Assistant Plant Manage

About the role

We are a high‑growth, fast‑moving functional beverage company expanding into a 70,000 sq ft vertically integrated plant. The Assistant Plant Manager will improve operational excellence with safe, efficient, and reliable performance, overseeing day‑to‑day production and plant technical operations, including maintenance programs and capital projects. The role leads a team of six direct reports (five Maintenance Technicians and the Production Team Leader) and reports to the Director of Operations.

Responsibilities

• Partner closely with the Director of Operations and the Production Team Leader to own day‑to‑day production execution and the engineering, maintenance, and technical execution of the facility.
• Provide operational leadership across production and technical functions, ensuring coordination, problem solving, and execution against safety, quality, productivity, and reliability goals.
• Work hands‑on on the floor with the Production Team Leader to meet schedules, staffing, and quality standards each shift.
• Drive production KPIs—including throughput, yield, OEE, and downtime—using data to identify and close performance gaps.
• Directly lead the Production Team Leader (who leads the production line workforce) and oversee the five‑person Maintenance Technician team.
• Lead plant engineering and maintenance activities, including preventative and corrective maintenance programs.
• Oversee and execute capital projects such as equipment upgrades, line expansions, and vendor coordination.
• Establish and manage the parts crib infrastructure to ensure parts availability at the lowest possible cost.
• Ensure full compliance with safety, quality, food safety, and regulatory standards, championing continuous improvement.
• Oversee technical troubleshooting and root‑cause analysis of equipment and process issues to support consistent production performance.
• Support lean initiatives (5S, Standard Work, Visual Management, etc.) throughout the plant.
• Coach, mentor, and develop team members, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, or related field preferred; equivalent education and manufacturing leadership experience considered.
• 6–7 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, ideally in food, beverage, or consumer packaged goods (CPG) production.
• Proven experience leading teams and, ideally, leading leaders (managing a supervisor or team lead with their own direct reports).
• Demonstrated experience managing production KPIs such as throughput, yield, OEE, and downtime.
• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing.
• Strong experience with equipment troubleshooting, root‑cause analysis, and reliability improvement.
• Experience leading capital projects, equipment installations, or facility upgrades.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in food, beverage, or consumer packaged goods manufacturing.
• Experience supporting plant startups, new line installations, or rapid production scaling.
• Experience implementing preventative or predictive maintenance systems.
• Familiarity with High Pressure Processing, high‑speed PET bottling, automation, controls systems, and process engineering improvements.
• Spanish language proficiency is a strong plus.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary range: $115,000 – $135,000 annually (Minnesota Pay Transparency Law).

• Health, dental, and vision insurance – 80% of premiums covered for employee and dependents.
• 401(k) with 3% company match plus a $500 annual company contribution to your FSA.
• Discretionary Time Off (no accrual, exempt roles).
• 12 weeks paid Primary Caregiver Leave.
• 4 weeks paid Secondary Caregiver Leave.
• Short‑Term and Long‑Term Disability, Life Insurance, and AD&D coverage.
• Team gatherings and volunteer days throughout the year.

About So Good So You

So Good So You is a leading brand of premium plant‑based functional beverages founded in 2014 in Minneapolis. The company has been featured on the INC 5000 list for five consecutive years, growing 425 % in the last three years. Its probiotic wellness shots are carried in over 14,000 locations nationwide. A B Corp and WBENC‑certified majority female‑owned business, SGSY is committed to social and environmental impact, operating a renewable‑energy‑powered, zero‑waste manufacturing facility. The workforce is 67 % female and 46 % BIPOC, with 50 % of managers being female, and the company actively seeks to hire and develop minority and diverse candidates.