Vice President - Milk Division

Description

Position Title:  Vice President Milk Division 

Reports To:  CEO- Cayuga Marketing 

FLSA Status:  Exempt 

Job Grade:  15   

Pay Range:  $185,000-$280,000  

Position Overview: 

The Vice President, Milk Division is responsible for the effective management of raw milk procurement, milk balancing, transportation logistics, customer relationships, and operational coordination across Cayuga Marketing's milk network. 

This position serves as a key operational and commercial leader within the Milk Division, working closely with farmer-owners, customers, milk haulers, processing facilities, and internal business partners to ensure the efficient collection, movement, utilization, and marketing of raw milk throughout the Northeast. 

The VP will develop and execute strategies that maximize the value of member milk, optimize transportation and balancing activities, support plant performance, maintain strong customer relationships, and ensure compliance with applicable regulatory and quality requirements. 

This role requires a combination of dairy industry knowledge, commercial judgment, operational discipline, financial acumen, relationship management, and leadership capability. The successful candidate will be equally comfortable working with farmer-owners and customers, analyzing milk flows and financial results, coordinating with plant and transportation operations, and responding to changing market and operational conditions. 

The VP will work collaboratively with leadership across Cayuga Marketing and Cayuga Milk Ingredients to support the organization's goals of maximizing member value, maintaining operational excellence, and delivering reliable service to customers. 

Key Responsibilities 

Milk Marketing, Procurement & Balancing 

• Lead and manage the procurement, balancing, utilization, and movement of raw milk from member farms to customers and processing facilities throughout the Northeast. 
• Develop and implement strategies to maximize the value of member milk while minimizing waste, excess transportation, and inefficient milk utilization. 
• Monitor milk supply, demand, customer requirements, plant capacity, and market conditions to optimize daily milk allocation and movement. 
• Coordinate milk balancing activities among Cayuga Milk Ingredients, other processing facilities, customers, and cooperative partners. 
• Monitor dairy market conditions, milk pricing dynamics, Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMO), and other industry factors affecting milk value and utilization. 
• Identify opportunities to improve milk utilization, customer mix, balancing efficiency, and overall member returns. 
• Support milk sales and customer development efforts, maintaining strong and responsive relationships with raw milk customers. 
• Negotiate milk handling fees, transportation arrangements, and other agreements within established organizational authority and in collaboration with Cayuga Marketing CEO. 
• Maintain regular communication with member farms, customers, haulers, plants, and operational partners to ensure effective coordination and customer satisfaction. 

Transportation & Milk Movement Logistics 

• Direct the work of the Transportation & Logistics Planner, working together to solve issues and implement procedures for preventing issues and rectifying issues. 
• Oversee the efficient and cost-effective movement of raw milk from member farms to customers and processing facilities. 
• Develop transportation strategies that optimize routes, hauling costs, service levels, milk quality, and equipment utilization. 
• Coordinate with milk haulers to ensure timely pickup and delivery of milk in accordance with customer and plant requirements. 
• Monitor transportation performance, costs, service issues, and capacity constraints and implement corrective actions when necessary. 
• Maintain strong working relationships with transportation providers and address operational issues promptly. 
• Evaluate opportunities to improve transportation efficiency, infrastructure, scheduling, and overall milk movement. 
• Provide leadership and operational support during periods of significant supply, demand, weather, transportation, or plant disruption. 

Plant Operations & Operational Coordination 

• Partner with plant leadership to coordinate raw milk supply, scheduling, production requirements, and milk utilization. 
• Support operational performance across applicable fluid milk processing facilities and the broader Cayuga milk network. 
• Collaborate with plant managers and operational leaders to improve efficiency, quality, service, and cost performance. 
• Monitor production schedules, plant capacity, equipment utilization, maintenance considerations, and operational constraints as they affect milk movement and customer commitments. 
• Identify and champion opportunities for continuous improvement, process optimization, and operational efficiency. 
• Serve as a key liaison between milk marketing, transportation, plant operations, quality, finance, and supply chain functions. 
• Assist in developing contingency plans to protect milk movement and customer service during operational disruptions. 

