Operations Lead

About Ingredion:

Join Ingredion, where innovation impacts lives worldwide! Without even realizing it, you’ve experienced our work in your favorite chocolate, your pet’s food, the paper you write on, and your everyday snacks. As a global powerhouse across more than 60 industries, we harness the potential of natural ingredients to transform lives. Whether you’re just starting your career or bringing years of experience, there's a place for you here to make a real difference. Be part of our team that values a wide range of perspectives and is committed to shaping a better world with every product we create.

Location: Richland, WA

Workplace type: Onsite

Ingredion is seeking a results-driven Operations Lead to lead manufacturing operations at our Richland facility. This role offers the opportunity to drive operational excellence, strengthen safety and quality performance, develop high-performing teams, and deliver continuous improvement initiatives that support business growth and customer success.

As an Operations Lead, you will provide leadership for all aspects of plant operations, including Wet Process, Drying, Packaging, Utilities, Maintenance, and Production Planning. You will be responsible for ensuring safe, efficient, and cost-effective manufacturing operations while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.

This role reports to the Plant Manager and leads a team of approximately 20 operations employees as well as a maintenance team consisting of 1 Maintenance Lead and 3 Maintenance Technicians.

What you will do:

• Lead daily manufacturing operations to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable production performance across all operational areas.
• Drive best-in-class safety and environmental management systems to maintain an injury-free and environmentally compliant workplace.
• Manage plant operations to achieve production goals, budgets, quality standards, and GMP requirements while optimizing costs.
• Partner with Quality, EHSS, Engineering, and Warehouse teams to ensure operational excellence and exceptional customer service.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives utilizing Lean, Six Sigma, and other CI methodologies to improve productivity, reduce waste, and deliver targeted savings.
• Manage plant cost performance and develop systems that support data-driven decision making and sustainable operational improvements.
• Support capital planning activities by partnering with site leadership to identify and prioritize investments that improve reliability, growth capacity, safety, and cost efficiency.
• Develop, coach, and lead high-performing teams through talent development, succession planning, employee engagement, and performance management.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, local, and company regulations, policies, and standards.
• Provide accurate reporting on plant performance and proactively communicate production risks and opportunities to site leadership.

What you will bring:

• 3+ years of leadership experience within a manufacturing environment; food, chemical, biochemical, pharmaceutical, or related process industries preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Chemical Engineering preferred) or a related field preferred; equivalent experience will also be considered.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, operations systems, maintenance practices, GMP requirements, and process improvement methodologies.
• Experience managing operational budgets, cost controls, and productivity improvement initiatives.
• Demonstrated success leading teams and driving operational performance in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders and effectively communicate technical and operational information.

Who you are:

• A safety and quality-driven leader who creates a culture of accountability and operational discipline.
• A collaborative team builder who develops talent, engages employees, and promotes teamwork across functions.
• A continuous improvement champion with hands-on experience applying Lean, Six Sigma, and problem-solving methodologies.
• A business-minded operator who understands financial performance, budgets, cost management, and operational decision making.
• A proactive and decisive problem solver who can identify opportunities, implement solutions, and deliver measurable results.
• An influential leader capable of driving process improvements and helping teams adopt more effective ways of working.
• Well-organized with strong planning, prioritization, and time management skills.
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Why Join Ingredion?

Discover why Ingredion is the ideal place to advance your career with our exceptional rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive. Create the future with us and enjoy:

• Total Rewards Package – Competitive salary and performance-based pay recognizing your contributions to our success
• Comprehensive Benefits & Wellness Support – Health, long-term savings, and resources for your physical, mental, and emotional well-being
• Career Growth – Learning, training, and development opportunities, including tuition reimbursement
• Employee Recognition Program – A culture of real-time appreciation, with personalized recognition rewards globally
• Employee Discount Program – Provides exclusive discounts on everyday products, services, and travelundefined

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We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. Ingredion seeks to provide a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. We will not tolerate any form of discrimination based on race, color, religion, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, handicap or disability—mental or physical—marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability resulting from military service, or any other classification protected by law (“protected classifications”). We are committed to establishing and maintaining a work environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

Ingredion provides accommodations to job applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process. If a job applicant requires an accommodation during the application process or through the selection process, we will work with the applicant to meet the job applicant's accommodation needs.

Ingredion uses AI-enabled tools to support parts of the recruitment process, including resume screening and interview scheduling. These tools help match candidate skills to job requirements and streamline communication. All AI-assisted decisions are reviewed by our Talent Acquisition team to ensure fairness and compliance with applicable laws. By applying, you acknowledge that AI may be used to support your application journey.

Relocation Available:

Pay Range:

This pay range is not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Final base salary will be determined based on several factors which may include but are not limited to responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data and applicable bargaining agreement (if any).

Incentive Compensation:

As a part of the total compensation package, this role may be eligible for the Ingredion Annual Incentive Plan or a role-specific commission/bonus.

Benefits:

Full-time roles are eligible for our comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental and vision coverage as well as a 401(k) plan with an competitive company match.

About Ingredion

Ingredion is a leading global, plant-based ingredients solutions company. We make sweeteners, starches, nutrition ingredients and biomaterials that are used by customers in everyday products from foods and beverages to paper and pharmaceuticals.

At Ingredion, we embrace possibilities and inspire each other to think big. Together, we are reimagining how we can make life better through our differentiated ingredients and innovative solutions.

We share an inspiring purpose — to make life better, for our colleagues, our customers, our communities, and the world. We belong to a culture of bold innovators, of people who believe that their skills, creativity, and passion can deliver solutions that can enhance people’s lives.

We create what's next, transforming our imagination into innovation.

Inclusion and Belonging

We have a welcoming and collaborative environment to build and grow a career in a multinational company. Here, everyone can be their authentic selves and be part of a community of talented and caring people, interacting with professionals around the world, made up of varied backgrounds, cultures and industries. We are encouraged to think differently and innovate through collaboration and experimentation. We are constantly imagining new ways to bring value to our customers, through new ingredients, solutions, and ways of working.

Are you being referred to us?

Please ask your Ingredion connection about our Employee Referral Process!