Head of Optimization for Cheese Production Plants (m/f/d)

In this role you will lead product and process optimization across four cheese production plants, driving measurable improvements in cost, quality, yield, and efficiency. You will build and steer the optimization organization with four functional leads, setting strategic priorities and scaling proven solutions plant-wide. You will assess technical feasibility for new products and variants in collaboration with R&D, Quality, Procurement, SCM and Engineering. You will partner with cross-functional teams to standardize products and accelerate transformation across the group.

• Lead cross-plant optimization strategy and initiatives across four production sites.
• Build and manage an optimization organization with four functional leads and their teams.
• Drive cost, quality, yield, and efficiency improvements; scale proven solutions group-wide.
• Assess technical feasibility of new products and variants at each site.
• Collaborate with R&D, Quality, Procurement, SCM and Engineering for cross-functional alignment and product standardization.

• Strong leadership experience in multi-site production environments.
• Expertise in dairy technology, especially cream cheese, cottage cheese, white cheese and soft cheese (preferred).
• Proven track record in transformation and performance improvement with stakeholder management at corporate and plant levels.
• Fluent English for effective cross-organizational communication.
• Willingness to travel across Europe up to 25% of time.

• Strategic thinking
• Execution capability
• Sound decision-making
• Dairy production optimization
• Scale-up and process optimization
• Cost and quality improvement