Job Details

Multi-Plant Managerial Position

Leadership and direction to a plant engineering team that provides engineering support and guidance for plant initiatives focusing on process improvement, cost reduction, building capabilities, capacity, and increased efficiency/ throughout.

Responsibilities include:

• Cross-functionally driving change throughout departments and facilities via capital projects and improvement initiatives.
• Leading the plant engineering group in supporting the development of new technologies and capabilities impacting NPD, capacity constraints, efficiency gains, and reduction in operating costs.
• Driving execution of capital projects and priorities and ensuring effective administration of plans.
• Responsible for technical review of capital projects to include appropriate project documentation with schedules, forecasts, project scopes, and project specifications.
• Negotiating with equipment manufacturers and vendors to ensure competitive pricing and to understand new technologies.
• Leading and developing teams to achieve personal, department, plant specific, and company objectives through coaching, training, and feedback.
• Driving a continuous improvement culture to minimize cost of goods sold while maximizing efficiencies in the manufacturing facilities utilizing engineering processes and tools.
• Working with corporate engineering and manufacturing to develop and manage capital plans including forecasting and budgeting.
• Facilitating and managing the project approval process in the manufacturing facilities for initiation and approval of all capital projects.
• Negotiating with equipment manufacturers and vendors to ensure competitive pricing and to understand new technologies.

Qualifications include:

• Bachelor's degree in a related technical field or equivalent.
• Minimum ten years' experience in either industrial maintenance or engineering roles.
• Demonstrated project management knowledge.
• Excellent business acumen Familiarity with CI (Continuous Improvement) methods and process improvement concepts.
• Effective decision-making skills and ability to deal with ambiguity and stress effectively.
• Good leadership skills and ability to mentor others.
• Project Management skills required.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office.
• Negotiation and persuasion skills.
• Strong presentation skills (business cases).
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals at all levels of an organization.
• Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing.
• Able to manage, diffuse and resolve conflict.
• Ability to lead and manage change.
• Ability to effectively coach and lead others.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and able to solve complex problems.
• Reports to Director of Project & Plant Engineering.
• Direct Reports - Up to 10 Engineers and/or Technical Integrators.
• Indirect Reports - N/A.

Wells Enterprises, Inc. is the largest privately held ice cream manufacturer in the United States. Founded in 1913 by Fred H. Wells and run by the Wells family for generations, the company is an independent operating company of the Ferrero Group, one of the global leaders in sweet, packaged foods.

Wells produces more than 200 million gallons of ice cream per year and distributes products in all 50 states. Wells manufactures its signature brand Blue Bunny, lower-calorie Halo Top, the iconic Bomb Pop, and Blue Ribbon Classics.

Wells employs nearly 4,000 ice cream aficionados across the country. The company is headquartered in Le Mars, Iowa, where Wells has made Le Mars the "Ice Cream Capital of the World" as the largest manufacturer of ice cream in one location. Wells operates two manufacturing plants in Le Mars, Iowa, a manufacturing plant in Dunkirk, New York, and a manufacturing facility in Henderson, Nevada.