Financial Management & Business Performance 

• Monitor the financial performance of milk marketing, balancing, transportation, and related operations. 
• Assist in developing annual operating budgets, forecasts, and financial plans for the Milk Division. 
• Analyze milk utilization, transportation costs, customer economics, handling fees, and other relevant financial measures to identify opportunities for improved margins and member returns. 
• Utilize operational and financial data to make informed decisions regarding milk movement, customer allocation, transportation, and resource utilization. 
• Monitor key performance indicators and provide regular reporting and recommendations to senior leadership. 
• Support financial analysis related to customer opportunities, transportation agreements, operational changes, and strategic initiatives. 
• Ensure accurate and timely milk settlement information and coordination with Finance and applicable regulatory entities. 

Farmer-Owner & Customer Relations 

• Build and maintain strong, professional relationships with Cayuga farmer-owners, customers, transportation partners, and industry stakeholders. 
• Serve as a knowledgeable and responsive resource to farmer-owners regarding milk movement, market conditions, customer requirements, and operational matters. 
• Translate farmer-owner needs and concerns into actionable operational and business recommendations. 
• Provide timely and accurate information regarding milk markets, milk movement, customer requirements, and relevant industry developments. 
• Develop and maintain strong customer relationships to support retention, service excellence, and opportunities for growth. 
• Represent Cayuga Marketing professionally within the dairy industry and agricultural community as directed by senior leadership. 
• Participate in industry meetings, conferences, associations, and stakeholder engagements as appropriate. 

Regulatory, Quality & Compliance 

• Ensure milk marketing, transportation, balancing, and operational activities are conducted in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local requirements. 
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of FMMO, PMO, FDA, USDA, New York State Agriculture & Markets, and other applicable dairy industry requirements. 
• Support accurate and timely submission of required milk marketing, regulatory, and operational reports. 
• Partner with Quality and operational teams to ensure milk quality standards are maintained throughout collection, transportation, processing, and delivery. 
• Support compliance with HACCP, SQF, Non-GMO, and other applicable quality and certification programs. 
• Maintain accurate records related to milk quality, production, composition, transportation, deliveries, and customer requirements. 
• Work cooperatively with regulatory agencies, internal compliance teams, customers, and operational partners to address compliance matters. 

Leadership & Organizational Development 

• Lead, mentor, and develop employees within areas of responsibility, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, professionalism, safety, and continuous improvement. 
• Provide direction and support to milk buyers, logistics personnel, internal farm inspector and other Milk Division employees as applicable. 
• Establish clear expectations, monitor performance, and provide coaching and development opportunities. 
• Promote effective communication and collaboration among milk marketing, transportation, plant operations, Quality, Finance, HR, and Supply Chain. 
• Support succession planning, talent development, and organizational continuity within areas of responsibility. 
• Model and reinforce Cayuga's values and commitment to farmer-owner service. 
• Provide leadership coverage and operational support during absences, emergencies, and other high-impact periods. 

Qualifications 

Education & Experience 

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Agriculture, Dairy Science, Operations Management, Supply Chain, Food Science, or a related field required. 
• Master's degree or MBA preferred. 
• Minimum of 7–10 years of progressive experience in dairy, agriculture, food manufacturing, milk marketing, transportation, supply chain, or related industries. 
• Demonstrated experience in fluid milk operations, dairy supply chains, milk procurement, balancing, logistics, or milk marketing. 
• Experience working with farmer-owners, cooperative organizations, dairy processors, customers, or transportation providers strongly preferred. 
• Previous management or leadership experience required. 
• Experience with financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, or P&L responsibility preferred. 

Required Knowledge, Skills & Competencies 

• Strong understanding of dairy markets, milk pricing, milk procurement, balancing, and fluid milk logistics. 
• Working knowledge of Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMO) and Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) requirements. 
• Understanding of modern dairy production practices and milk transportation operations. 
• Strong business and financial acumen with the ability to understand operational and financial impacts of business decisions. 
• Excellent negotiation, relationship management, and problem-solving skills. 
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work effectively with farmer-owners, customers, employees, haulers, plant leaders, and senior executives. 
• Strong analytical and decision-making capabilities. 
• Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, time-sensitive operating environment. 
• High level of attention to detail, accountability, and accuracy. 
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence others without relying solely on direct authority. 
• Demonstrated ability to use data, KPIs, and financial information to drive decisions and continuous improvement. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. 
• Ability to learn and effectively utilize operational, logistics, financial, and milk marketing systems. 

Core Competencies 

Strategic & Business Leadership 

Understands the broader business implications of milk procurement, marketing, balancing, logistics, customer relationships, and operational decisions. 

