking an experienced Plant Director to lead a large-scale production operation through its next phase of operational excellence, capacity expansion, and organizational development.
This is a highly visible leadership opportunity for a hands-on manufacturing executive who thrives on improving performance, building teams, and creating sustainable operational systems. The organization is making significant investments in its facilities, equipment, and people, creating a unique opportunity to leave a lasting impact on the business.
Why This Opportunity Stands Out
- Over $100 million being invested in manufacturing expansion and new production capabilities
- Full P&L ownership for a major production facility
- Opportunity to shape culture, systems, leadership development, and operational strategy
- Strong executive support and commitment to continuous improvement
- High-growth environment with substantial career advancement potential
- Relocation available
The Role
Reporting directly to executive leadership, the Plant Director will have full responsibility for site operations, manufacturing performance, food safety, quality, maintenance, engineering, and workforce development.
This leader will oversee a large multi-functional management team and drive initiatives focused on operational efficiency, employee development, reliability, sanitation excellence, and production optimization.
The successful candidate will balance strategic leadership with a highly visible presence on the production floor, building credibility through action and engagement.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead all aspects of plant operations including production, quality, food safety, maintenance, engineering, and continuous improvement
- Own facility financial performance, including P&L accountability, budgeting, cost management, and EBITDA improvement initiatives
- Develop and execute operational strategies that improve throughput, reliability, quality, and profitability
- Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, employee engagement, training, and leadership development
- Establish and strengthen systems around sanitation, preventive maintenance, process control, defect reduction, and operational discipline
- Partner closely with Supply Chain, HR, Finance, Commercial, and Engineering teams to support business objectives
- Monitor plant KPIs and implement corrective actions to drive sustainable performance improvements
- Prepare the organization for major capital projects, new equipment installations, and future production growth
- Ensure compliance with all food safety, regulatory, quality, and workplace safety requirements
What We're Looking For
- 10+ years of manufacturing leadership experience with at least 5 years leading a plant, site, or business unit
- Proven success managing complex food manufacturing operations
- Demonstrated ownership of plant financial performance and P&L responsibility exceeding $50 million annually
- Deep understanding of food safety, quality systems, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence
- Strong background in production optimization, workforce development, and continuous improvement
- Experience driving cultural transformation and implementing sustainable performance management systems
- Hands-on leadership style with a strong floor presence and passion for coaching teams
- Experience supporting capital investments, facility expansions, and equipment start-ups is highly desirable
The Ideal Candidate
You're more than a plant operator—you are a builder.
You understand that operational excellence begins with people. You know how to develop leaders, improve accountability, strengthen food safety culture, and create systems that drive long-term performance.
Most importantly, you're energized by the opportunity to transform an already successful operation into a world-class manufacturing organization.
