Production Management Development Associate – Manufacturing Leadership Development

Job Description

Production Management Development Associate | Nestlé Purina North America

The Tone:
This is a full-time role at Nestlé Purina, located initially in Bloomfield, MO; Crete, NE; or Clinton, IA, with required relocation to any of their 24 U.S. manufacturing sites as the program progresses. Nestlé Purina is an organization dedicated to pet care, finding purpose in their work and joy in collaboration, driven by integrity and the bond between people and pets. This leadership development program is designed to build future leaders, offering a comprehensive, hands-on experience in manufacturing operations beyond what a classroom provides. The role is pivotal in understanding and leading the entire process of high-quality pet food production.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, Bloomfield, MO; Crete, NE; or Clinton, IA (initial rotation), with required relocation across 24 U.S. manufacturing sites.
• Pay: $85000 yearly
• Team: Production Management Development Program cohort, reporting into a manufacturing leadership structure
• Mission: Develop future leaders in manufacturing by providing hands-on experience and a broad understanding of pet food production processes and cross-functional collaboration.

What You’ll Actually Do
• Leadership Development: Embark on a personal and professional development experience to shape your career trajectory for continuous learning and growth.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Explore areas like quality assurance, safety, supply chain, engineering, human resources, R&D engineering, information systems, and operations performance to understand team collaboration.
• Operational Leadership: Lead and oversee the execution of production schedules and people through the entire path to high-quality pet food production.
• Resource Management: Ensure the efficient flow of materials, parts, and resources necessary for plant-wide production.
• Process Improvement: Plan and execute methods to improve efficiency in production.
• Compliance & Safety: Maintain compliance with approved methods and quality standards while acting as an example for employee safety and asset protection.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology, Business Management, or a related discipline attained or expected by June 2027.
• Experience: Openness to relocation to any of Nestlé Purina’s 24 manufacturing sites across the U.S. as the program progresses, with an initial rotation in Bloomfield, MO, Crete, NE, or Clinton, IA.
• Skills: Ability to apply field concepts, practices, and procedures to plan and accomplish goals, alongside demonstrating operational leadership and a commitment to safety.
• Bonus: Prior internship, co-op, practicum, or manufacturing experience preferred; involvement in student organizations and/or other leadership experience preferred.