Operational Excellence 

Consistently seeks opportunities to improve milk utilization, transportation efficiency, service levels, operational performance, and cost management. 

Dairy Industry Expertise 

Demonstrates strong knowledge of dairy markets, milk pricing, milk movement, customer requirements, and regulatory expectations. 

Financial Acumen 

Understands the relationship between milk utilization, transportation, customer economics, operational costs, margins, and member returns. 

Relationship Management 

Builds trust and productive relationships with farmer-owners, customers, haulers, employees, plants, and industry partners. 

Decision Making 

Makes timely, fact-based decisions in an environment where milk supply, customer requirements, transportation, plant capacity, and market conditions can change rapidly. 

People Leadership 

Develops employees, establishes accountability, promotes teamwork, and builds a high-performance culture. 

Communication 

Communicates clearly, professionally, and proactively with stakeholders at all levels of the organization. 

Change & Continuous Improvement 

Embraces change and identifies opportunities to improve systems, processes, technology, logistics, and organizational effectiveness. 

Success Measures 

Success in this position will be measured through: 

• Maximization of member milk value and financial returns. 
• Efficient and cost-effective milk procurement, balancing, and transportation. 
• Reliable milk supply and service to customers and processing facilities. 
• Customer retention, satisfaction, and development of new milk marketing opportunities. 
• Effective management of transportation costs and milk movement. 
• Improved utilization of available milk and processing capacity. 
• Achievement of established financial and operational performance objectives. 
• Strong relationships and communication with farmer-owners. 
• Maintenance of regulatory, quality, and operational compliance. 
• Development and retention of a capable, accountable, and engaged team. 
• Successful execution of strategic and continuous improvement initiatives. 

Physical Requirements: 

• Ability to navigate all areas of the facility, including office spaces, warehouse areas, and the exterior perimeter. 
• Must wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) as necessary to safely perform job duties. 
• Ability to stand, sit, and carry out tasks throughout a full shift, with appropriate meal breaks. 
• Physically capable of standing, bending, stooping, kneeling, reaching, twisting, lifting, pushing, pulling, climbing, balancing, and crouching as needed. 
• Able to lift and move items weighing up to 50 pounds independently and heavier objects with reasonable accommodations. 
• Visual acuity sufficient to perform job duties accurately. 
• Capable of assessing weights, judging distances, and working at various heights. 

Work Schedule: 

Generally Monday-Friday from 7am-5pm with availability to respond to situations during the off hours in support of a 24/7/365 operation. 

Compensation: 

At Cayuga Milk Ingredients, we value a fair and comprehensive approach to compensation. Our wage range for this role is determined by various factors, including skill sets, experience, training, licensure, certifications, and organizational needs. It is not typical for an employee to start at or near the top of the range for the position. Compensation decisions are made based on individual job circumstances considering skill level, previous experience, and education requirements. 

Equal Opportunity Employer: 

Cayuga Milk Ingredients is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. 

Non-Discrimination Policy: 

The contractor will not discriminate against employees or applicants for discussing or disclosing their own pay or the pay of others. However, employees with access to compensation information as part of their job duties are prohibited from disclosing this information to unauthorized individuals, except in specific circumstances outlined by applicable laws and regulations (41 CFR 60-1.35(c)). 

General Statement:  

All Cayuga employees recognize that the success and prosperity of the company is everyone’s responsibility.  All employees are expected to treat each other in a positive, respectful, and professional manner, to be at work for their assigned shift and to work safely as a team.  Employees must be self-starters who can relate to all levels of the organization. 

Disclaimer: 

• All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. 
• This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position.  Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisor. 
• The company reserves the right to add to or revise an employee's job duties at any time at its sole discretion. 
• This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” employment relationship. 

Disclaimer: For Recruiter’s and Staffing Agencies 

• At Cayuga Milk, our Human Resources Team leads most of our hiring efforts and takes pride in connecting directly with talented individuals who share our values and passion for what we do. Most of our roles are filled through applications submitted via our careers site or through direct outreach from our team. 
• While we occasionally partner with external recruitment agencies, we do so only with those on our existing, pre-approved vendor list. Currently, we are not adding new agencies to that list. 
• If an unsolicited resume or candidate submission is received from an agency or recruiter not authorized by our Human Resources Team, it will be treated as a direct application. Cayuga Milk will not be responsible for any placement or referral fees related to these submissions.