Director of Manufacturing

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

The Site Director Manufacturing/Operations, based in Rome, GA, will be accountable for leading an ambitious, change-oriented, and forward-looking operational agenda focused on transformation and growth, responsive to a fast-changing world and becoming more consumer and customer centric though cost-efficient agile operations.

Reporting to the VP of Operations and working as part of the divisional leadership team, you will be responsible for shaping the operational strategy which will focus on sustainable, profitable growth and performance while working closely with a broad cross-functional group of internal and external stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

• Create a compelling vision and strategy for site operation that aligns with the overall technology strategy and ensure that teams are highly engaged in delivery.
• Develop proactive, responsive, and effective relationships with key customers and suppliers – with a high degree of customer intimacy and supplier engagement.
• Play a key leadership role on the Divisional Leadership Team, as a key contributor to the technology strategy development and business performance
• Develop and execute an operational strategy that drives business performance and is fully aligned to growth and margin expansion priorities.
• Support the site leadership team to deliver excellent day-to-day operational performance across all key efficiency, service-level, safety, quality, and people indicators.
• Create a high performance, collaborative and empowered leadership culture, influencing and engaging at all levels across the organizational matrix.
• Ensure that the technology manufacturing footprint and capability is fit for purpose by proactively interpreting and planning timely response to changes in the market and in anticipating and responding to customer requirements.
• Lead key strategic forward-looking change initiatives and operational projects around capital investment, performance, and cultural change.
• Key contributor to the development of an aligned approach to operations best practice across the entire organization.
• Develop a pipeline of high performing & high potential talent within all functional areas of operations – with a positive, proactive and change oriented mind-set.

 

Qualifications and skills

Bachelors Degree in Engineering (Manufacturing or Chemical) 

Minimum of 8 years of manufacturing experience in Food and Beverage Production.

Demonstrated leadership excellence with the ability to strengthen the company’s operational capability through honed skills, a process-discipline-mindset, and impact that builds credibility and inspires confidence.

Commitment to operational excellence, where continuous improvement and cost-effective agility is key to driving success and natural market curiosity inspires strong partnerships with customers, suppliers, and the broader business.

Strong commercial acumen and a breadth of business perspective with demonstrated experience of contributing to successful cross-functional leadership teams and ability to flex strategically and tactically.