Operations Manager

Cargill is a family company committed to providing food and agricultural solutions to nourish the world in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way. We sit at the heart of the supply chain, partnering with producers and customers to source, make and deliver products that are vital for living. By providing customers with life’s essentials, we enable businesses to grow, communities to prosper, and consumers to live well.

This position is in our specialized portfolio enterprise where we serve diverse businesses who support unique customers or markets, including animal nutrition and health, bioindustrial, road safety salt and Cargill joint ventures. Job Purpose and Impact The Operations Manager will provide strategic and day-to-day operational leadership for production and operating processes within a single plant or multiple plants of moderate complexity.

This role is responsible for driving safe, reliable, efficient, and compliant operations while delivering results across safety, quality, production, cost, and operational effectiveness. The Operations Manager will lead and develop operations and maintenance teams, establish operational priorities, drive accountability for performance, and identify opportunities to improve plant reliability and efficiency.

This role requires the ability to lead through others, make sound operational decisions, manage competing priorities, and drive continuous improvement in a plant environment. Key Accountabilities Provide overall leadership and direction for plant operations , establishing priorities and ensuring execution aligns with business, production, safety, quality, and financial objectives.

Champion a strong safety culture and ensure employee, product, process, and environmental safety standards and goals are consistently implemented and maintained. Ensure compliance with internal and external operating procedures, regulatory requirements, and corporate environment, health, safety, quality, and regulatory standards.

Lead and hold teams accountable for operational performance , including safety, quality, production, cost, reliability, and established performance targets. Establish and deploy operational priorities for a single plant or multiple plants of moderate complexity, balancing short-term production requirements with longer-term operational objectives.

Lead strategic and tactical operations and quality initiatives to ensure customer requirements, product specifications, and quality standards are consistently achieved. Manage and control operating expenses, ensuring direct reports understand performance expectations and are accountable for achieving established financial and operational targets.

Identify and lead operational efficiency and continuous improvement initiatives across plant processes, including manufacturing systems, quality control, safety, production reliability, maintenance, and operator best practices. Lead, coach, and develop operations and maintenance employees and leaders , building team capability and fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Make and influence talent decisions related to hiring, development, performance management, succession planning, and disciplinary actions for operations and maintenance personnel. Collaborate cross-functionally with maintenance, quality, safety, supply chain, engineering, and other business partners to resolve operational challenges and achieve site objectives.

Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent experience. Minimum of four years of related work experience. Two years of supervisory experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Belt certified (Yellow, Green, Black, etc.). SAP knowledge (Process order life cycle, inventory management, raw material, consumable inventory procurement, etc.). High hazard process safety experience (HAZOP, PRA, etc.). Experience in leading and conducting RCAs and "5 Whys" . Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disability/Vet