Special Projects Manager Jobs in Pennsylvania (NOW HIRING)

Who are we:We're a leading Northeast family-owned food, agricultural products, and agricultural services organization headquartered in Pennsylvania. We provide animal nutrition and feeds; specialty protein production, processing, and marketing; on-farm protein production services; and grain, fertilizer, and ingredient procurement.We're a stable company with strong core values, great benefits, competitive wage structure, and a safe and healthy work environment. With over 850 team members, we're a growing company in an essential sector - agriculture!Learn more here:https://www.thewengergroup.comWhat your day looks like:The Special Projects Manager is a hands-on, results-focused operations leader who diagnoses, designs and delivers high-value improvements across Wenger Feeds & Animal Nutrition (WFAN).

This person combines deep, practical feed-mill expertise with an integrator's mindset-able to move from the shop-floor basics to technically complex optimization work-and will be deployed to the mills or regions where operational performance and problem-abatement are most critical.Initially, the role will lead site-level interventions focused on shrink and waste reduction, plant operating cost control and basic process discipline. Over time the role will expand to lead regional systems improvements and the roll-out of best practices across multiple sites, owning outcomes such as plant efficiency, throughput, product quality, and cost-to-operate. Success in the role requires the ability to apply industry best practices, adapt solutions to varied equipment and site age, and drive sustainable change with an owner-operator level of commitment.The Special Projects Manager acts as a practical integrator-bringing lessons learned from multiple sites and companies into reproducible solutions-and will work closely with site leadership, operations, quality/FSQR, maintenance/engineering, planning and supply chain to deliver measurable, repeatable improvements.

This role reports to the Divisional VP and is intended as a high-visibility development path: the first phase is focused, tactical site remediation; the long-term scope is regional systems ownership and leadership of cross-site transformation initiatives.Key expectations on day one: dive into mill operations, lead shrink/waste projects, remove critical blockers, and create simple, measurable playbooks that can be scaled. Longer-term expectations: help communicate, detail and design Model-Mill standards, implement scorecards and operating cadence, and own regional performance improvements that materially increase operational safety, reliability and margin.Site Improvement & Shrink/Waste OwnershipOwn shrink and waste reduction initiatives: baseline the problem, design trials, quantify results, standardize successful countermeasures.Deliver durable solutions that convert one-off fixes into repeatable site playbooks.Prioritize and close the highest-value loss drivers for each site.Project Leadership & DeliveryLead end-to-end special projects at assigned sites: define scope, plan, execute, remove blockers and deliver measurable outcomes on time and on budget.Drive rapid problem-abatement for critical events (quality escapes, major downtime, material losses), restoring stable operations and documenting fixes.Own project benefits tracking and produce clear ROI/impact summaries.Technical Optimization & Equipment/Process ImprovementsDiagnose mill process and equipment constraints, recommend practical process, maintenance and capital fixes to increase yield, uptime and reduce cost.Coordinate with maintenance/engineering to scope upgrades, retrofits and preventative maintenance aligned to total cost of ownership.Systems Scaling & StandardizationTranslate validated site solutions into scalable standards (Model Mill input): pilot, refine and lead regional rollouts with acceptance criteria and training packages.Produce operator job-aids, leader checklists and simple visual management tools to ensure consistent adoption.Data, Metrics & ReportingDefine and own operational KPIs (shrink, waste, throughput, downtime, cost/ton); ensure data integrity and site-level scorecards.Work with analytics to operationalize simple dashboards and provide concise leadership reports.Coaching & Change ManagementCoach supervisors and frontline leaders to adopt new routines; create short, hands-on training modules and mentor programs.Drive adoption through structured change plans: communication, leadership huddles, coaching checkpoints and quick audits.Compliance & SafetyEnsure all changes meet FSMA, QA and EHS requirements; embed hazard controls and safety checks into new processes.Support audit readiness and corrective action closure during deployments.Cross-Functional Integration & Stakeholder ManagementIntegrate work across Operations, Quality, Nutrition, Planning, Transportation and Finance; represent projects in governance forums.Manage external vendors/contractors to ensure quality, scope and cost control.Continuous Improvement & Strategic ContributionLead small innovative pilots and capture lessons into the regional improvement library.Feed field-validated recommendations into Model Mill, TOM design and capital prioritization.Deployment, Documentation & TravelBe available for frequent deployments (site assignments of weeks-months) and rapid redeployment to priority sites. Work on Special Projects as assigned.Deliver thorough documentation and clean handovers so site/regional teams sustain improvements.Performance expectations (concise)Deliver measurable shrink/waste improvements within 30-90 days of first assignments.Progress from site remediation to leading multi-site roll-outs within one year while familiarizing yourself and learning the systems at each milling locations you visit.Who you are:Physical RequirementsAbility to lift up to 60 lbs.

