General Manager I

Job TitleGeneral Manager I
LocationLe Mars, Iowa
Description

We are currently seeking a General Manager I for our dairy plant that produces fluid milk, ice cream and cultured products in Le Mars, IA.  In this critical role, you will be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the business that includes strategic business planning, annual operation plans, sales and marketing functions.  Through the effective leadership of your team, create an environment where our people thrive, and our values drive the work we do every day centered around Integrity, Passion, Quality and Community.

 

Kemps is a farmer-owned brand of Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), a dairy marketing cooperative owned by more than 12,500 family farmers. Our mark matters and it represents the wholesomeness of dairy that we share with our communities and loved ones. DFA manufactures a variety of dairy products, including cheese, butter, fluid milk, ice cream, dairy ingredients and more, under well-known and established regional brands. Our fingerprints touch thousands of brands across the marketplace, and we’re passionate about delivering the simple pleasures of dairy to people everywhere, straight from our family farm-owners.  It takes an incredible team to deliver the goodness of dairy and enrich our communities – come join us!

 

Benefits:

• Health and Welfare benefits begin 1st of the month after start date
• 401(k) with company contribution
• Competitive pay
• Paid vacation and holidays
• Career growth opportunities – we promote from within!
• Comprehensive healthcare benefits
• Service recognition and employee rewards
• Employee referral program
• Tuition reimbursement
• Work for dairy farm families

 

Key Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Provide appropriate direction, mentoring, training, and development planning for managers. Identify and retain highly effective personnel through proper selection, training, and task assignment. Actively work with direct reports to cultivate capabilities and utilize strengths to support career development and succession planning efforts.
• Lead with a positive leadership mindset and strong communication style; effectively motivate and reward employees.
• Provide leadership for the effective planning, delegating, coordinating, staffing, organizing, and decision making to attain desirable profit-making results for a business or business line while adhering to regulatory and company policies.
• Develop and manage the operating plan to meet or exceed business objectives. Determine strategies and tactics for achieving financial objectives, presenting assumptions, and recommending objectives. Make sound business projections, identify the impact of budgetary assumption changes, and make appropriate adjustments.
• Establish pricing strategies to maximize operating income for assigned business and the organization. Analyze cost drivers such as commodities, fuel, resin, etc., to determine selling price. Apply a deep understanding of customers, market conditions, and competitors to determine what the market will bear.
• Partner with operations management teams to direct production activities; partner with marketing management to successfully commercialize new product launches and product improvements to the marketplace; and partner with distribution management to develop strategies and initiatives to optimize distribution.
• Effectively lead cross-functional projects related to growth opportunities, continuous improvement, and other key business initiatives. Use a collaborative approach to ensure that new initiatives are well-executed.
• Effectively manage risk to the business unit and company by considering the legal implications of business decisions. Exercise sound judgment when entering into contractual agreements related to new business, facilities, school bids, distributors, etc. Consult next level manager and legal counsel as appropriate.
• Communicate company goals and assist in establishing objectives that align with assigned business and organizational goals; communicate business direction, focus and goals.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in related curriculum; MBA is a plus.
• 12+ years’ experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably in food and/or beverage manufacturing, which includes profit and loss and financial responsibilities.
• 4+ years of people management experience that includes leading senior managers and multiple departments.
• Previous experience with Direct Store Distribution (DSD) sales and distribution preferred.
• Knowledge of product costing and pricing; familiarity with commodity-based costing and dairy industry regulations is a plus.
• Ability to travel up to 25%

 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to demonstrate a high level of comfort in changing environments and ability to adapt approach as the environment and requirements change.
• Strong understanding of financials, sales and marketing, manufacturing, and distribution processes.
• Ability to establish effective relationships and independently manage those relations with all levels of internal staff and external customers, business partners, and vendors.

 

An Equal Opportunity Employer

Pay Range