US Manufacturing Senior Director (Wild Turkey / Wilderness Trail)

Description

Campari Group today is a major player in the global branded spirits industry, with a portfolio of over 50 premium and super premium brands, marketed and distributed in over 190 markets around the world, with leading positions in Europe and the Americas.

Headquartered in Milan, Italy, Campari Group owns 25 plants worldwide and has its own distribution network in 26 countries, and employs approximately 4,700 people.

Shares of the parent company Davide Campari - Milano N.V. are listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 2001. Campari Group is today the sixth-largest player worldwide in the premium spirits industry.

THE OPPORTUNITY

We're looking for a Manufacturing Senior Director to lead our distillery, warehouse, packaging, and maintenance operations across two iconic Kentucky locations. This is more than an operations role — it's your chance to shape the future of bourbon manufacturing at one of the world's most passionate beverage companies.

• Lawrenceburg & Wilderness Trail, Kentucky

• Reports to: VP of Manufacturing & Engineering

• Travel: ~10%

WHAT YOU'LL DO

You'll own the full P&L across both sites and set the strategic direction for our production and warehouse operations. Here's what a day in your shoes looks like:

• Lead and inspire teams across Distilling, Packaging, Warehousing, and Maintenance — driving a culture of safety, quality, and continuous improvement

• Own the plant's SQDCP performance: Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and People — every single day

• Manage Labor Relations, including collective bargaining agreement processes with the local union, turning challenges into engagement opportunities

• Champion Employee Engagement initiatives across both sites — building a more productive, motivated, and connected workforce

• Set the strategic plan and annual budget for both sites, while staying hands-on in day-to-day performance

• Partner with Planning, Customer Service, and Innovation teams to bring new products to life

• Develop, coach, and grow a high-performing site leadership team (Packaging, Distillery, Barrel Warehouse, and Maintenance/Engineering Managers)

• Drive full compliance with TTB, GMP, ISO, and all food safety standards

• Align local operations with Campari Group manufacturing standards — while keeping Kentucky's bourbon spirit front and center

WHO YOU ARE

You're a seasoned operations leader who gets the best out of people and processes. You bring both strategic vision and the boots-on-the-ground instincts to run a complex, multi-site manufacturing environment.

• Bourbon industry experience is a must — Distillation, Aging and Bottling, you know what it takes to produce world-class whiskey. From grain to barrel to bottle

• 10+ years of supervisory/management experience in manufacturing, production, warehousing and maintenance/engineering

• Proven Site Leadership track record

• Demonstrated experience leading labor relations in a unionized manufacturing environment, with a proven track record of developing productive union relationships.

• Hands-on experience preparing for and participating in collective bargaining negotiations (e.g., strategy development, costing support, proposal development, table negotiations, and post-ratification implementation).

• BA/BS in Business, Engineering, or relevant experience

• Outstanding communicator — you can inspire a shift supervisor and present to the VP in the same morning

WHAT SETS YOU APART

At Campari, we value leaders who combine sharp execution with genuine people passion. Our ideal Plant Director excels at:

• Execution & Foresight — delivering results while anticipating what's next

• Technical Excellence — mastery of manufacturing with the ability to teach and scale it

• Business Judgment — balancing financial, operational, and organizational priorities with confidence

• People Development — attracting, growing, and retaining top talent

• Teamwork — building bridges across functions, sites, and levels

WHY CAMPARI

Working at Campari means joining a global team that puts people and passion at the center of everything. You'll be surrounded by iconic brands, talented colleagues, and a culture that rewards ambition, celebrates creativity, and believes the best is always yet to come.

In Kentucky, you'll be at the heart of one of the world's most celebrated bourbon traditions — leading the people and operations that make it happen.

Ready to raise a glass to the next chapter of your career?

Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:

At Campari Group we believe in building more value together, thus we see diversity in all forms as a source of enrichment. Our employment policies and practices ensure that we are committed to providing equal employment opportunities in all aspects of employment without regard to any individual’s race, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or characteristics or expression, political affiliation or activity, age, veteran status, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Campari Group believes that fair compensation and equal opportunities are crucial for employees’ well-being, empowerment, and engagement. Our efforts to ensure fair pay have earned us the Fair Pay Certification by Fair Pay Workplace, an independent organization dedicated to dismantling pay disparities based on gender, race and their intersection.

Note to applicants:

Your application will be assessed based on your abilities, expertise, general knowledge and experience, not because of any confidential, proprietary or trade secret information you may possess. You must not disclose to Campari Group any such information. In the event that you are asked a question that cannot be answered without disclosure of any confidential, proprietary or trade secret information (including from a current or prior employer or their vendors or customers), you must decline to answer the question.

Notice to third party agencies:

Please refrain from cold-calling or emailing our executive leadership team or the HR community directly. The Talent Acquisition department manages centralized recruiting operations globally, including the selection and management of external suppliers. Currently, our preferred supplier list is at full capacity. To ensure we have your information on file for future consideration, we kindly request that you complete the online form provided here.