Purina Pilot Plant Manager

Gray Summit, MOFull-time$81.2k–$122kPosted Jul 16, 2026
Purina Pilot Plant Manager

The Purina Animal Nutrition R&D organization provides new and strategic products across the company’s many species groups. The team plays a significant role in fueling revenue growth and profitability through operational excellence, quality, process improvement and innovation.  By partnering closely with supply chain and core R&D functions, the pilot plant drives both new product development by overcoming unique manufacturing challenges and delivering formulated diets to the Purina Animal Nutrition Center for research feeding trials for new feed products.  

The Purina Pilot Plant Manager for our Research Manufacturing Unit at Gray Summit, MO provides overall direction for the facility in the areas of safety, quality, production, service and overall plant efficiencies and budgets. Responsible for driving results: improved performance, customer relationships, plant asset management and positive employee/labor relations.

Other responsibilities include:

  • Developing and executing the site budget within corporate guidelines.
  • Providing strategic direction for capital improvements.
  • Managing all plant resources to optimize profitability to meet or exceed internal and external customer expectations.
  • Creating a positive work environment that supports continuous improvement, reinforces company philosophy and policies and diverse and inclusive workforce.
  • Develop the skills and capabilities of both salaried and hourly team members.

  

Required Experience/Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Business Administration, Engineering or a related degree.
  • 5+ years manufacturing experience with a proven history of delivering strong operating results.

Preferred Experience:

  • Experience with feed or food processing
  • Experience managing in a Union facility

Required Competencies/Skills:

  • Must have strong leadership capabilities, excellent verbal and written communications skills, strong positive employee relation skills, project management capabilities, the ability to diagnose operational inefficiencies, analyze operational budgets, facilitate teams and drive overall plant operational improvements.
  • Strong computer skills

Salary: $81,200 - $121,800

In most cases, candidates offered employment can expect to be hired at a pay rate near the middle of our salary ranges

About Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Join us and be part of a Fortune 250, farmer- and member-owned cooperative that is reimagining the business of food. We have been named a Top Workplace by Indeed and LinkedIn, and to the TIME 100 Most Influential Companies list.


We provide a broad portfolio of benefits to keep you and your family at your best. Land O'Lakes is Where Your Future Takes Root.

Land O’Lakes and our global entities support diversity in employment practices.

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If you need to submit a reasonable accommodation request to complete the employment application process, please call the HR Solution Center at 844-LOL-HR4U (844-565-4748) M-F 8:00am-4:30pm CT. 

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