Sr Director Operations - Military Veterans
at Glanbia PLC
Glanbia is a global nutrition company, grounded in science and nature and dedicated to providing better nutrition for every step of life’s journey.Today’s consumers are increasingly aware of the importance of nutrition in improving their overall health and well being. They are searching for better, healthier and smarter nutritional solutions that fit their lifestyles.
Glanbia takes pure and clean ingredients including milk, whey and grains, and using our expert knowledge and capabilities we produce high-quality nutritional ingredients and branded consumer products for our customers and consumers worldwide.
We employ over 6,000 people across 32 countries and our products are sold or distributed in over 130 countries with an annual turnover of €3.6 billion. Our major production facilities are located in Ireland, the US, the UK, Germany and China. We have four segments; Glanbia Performance Nutrition, Global Ingredients, Dairy Ireland and Joint Ventures & Associates. Our shares are listed on the Irish and London Stock Exchanges (symbol: GLB).
We are seeking an inspiring leader who can motivate and develop their team, driving operational excellence and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. This dynamic leader will possess a strong operational background and manufacturing expertise, and is passionate about individual growth.
The Senior Operations Director will lead the Glanbia Performance Nutrition Aurora manufacturing plant, which employs around 700 team members. Our facility produces the leading sports nutrition brand, Optimum Nutrition, along with other products that support sports nutrition and healthy lifestyles.
Key Responsibilities
- Operational Excellence: Lead cross-functional site departments to achieve operational goals, including throughput, yield, quality, cost control, safety, and profitability.
- Collaboration: Align with cross-functional partners in product supply and commercial business to optimize production plans.
- Efficiency: Review production schedules and collaborate to ensure targets are met while maintaining efficiency.
- Culture and Leadership: Champion company values and foster a positive, confident leadership example for all team members.
- Resource Management: Strategically manage personnel and operational resources to optimize production.
- Continuous Improvement: Identify and implement opportunities to maximize profit potential and reduce production costs.
- Facility Oversight: Manage plant assets, maintenance, repair, and capital expenditure projects.
- Budget and Reporting: Report on budget costs and variances, addressing performance and operational margins.
- Safety and Compliance: Ensure compliance with safety and food regulations.
- Resource Planning: Proactively plan resources for short and long-term business requirements.
- Team Development: Coach managers and supervisors to achieve performance goals and support succession planning.
Qualifications
- Experience: 10+ years in production or related fields, with at least 7+ years leading others. Food manufacturing experience preferred.
- Leadership Skills: Demonstrated ability to lead large organizations, prioritize tasks, and delegate assignments.
- Commitment: Uphold safety and quality policies, practices, and procedures.
- Financial Acumen: Understanding of budgeting and financial accounting practices.
- Continuous Improvement: Familiarity with lean tools (Six Sigma, 5-S, Lean Manufacturing) to drive improvements.
- Safety Knowledge: Broad understanding of safety systems and enforcement.
- Manufacturing Expertise: Knowledge of manufacturing operations, food quality standards, maintenance, shipping, and engineering.
- Bilingual: Fluency in both English and Spanish is highly preferred.
Education Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Operations, or related field
- Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt) preferred
Aurora, IL
Glanbia is a better nutrition company, helping people live full, healthy lives. We are a team of scientists, innovators, tastemakers, and relationship-builders, creating better nutrition products and more sustainable ways of doing business. Our heritage is in dairy, but we've evolved to become a global nutrition leader, home to brands and ingredients that help people around the world perform well, recover quickly, and stay strong, at any age. The future of food is personal — we continue to grow, using insight-and science-led innovation to deliver the high-quality nutrition our consumers need. The choices we make every day are guided by our purpose — we're here to help people live their best, while doing better by each other and the earth.