At Russell Stover, not only do we love chocolate, but we love our jobs! Every day we go to work exhibiting our values of excellence, innovation, entrepreneurship, responsibility, and collaboration. Working at Russell Stover you’ll be part of the leading manufacturer of boxed, seasonal, and sugar-free chocolates. For over 100 years, Russell Stover Chocolates, Whitman’s, and Pangburn’s have been crafted with the finest ingredients to bring happiness to generations. Today, we produce over 55 million pounds of chocolate annually, and our legacy brands can be found in 13 company-owned stores and over 9,000 wholesale accounts. Join our team and let’s continue making chocolate lovers happy!

A day in the life…

As Senior Manager, Industrialization, you play a critical role in bridging Operations, Innovation, and Commercial teams to ensure the successful transition of new products from concept to scalable production. This role safeguards operational interests while driving strategic initiatives that enhance manufacturing efficiency, reduce costs, and support long-term growth. You are also responsible for the team leading plant trial execution and identifying opportunities for packaging reduction, automation, and labor optimization.

What you will be doing…

• Leading operational readiness for new product launches, ensuring alignment with production capabilities, timelines, and cost targets.
• Serving as the primary operational liaison to Innovation and Commercial teams, translating product concepts into executable manufacturing strategies.
• Providing operational inputs during PMO Ideation and Feasibility stages.
• Ensuring seamless cross-functional collaboration throughout the industrialization process.
• Leading the team that owns the planning, coordination, and execution of plant trials for new products and processes.
• Partnering with plant and commercial teams to ensure trials are efficient, well-documented, and scalable.
• Capturing and communicating trial learnings to inform industrialization and continuous improvement.
• Managing line trial budgeting process.
• Packaging reduction strategies that support sustainability and cost savings.
• Automating opportunities that enhance throughput and reduce manual intervention.
• Collaborating with Engineering, Production, and Supply Chain teams to implement and sustain improvements.
• Partnering with Finance to assess the cost structure and ROI of new product initiatives.
• Supporting capital planning and resource allocation for industrialization and efficiency projects.

If visiting our manufacturing plants, you will be expected to:

• Adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to ensure product quality and maintain compliance with food safety standards.
• Complete and follow FSQA training and programs to comply with regulatory requirements, ensure consumer safety, and support the plant’s food safety and quality objectives.
• Promptly report and take appropriate action on any observed or potential food safety hazards, process deviations, or non-conformities by notifying the designated plant supervisor, in accordance with your role and responsibilities.
• Actively contributes to the continuous improvement of the company’s Food Safety Culture through engagement and actions aligned with your role.

This job posting is not all inclusive and other duties may be assigned.

Do you have what it takes?

(Basic Qualifications)

•  Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in manufacturing, operations, or product development roles, ideally in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment.
• Demonstrated success in leading cross-functional projects and driving operational improvements.
• Strong analytical, communication, and project management skills.
• Willingness and ability to travel 20–40% to manufacturing sites.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to speak, read, and write English fluently, with or without an accommodation.

Do you stand above the rest?

(Preferred Qualifications)

•  Proficiency in ERP systems and project management tools.

At Russell Stover Chocolates, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products, and our community. Russell Stover Chocolates is proud to be an equal-opportunity workplace.

We provide equal employment opportunities to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition, genetic information, military service, veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by law.

Employment by Russell Stover Chocolates is contingent upon I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification, passing the urinalysis drug screen, education verification, and satisfactory reference and background checks.

Make Happy. Work Happy.