Plant Manager

Job Description

ABOUT SOUFFLET MALT

Soufflet Malt is a global leader in malting, operating across approximately 41 plants in 20 countries with an annual production capacity of about 3.7 million tonnes of malt. With deep expertise in agronomy, industrial processing and logistics, the company transforms barley and other cereal grains into a wide variety of high-quality malts - standard, roasted, organic - for brewers, distillers and industrial users. At the heart of its purpose is the belief that "malt is a catalyst": when crafted with passion and talent, it boosts the value of today's products and inspires innovation for tomorrow. Building on this global presence, Montreal forms part of the Americas Region, which comprises 600 employees, 5 manufacturing facilities, 18 distribution centers, and a regional headquarters located in Portland, Oregon.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Plant Manager provides overall leadership and direction for the facility, ensuring safe, efficient, and cost-effective operations that align with company goals and core values-Passion for Innovation, Cultivate Collaboration, Leverage Difference, and Be Accountable. This role is accountable for production, maintenance, quality, safety, and people development while driving operational excellence and cultural transformation. The Plant Manager serves as the primary business leader for the site, responsible for delivering strong financial results and building a high-performance team.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership & Strategy

• Provide strategic direction and oversight for all plant functions, including production, maintenance, quality, supply chain, and EHS
• Champion a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Foster collaboration across all departments, ensuring alignment with corporate strategy and customer expectations
• Drive cultural transformation that aligns with company values and long-term growth goals

Operational Excellence

• Ensure production schedules are met with optimal use of resources, equipment, and personnel
• Oversee maintenance, engineering, and process improvement activities to maximize uptime and reliability
• Implement Lean Manufacturing, TPM, and other CI methodologies to improve performance
• Develop, monitor, and achieve KPIs across safety, quality, delivery, and cost

Financial Management

• Own the plant P&L and deliver strong financial performance
• Prepare and manage operating budgets, capital expenditures, and cost-control initiatives
• Partner with finance to ensure transparency and accountability in cost tracking

People Leadership

• Recruit, develop, and retain top talent, building a high-performance leadership team
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and succession planning for key roles
• Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion by leveraging differences to strengthen team performance
• Drive employee engagement, recognition, and accountability

Safety & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, FDA (if applicable), and other federal/state/local regulations
• Lead initiatives that reduce risk and improve safety performance
• Promote a zero-incident culture with proactive training and employee involvement

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in a science or engineering-related discipline
• 7-10 years of progressive experience in malting, with a comprehensive understanding of the malting supply chain
• Proven experience managing plant operations within the food or food-related industry.
• Bilingual (French and English)
• Experience operating in a unionized environment, with demonstrated leadership and conflict resolution skills
• Strong background in budgeting, cost control, and the principles of managerial finance
• Effective leadership and people management skills, with the ability to inspire, influence, and motivate teams to achieve shared goals
• Strong administrative and operational management capabilities, with a focus on performance, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; able to build trust and respect across diverse professional, cultural, and gender environments
• Strategic thinker with the ability to assess the business environment and drive operational transformation aligned with organizational goals
• Sound understanding of technical, engineering, regulatory, and sales disciplines relevant to plant operations
• Proven skills in problem solving, root cause analysis, conflict resolution, and negotiation
• Commitment to coaching and developing others, fostering a growth mindset and succession planning
• Demonstrated ability to set challenging goals, measure performance, and provide meaningful feedback
• Willingness and ability to travel infrequently, as required
• Graduate Diploma or Master of Business Administration (MBA) preferred
• Industry-recognized malting certification is preferred. While experience in the malting industry is an asset, we also welcome candidates with strong industrial management experience

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.