General Manager

Lead the Next Chapter of Growth at Winona Foods
A rare opportunity to join one of the cheese industry's most respected privately held companies.
 

Locally owned and operated since 1995, Winona Foods is proud to be a growing industry leader in innovative cheese manufacturing, converting, and distribution. We support a wide range of partners — from major dairy manufacturers to industrial and foodservice customers across the country.

If you’re looking for a workplace where people matter, your ideas are valued, and your work makes a real impact on product quality and customer satisfaction, you’ll feel right at home here.

Winona Foods — Imagine the Possibilities!
 

Position Summary

The General Manager is responsible for leading and developing the business through a team of operational leaders while ensuring the organization consistently delivers on its commitments to customers, employees, and ownership. Reporting to the President, the General Manager provides leadership across Operations, Quality, Engineering, and MRP/Materials Planning functions to achieve objectives related to safety, quality, service, cost, and growth.
The General Manager partners closely with Sales, Finance, and Procurement to evaluate business opportunities, align manufacturing capabilities with customer requirements, and enable profitable growth. The General Manager ensures the organization remains agile, customer-focused, and positioned for continued success.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The list of duties and responsibilities is not all inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities, as management may deem necessary from time to time.

Leadership & Organizational Performance

• Provide overall leadership and direction for the organization through a team of functional leaders.
• Establish priorities, objectives, and performance expectations that support the company's strategic and financial goals.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.
• Lead, develop, and coach direct reports while strengthening organizational capability and succession readiness.

Operational Excellence

• Provide leadership and oversight for manufacturing operations, quality, engineering, and MRP/materials planning functions.
• Ensure operational performance meets or exceeds established objectives for safety, food safety, quality, productivity, customer service, and cost.
• Drive sustainable cost reduction initiatives through Lean Manufacturing, waste elimination, labor productivity improvements, process optimization, and operational excellence programs while maintaining safety, quality, and customer service objectives.
• Monitor key performance indicators and drive corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives as needed.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, customer requirements, and applicable regulatory standards.

Strategic Planning & Business Growth

• Partner with the President and Senior Leadership Team to develop and execute business strategies that support sustainable growth and long-term success.
• Evaluate business opportunities by assessing manufacturing capabilities, operational requirements, risks, and constraints.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational capabilities, capacity, efficiency, and organizational effectiveness.
• Serve as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, providing operational insight and recommendations regarding business opportunities, capital investments, operational capabilities, capacity planning, and long-term business objectives.

Financial & Capital Leadership

• Lead the annual operating budget process for manufacturing functions and support achievement of financial objectives.
• Partner with Sales, Finance, and Procurement to evaluate business opportunities and support profitable growth.
• Translate business forecasts into labor, equipment, facility, inventory, and operational resource requirements.
• Identify, prioritize, and support capital investment projects that improve safety, quality, productivity, capacity, and profitability.
• Develop and execute plans to achieve annual productivity and cost savings targets through continuous improvement initiatives, automation, process redesign, and effective resource management.
• Monitor operational spending and resource utilization to ensure responsible financial stewardship.

Manufacturing Strategy & Continuous Improvement

• Evaluate manufacturing processes, equipment capabilities, and operational constraints to support future growth.
• Partner with Engineering and Operations to identify and implement automation, process improvement, and capacity expansion opportunities.
• Provide leadership in assessing bottlenecks, throughput improvements, operational scalability, and long-term manufacturing requirements.
• Champion Lean Manufacturing principles throughout the organization, promoting a culture of continuous improvement, employee involvement, standard work, visual management, and problem-solving.
• Establish and monitor productivity, yield, waste reduction, labor efficiency, and improvement initiatives to improve operational performance and profitability.
• Demonstrated success improving productivity, throughput, equipment utilization, yield, and operational efficiency.
• Support key customer relationships by balancing customer expectations with operational capabilities and business objectives.

Quality Responsibilities

• Has the authority to stop operations when food safety or product quality may be at risk
• Accountable for ensuring the site operates in compliance with BRCGS, regulatory, and customer food safety requirements.
• Ensures adequate resources are in place to maintain the Food Safety and Food Quality Management System.
• Reviews and approves key food safety programs (e.g., policies, procedures).
• Holds site leadership (Production, QA, Maintenance, Warehouse) accountable for compliance and performance, as well as effective investigation, resolution, and trending of customer complaints.
• Leads or participates in management review to ensure system effectiveness.

Management Responsibilities
Responsible for leading the organization's operational leadership team, including manufacturing, quality, engineering, and planning functions. Responsible for fostering strong cross-functional partnerships with Sales, Finance, Procurement, Human Resources, and other support departments to achieve company objectives.
Carries out management responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include selecting, developing, coaching, and evaluating leaders; planning, assigning, and directing work; managing performance; recognizing and addressing performance concerns; resolving employee relations issues; and building organizational capability through talent development and succession planning.

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

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, Food Science, or a related field required.
• 10-15 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience with increasing responsibility for operational and business performance.
• Minimum 5 years of experience leading through managers or functional leaders.
• Experience in food, dairy, ingredients, consumer packaged goods, or other process manufacturing environments strongly preferred.
• Experience developing and managing budgets, capital projects, and operational improvement initiatives.
• Experience evaluating manufacturing capabilities, capacity constraints, operational costs, and growth opportunities.

• Demonstrated track record of leading Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or similar operational excellence programs resulting in measurable cost savings, productivity gains, and operational improvements.
• Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with Sales, Finance, Procurement, Engineering, and Quality functions.
• Experience reporting directly to ownership, a President, CEO, COO, or other senior executive leader preferred.
• Experience within a privately held manufacturing organization preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong business acumen with the ability to connect operational decisions to financial performance and long-term business objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and influence through experienced managers and functional leaders.
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills with the ability to balance short-term operational demands and long-term business priorities.
• Thorough understanding of manufacturing operations, process improvement methodologies, capacity planning, and performance management.
• Ability to assess manufacturing capabilities, operational constraints, and capital investment opportunities to support business growth.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles, continuous improvement methodologies, root cause analysis, and operational performance systems.
• Strong financial aptitude, including budgeting, forecasting, capital planning, and operational cost management.
• Ability to translate customer opportunities and business strategies into operational plans and execution.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to effectively engage employees, customers, vendors, and senior leadership.
• Ability to make sound decisions in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities and limited direction.
• Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change, develop talent, and build high-performing teams.
• Strong project management, organizational, and analytical skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment in handling sensitive business matters.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:
Winona Foods is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to these protected characteristics. All employment decisions are made based on qualifications, merit, and business needs, ensuring a fair and equitable hiring process.