Plant Manager III

As a Plant Manager III at IFF in Terre Haute, IN, your key responsibilities will include driving operational performance in line with global strategies, fostering employee engagement, ensuring compliance with safety and company policies, and leading initiatives to achieve high-quality production outcomes. You will be actively involved in setting strategic objectives for the organization and continuously improving practices across the plant.

To excel as a Plant Manager III at IFF, candidates should possess a Bachelor's Degree in a technical field, with an advanced degree being preferred. Additionally, having more than 10 years of manufacturing experience, particularly in the commodity, food, or chemical sectors, alongside 5 years of proven leadership, is essential. Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles will also enhance your candidacy.

IFF places a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion, encouraging all employees, including those in the Plant Manager III position, to bring their authentic selves to work. The company actively engages in initiatives that promote a diverse workforce and fosters a culture that values individual contributions regardless of varying backgrounds, thus aiming for an inclusive environment.

IFF seeks Plant Manager III candidates who exhibit strong leadership qualities such as the ability to inspire and build trusted relationships within their teams. You should be a change agent who fosters a culture of continuous improvement and problem-solving while effectively aligning with broader management strategies to drive plant performance.

A typical career path for a Plant Manager III at IFF may include progression to senior operational roles within the company, such as overseeing multiple plant locations or taking on larger strategic responsibilities within global operations. Opportunities for career advancement may arise through demonstrated success in meeting operational goals and contributing to organizational strategy.

In answering this question, highlight specific instances where you applied Lean principles, such as waste reduction or process improvement, detailing the results achieved. Emphasize your understanding of continuous improvement methodologies and how you lead teams to implement these strategies effectively.

When responding, outline your approach to promoting safety, including regular training sessions, compliance audits, and fostering an environment where safety is prioritized. Share examples of how you managed to reduce incidents or improve safety culture in previous roles.

In your answer, provide a detailed account of a specific change you implemented, the challenges faced, and the strategies you used to overcome resistance. Focus on your communication and collaboration skills that engaged employees in the transition process.

Discuss your methods for monitoring production metrics and identifying areas for improvement, such as utilizing technology for tracking performance and engaging teams to suggest enhancements. Share examples of successful strategies you have implemented to maintain or enhance production capacity.

Provide insights into your mentoring approach, such as conducting regular performance reviews, establishing development plans, or facilitating training opportunities that align with individual career aspirations, thereby fostering a culture of growth and capability development.

Describe your conflict resolution strategies that include open communication, active listening, and mediating discussions to understand differing viewpoints. Highlight specific methods for guiding teams back to collaborative working relationships.

Mention your systematic approach to establishing clear communication of corporate objectives to your teams, regularly reviewing performance metrics, and ensuring that every team member understands how their work contributes to the company's strategic goals.

Share an example of a competitive analysis you conducted, detailing the factors you evaluated, such as operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and market positioning. Explain how this assessment led to actionable changes that improved performance.

Discuss qualities such as strong leadership skills, the ability to drive change, effective communication, expertise in manufacturing processes, and a focus on safety and team engagement. Support your opinions with examples from your career.

Convey that success can be measured through key performance indicators such as safety records, production output, cost savings achieved, employee engagement scores, and overall plant profitability. Cite examples of how you've effectively tracked and reported on these indicators.