VP of Plant Operations

Summary: The Vice President of Plant Operations leads Operations, Maintenance, Supply Chain Management and Launch Change Management (LCM) at Saturn Petcare's Terre Haute facility, a site of approximately 280 employees, and reports directly to the Chief Operating Officer. The role carries full KPI and financial result responsibility for these four departments: it sets the operational targets, ensures they are delivered and develops a high performance leadership team.

Building on the site's existing foundation, the role elevates overall operational performance through continuous improvement, data and AI.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

include the following. Other duties may be assigned: Safety and product quality. Partner with EHS and Quality to uphold safety, food safety and quality standards across the four departments and ensure risks and corrective actions are addressed promptly. Operational performance. Set annual and monthly targets for Operations, Maintenance, Supply Chain and LCM, aligned with the plant roadmap, budget and mid term plan (MTP).

Ensure targets for output, OEE, scrap, downtime, labor productivity, service, inventory and unit costs are met, using weekly and monthly business reviews to close gaps. Financial management. Full financial result responsibility for the four departments, including budgets, workforce plans and manufacturing costs. Partner with Finance on budgets, forecasts and the MTP, and deliver validated, sustainable productivity savings.

Leadership and organizational capability. Develop a high performance leadership team, building on the strengths already in place. Coach leaders, set clear expectations and address performance gaps. Partner with HR on talent reviews and succession, and strengthen frontline leadership and engagement. Asset reliability. Improve preventive and predictive maintenance, planning and asset care.

Align production and maintenance priorities to increase equipment availability and reduce unplanned downtime. Continuous improvement. Elevate operations beyond today's level using Lean, TPM, Six Sigma and structured problem solving. Engage employees and sustain measurable improvements through standard work, training and clear ownership.

Digital tools and analytics. Apply automation, analytics and AI to improve planning, reliability and decision making. Pilot and scale solutions with appropriate data controls and measurable benefits. Cross functional leadership. Set priorities for Operations, Maintenance, Supply Chain and LCM within approved plans, budgets and delegated authority.

Align shared priorities with functional leaders, respecting their technical responsibilities. Coordinate new products, capital projects and business continuity, and escalate decisions beyond delegated authority to the COO. Executive reporting. Report performance, forecasts, risks, recovery actions and progress against site priorities to the executive leadership team.

Provide clear recommendations and identify decisions requiring support. Supervisory Responsibilities: Directly supervises the heads of Operations, Maintenance, Supply Chain and LCM, and indirectly their teams. Leads hiring, performance management, development and succession with HR; aligns priorities with functional leaders outside the reporting line.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and Experience

Required: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain or a related discipline. At least 10 years of manufacturing leadership experience, including five years leading a plant or multiple operational functions. Experience leading Operations, Maintenance and Supply Chain and developing leadership teams; experience with product launches and change management is an advantage.

Full KPI and financial result responsibility for a multi department manufacturing organization, including operating budgets, workforce planning and manufacturing costs. A record of sustained improvements in safety, quality, delivery, productivity and reliability. Ability to analyze financial and operational data, evaluate investments and communicate recommendations to senior leadership.

Preferred: Working knowledge of relevant food and workplace safety requirements, including FSMA, HACCP, OSHA and applicable SQF or other GFSI-recognized standards. Pet food, food or consumer packaged goods experience, preferably in high volume, high speed manufacturing. Lean, Six Sigma (Green or Black Belt) or TPM certification and practical experience.

Experience delivering measurable improvements through digital manufacturing, analytics or AI. Computer and Technology Skills: Proficient in Microsoft Office 365, including advanced Excel and PowerPoint. Working knowledge of ERP (SAP preferred), CMMS and MES or OEE reporting systems. Experience with Power BI or similar analytics tools, and with AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot to support operational decisions and continuous improvement.

Language Skills: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedural manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of the organization. German language speaking skills is another advantage.

Mathematical Skills: Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and ability to apply concepts such as: fractions, percentages, ratios and proportions to practical situations. Reasoning Ability: Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.

Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of the job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee is required to stand, walk, sit, and talk and hear. The employee must regularly lift and / or move up to 15 pounds, frequently lift and / or move up to 30 pounds and occasionally lift and / or move up to 50 pounds.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distant vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Allergen Awareness Products produced in this facility may contain the following allergens: Egg, Shellfish, Fish, Gluten. Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification.

They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. Job descriptions are not intended to create a contract, nor are they to be construed to constitute contractual obligations of any kind or a contract of employment between Saturn Petcare Inc.

and any of its employees. The provisions of job descriptions have been developed at the discretion of management and may be amended or cancelled at any time by Saturn Petcare Inc. with or without notice. Employment with Saturn Petcare Inc. is voluntarily entered, and the employee is free to resign at will at any time, with or without cause.

Similarly, Saturn Petcare Inc. may terminate the employment relationship at will at any time, with or without notice or cause, so long as there is not violation of applicable federal or state law.