General Manager, Plant

Since its founding in 1937, Krispy Kreme’s focus has remained the same - making fresh doughnuts using our founder’s original recipe. The brand’s iconic Hot Light lets consumers know when doughnuts are being made in the shop so they can stop in and enjoy them hot, right off the line.

The General Manager, Mix Manufacturing Plant is responsible for the overall leadership, performance, and strategic direction of the doughnut mix manufacturing plant and integrated distribution center. This role ensures safe, efficient, and cost-effective production and distribution operations while maintaining the highest standards of quality, food safety, and customer service. The General Manager drives operational excellence, profitability, and continuous improvement across both manufacturing and logistics functions.

A TASTE OF WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:

Operations Leadership

• Oversee all daily operations of the manufacturing plant and distribution center
• Ensure efficient production planning, inventory management, and order fulfillment
• Drive alignment between production schedules and distribution timelines
• Implement best practices to optimize throughput, reduce waste, and improve service levels

Safety & Compliance

• Maintain a strong safety culture with adherence to OSHA, FDA, GMP, and food safety standards (e.g., HACCP, SQF)
• Ensure all products meet quality and regulatory requirements
• Lead audits and ensure compliance with internal and external standards

Financial Management

• Own the P&L for manufacturing and distribution operations
• Manage budgets, forecasts, and cost control initiatives
• Identify opportunities to improve margins through efficiency gains and waste reduction
• Monitor key financial metrics, including labor, materials, and logistics costs

Supply Chain & Distribution

• Oversee inbound raw materials and outbound finished goods logistics
• Optimize warehouse operations, inventory accuracy, and transportation efficiency
• Collaborate with procurement and sales teams to ensure supply-demand alignment
• Ensure on-time, in-full (OTIF) delivery performance

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, coach, and develop supervisors, managers, and frontline teams
• Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability and continuous improvement
• Drive employee engagement, retention, and succession planning
• Ensure adequate staffing and workforce planning

Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Leads site-wide continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, delivery, cost, and employee engagement
• Drives Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies across plant operations
• Develops and sustains a culture of operational excellence and accountability
• Identifies process bottlenecks and implements corrective actions to improve throughput and efficiency
• Utilizes KPIs, dashboards, and data analytics to monitor plant performance and drive decision-making
• Leads root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) activities for operational issues
• Facilitates Kaizen events, Gemba walks, and structured problem-solving sessions
• Reduces waste through continuous improvement of labor utilization, material flow, and inventory management
• Implements standardized work, visual management systems, and best operational practices
• Partners cross-functionally with maintenance, quality, engineering, supply chain, and production teams to optimize performance

Customer & Stakeholder Alignment

• Partner with sales, customer service, and leadership teams to meet customer expectations
• Resolve escalated service or product issues
• Maintain strong relationships with key suppliers and logistics partners

YOUR RECIPE FOR SUCCESS:

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 8–12+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing and/or distribution
• Experience in food manufacturing, preferably in dry mix or bakery-related products
• Strong knowledge of food safety regulations (GMP, HACCP, FDA)
• Demonstrated P&L responsibility and financial acumen
• Proven ability to lead large, cross-functional teams
• Strategic thinking an