Plant Manager

Plant Manager

Location: Buffalo, ND
Travel: Minimal

The Opportunity

Anchor Ingredients is seeking a Plant Manager to provide full leadership and operational ownership of our Buffalo, ND facility. This role is responsible for overall plant performance across safety, quality, production, inventory, people leadership, and asset management. The Plant Manager will lead a complex grain handling, processing, and warehouse operation while building a strong safety culture and developing a high-performing team in a growing organization.

What You'll Do

Plant Leadership & Operations

• Provide overall leadership and accountability for daily plant operations, including grain handling, processing lines, and warehouse activities.
• Own plant production planning and execution in partnership with the Plant Coordinator, ensuring throughput, labor efficiency, and customer commitments are consistently met.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators related to safety, production, quality, inventory accuracy, and operational efficiency.
• Lead, develop, and retain a diverse plant team through clear expectations, coaching, performance management, and succession planning.
• Foster a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous learning.

Inventory, Quality & Compliance

• Maintain full accountability for grain storage, inventory accuracy, and traceability through timely and accurate posting of receipts, shipments, and production outputs.
• Champion quality and sanitation programs, driving improvements that elevate internal and external audit performance.
• Ensure products meet all quality standards and that deviations are quickly identified, escalated, and corrected.

Safety, Maintenance & Assets

• Serve as the visible safety leader for the facility, ensuring all safety policies, procedures, and safe work practices are consistently followed.
• Achieve and sustain a zero-lost-time injury culture through proactive hazard identification and employee engagement.
• Partner with the Maintenance Superintendent and Safety Coordinator to maintain plant assets and support planning for future capital improvement projects.
• Act as the primary point of contact for third-party vendors and contractors, ensuring safe, efficient, and compliant execution of on-site work.

Key Outcomes

• Safe, compliant, and efficient plant operations with zero lost-time injuries.
• Accurate inventory management and strong audit performance.
• Achievement or exceedance of production, quality, and customer service targets.
• A stable, engaged, and high-performing plant team.
• Well-maintained facilities and clear planning for future capital investments.

What We're Looking For

• Proven ability to lead complex plant operations with accountability for safety, quality, people, and assets.
• Bachelor's degree in business, operations, or a related field or seven or more years of progressive experience in plant or grain operations.
• Three or more years of experience managing and developing direct teams of 10+ employees.
• Working knowledge of food safety systems, quality standards, and industrial safety practices.
• Demonstrated success leading teams through change and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong communication, decision-making, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, hands-on manufacturing environment.

Safety & Quality Expectations

• Lead by example in following and enforcing all company safety policies, procedures, SOPs, and LOTO requirements.
• Ensure all required safety and quality training is completed and understood by the plant team.
• Actively promotes hazard identification, corrective action, and continuous improvement.
• Make operational decisions that always prioritize employee safety and food quality.

Why Anchor?

• Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, 401(k), and paid time off.
• Strong safety culture with extensive training and leadership support.
• Opportunity to lead and influence plant performance in a growing, customer-centric organization.
• Value-driven culture built on honesty, integrity, and reliability.
• Collaborative, high-energy team environment that celebrates success.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

This is a leadership role within a physical, hands-on grain handling facility. Regular exposure to dust, noise, heights, confined spaces, and varying weather conditions should be expected. The Plant Manager must be able to navigate the facility, climb ladders and bin stairs, lift up to 50 lbs, and wear required PPE. Work schedules may include days, nights, weekends, or rotating shifts based on operational needs.

ABOUT THE COMPANY:

Anchor Ingredients, LLC headquartered in Fargo, ND, sources and supplies a wide range of specialty ingredients catered specifically to the human and pet food markets. With the ability to source ingredients worldwide, AI is uniquely positioned to meet all of the ingredient needs of their customers. At Anchor Ingredients, we have assembled a world-class team of professionals with years of industry experience and a commitment to our core foundation of honesty, integrity and reliability.

DISCLAIMER:

This job description is not a complete description of responsibilitybut reflects the general qualifications, duties and/or responsibilities necessary to perform this position. All candidates who receive a written offer of employment will be required to successfully pass a background check, as well as testing for commonly abused controlled substances in accordance with the company's Drug Free Workplace Policy. Anchor Ingredients reserves the right to revise the job description as circumstances warrant. Anchor Ingredients is an at-will employer, which means that either the employee or the company may terminate the relationship at any time, with or without notice, and with or without cause. We are an equal opportunity employer.