Your role:

The Ardent Mills Leadership Development Program (LDP) provides a cohort of future leaders an opportunity to grow their career while learning about Ardent Mills, the milling industry, and skills related to their field of interest. This structured program is designed to give team members an understanding of the Ardent Mills vision and values and build a foundation for future leadership positions. As a Quality Development Associate, you will have opportunities to relocate to other Ardent Mills locations within the US in the future. This role is not permanent but meant to be a steppingstone for development that will lead to a progressively challenging permanent role within the organization. We will ask you to openly share your career desires and goals as you progress through and out of the LDP program. In addition, it is important to know that movement into a different role in the business is required upon graduating from the program, often in a different location. In addition, as a part of this leadership role at Ardent Mills, you may be required to work alongside your teams including long days, on rotating shifts (days, evenings, and nights) as well as weekend or holiday work. Together we make Ardent Mills.

Dedicated Food Safety and Quality LDP candidates will participate in a wide range of experiences, working cross-functionally within the facility to understand all aspects of the business with an emphasis on quality. The Food Safety and Quality LDP will concentrate most of their time in the quality department working under the guidance of an experienced Quality Manager. Development opportunities may include assignments at other facilities, project work, and customer visits. Core competencies to be developed include: understanding of flour and wheat characteristics, perform proper product analysis, strong customer interfacing skills, ability to assist in internal and 3rd party auditing, and understanding of our Ardent Mills Food Safety/Protection and Quality Policies and Programs. A successful candidate will demonstrate strong technical skills as well as leadership behaviors aligned with Ardent Mills Values of Safety, Service, Simplicity & Trust.

To succeed, you must be able to:

• Deliver results in first-time situations by inspiring others and working to earn trust every day.
• Serve others with understanding, respect, and care.
• Operate with simplicity, clarity and transparency.
• Deal with and drive change.
• Organize, prioritize and own multiple tasks while meeting or exceeding deadlines.
• Learn and apply new technology and share your knowledge with others.
• Above all you will be expected to carry out all your activities with reliability, integrity, compliance and in a safe, environmentally responsible, and efficient manner.

Essential skills and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Milling Science, Ag Studies, Business, Operations, Food Science, Engineering, or related studies, or equivalent work experience
• Demonstrated initiative, self-starter
• Demonstrated communication skills, both verbal and written
• Demonstrated ability to work across functions and collaboration
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced dynamic environment
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities

Other considerations:

• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time
• Must be authorized to work in the Unites states without sponsorship now and in the future
• Except where prohibited by law, all offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test and pre-employment background check

At Ardent Mills, everyone matters and everyone has a voice. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal opportunities are available to all applicants and team members and the decisions will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, aboriginality, ancestry, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, genetic information, veteran status, age, political affiliation, or any other non-merit characteristic protected by law or not. Together, celebrating our differences, we make Ardent Mills.

The preceding position description has been designed to indicate the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this position. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees in this position. The description, duties, functions, and responsibilities are subject to change at the discretion of Ardent Mills.