Sr Manager, Bakery-Production 1

Hungry for a career that's as rewarding as it is delicious?

At Aspire Bakeries, we don't just bake breads, cookies, and cakes - we create foods that bring people together. From La Brea Bakery artisan breads to Otis Spunkmeyer cookies, our products are enjoyed by millions of people every day. And behind every bite are talented manufacturing and support teams who take pride in their work and our food.

We're looking for hard-working people who will bring integrity, creativity, and a passion for excellence to everything they do - whether that's on the bakery floor, in the office, or supporting customers. In return, we offer a workplace culture built on care, ownership, and growth - where your contributions matter and your career can rise as high as our bread loaves!

With 13 commercial bakeries across North America and a reputation as an industry leader, Aspire Bakeries is rising together with our people and our customers to be the best all-around bakery solution. If you're ready to grow with us, we'd love to hear from you.

Why You'll Love Working At Aspire Bakeries

• Culture - Our culture thrives on collaboration, diversity, and a shared passion for excellence. We support team members, empower growth, and encourage everyone to bring their authentic selves to work.
• Health & Wellness - Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus company-paid life insurance and additional voluntary options to fit your needs.
• Work-Life Balance - Paid parental leave, generous paid time off, and holidays so you can recharge and spend time on what matters most.
• Financial Security - Competitive retirement plans, plus short- and long-term disability coverage for peace of mind.
• Growth & Development - Opportunities to build skills, grow your career, and develop expertise through Aspire Bakeries' learning and development programs.
• Flexibility & Support - HSA and FSA plans to help you manage everyday expenses.
• Recognition & Rewards - Performance incentive plans that celebrate achievements across sales, bakery performance, and individual contributions.

About the Role

We are seeking a Sr. Manager, Production to join our team at our Cayce, SC bakery. As a Sr. Manager, Production, you will lead all daily food production operations and partner closely with cross-functional teams to ensure performance excellence in safety, quality, cost, and service. You will play a critical role in driving operational execution, continuous improvement, and the development of production leadership and frontline teams.

Core Accountabilities (What You'll Be Doing)

• Lead production teams to achieve and exceed key performance goals in safety, quality, yields, efficiency, labor cost, waste reduction, downtime, and training
• Ensure ongoing compliance with safety regulations, GMPs, and company policies, always maintaining auditready conditions
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives through strong cross-functional leadership
• Oversee production department scheduling and coordination to meet planning demand and customer requirements
• Review operational KPIs and provide weekly performance insights, including corrective action plans
• Support the annual budgeting process and manage production labor and departmental spending
• Lead and develop employees through coaching, recognition, performance management, and engagement activities

Minimum Qualifications (What You Bring to the Table)

• Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, operations management, finance, or related field and 5+ years of food manufacturing experience including managerial roles
• OR associate degree with 7+ years of food manufacturing experience including managerial roles
• Demonstrated leadership, communication, and team-building capabilities
• Working knowledge of production equipment and regulatory compliance requirements
• Basic understanding of P&L management and budgeting
• Strong writing, mathematics, analytical, and criticalthinking skills
• Ability to travel up to 10%

Preferred Qualifications (Extra Ingredients for Success)

• Experience in large-scale bakery or CPG food manufacturing
• Formal training in Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies
• Experience leading cross-functional operational initiatives
• Strong change management and coaching

Aspire Bakeries is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic. We do not use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to screen, assess, or select applicants.