repeatedly and up to 100 lbs. on occasionAbility to climb ladders and work in high placesAbility to work in confined spacesAbility to work in dusty conditionsEducation & ExperienceHigh school diploma required; associate or bachelor's degree in agriculture, manufacturing, engineering, or a related field preferred.Minimum of 10 years of experience in feed milling or comparable high-volume manufacturing operations.At least 5 years of progressive leadership experience, including site-level, regional, or cross-functional roles.Demonstrated success leading teams and delivering measurable operational improvements in complex, industrial environments.Technical & Operational ExpertiseStrong, practical knowledge of feed manufacturing processes, mill operations, equipment performance, and maintenance practices.Proven experience managing and improving shrink, waste, yield, throughput, downtime, and key cost drivers.Hands-on experience with quality systems, inventory control, production scheduling, and raw material management.Working understanding of animal nutrition principles as they relate to feed manufacturing performance and product quality.Working knowledge of FSMA, SQF, and applicable federal and state feed safety regulations.Business & Analytical AcumenPractical understanding of manufacturing economics, including budgets, operating costs, and basic P&L concepts.Strong analytical skills with the ability to validate results, quantify ROI, and support data-driven decision-making.Ability to translate operational data into clear insights and actionable improvement plans.Leadership & Change CapabilityDemonstrated ability to lead through influence, work effectively without direct authority, and drive adoption of new ways of working.Proven capability to coach supervisors and frontline leaders and align teams around clear goals and expectations.Strong critical thinking and structured problem-solving skills, with sound judgment under operational pressure.Clear, effective written and verbal communication skills with strong cross-functional collaboration ability.Customer & Stakeholder OrientationCustomer-focused mindset with the ability to balance service expectations and operational discipline.Ability to build productive working relationships with internal teams, vendors, and external partners.Systems & ToolsProficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).Experience with Laserfiche and manufacturing, maintenance, or production systems preferred.Safety, Values & Physical RequirementsDemonstrated commitment to workplace safety and experience promoting a safety-first culture.Consistent alignment with and demonstration of Wenger's Core Values.Valid driver's license and willingness to travel frequently to company and customer locations as required by project assignments.Ability to perform essential job functions in an industrial environment, including lifting up to 60 lbs. regularly and up to 100 lbs.

occasionally, working at heights, in confined spaces, and in dusty conditionsWhat our benefits are:Paid Time Off, Floating Holiday, Volunteer Day, Parental Leave, etc.Carebridge Employee Assistance ProgramFor all full-time members:MedicalDentalVisionHealth Savings Account (HSA)Medical Flexible Spending AccountDependent Care Flexible Spending AccountLife Insurance/Accidental Death and Dismemberment InsuranceShort-Term & Long-Term DisabilityPet Insurance2nd and 3rd shift positions are eligible for a $2/hour shift differential.Weekend shift positions are eligible for a $3/hour shift differential.Each team member has the potential to earn a yearly bonus based on the achievement of company goals.The Wenger Group provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type as protected by federal, state, or local laws. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.