Responsibilities

Job Description Summary

The Packaging Manager is responsible for leading all packaging operations to ensure the safe, efficient, and compliant production of finished goods while meeting customer, quality, service, and cost expectations. This position provides strategic and day to day leadership for packaging operations by developing team members, optimizing processes, improving equipment reliability, driving continuous improvement initiatives, and ensuring compliance with all food safety and regulatory requirements.  The Packaging manager partners closely with production, maintenance, engineering, quality, procurement, supply planning, warehouse, and R&D to improve operational performance, reduce costs, and build a high performing team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with local, state and federal food safety guidelines, GMP’s and PMO requirements for facility
• Participates in plant QA Systems (SQMS Key Element supporter) and HSE systems
• Ensure that quality issues are reported to management
• Responsible for development, administration and communication of team scorecards in collaboration with operating teams
• Lead daily operations by establishing clear priorities, communicating expectations, and holding the team accountable for safety, quality, productivity, and performance results.
• Develop and monitor departmental KPIs, including safety, quality, OEE, downtime, waste, labor efficiency, schedule attainment, and material utilization, implementing action plans to improve performance.
• Develop, coach, and mentor Packaging Technicians and Packaging Leads to build technical, operational, and leadership capabilities.
• Maintain and actively manage the department skills matrix, ensuring employee competencies, qualifications, and cross-training requirements are current and progressing.
• Provide timely performance feedback, coaching, and corrective guidance to address performance gaps, reinforce expectations, and support employee development.
• Identify training needs and ensure completion of required training, certifications, and qualification programs to support operational excellence and employee growth.
• Build departmental bench strength by developing succession plans, evaluating employee readiness, and creating growth opportunities for advancement within the Packaging department.
• Foster a culture of accountability, employee engagement, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Ensures that quality issues are reported to management immediately
• Accountable for meeting production goals set during shift schedule
• Accountable for proper receiving, processing, and packaging of products including any and all documentation
• Directs and reports the usage of packaging materials, raw milk, sugar, soybean oil, and other minor ingredients and makes recommendations to reduce variances
• Works closely with Operations Leadership and Supply Planning to lock in production schedules
• Controls cost and minimize loss related to material consumption including all packaging materials
• Ensures all production PM’s scheduled are completed effectively by deadline
• Utilizes SQMS tools to ensure facility goals are attained (root cause analysis, autonomous maintenance, confined space, etc.
• Lead Root Cause Analysis and Corrective and Preventive Action activities for quality, food safety, equipment, and operational issues.
• Ensure audit readiness and support all internal, customer, regulatory, and third party food safety audits.
• Lead and communicate troubleshooting efforts between all departments when issues arise
• Interprets and ensures consistent application of organizational policies and safety regulations with Operations department
• Works with operating teams to identify and drive out production losses and improve throughout

Performs other duties as required or assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree Required, Mechanical Engineering/Food Science preferred
• Minimum of 7 years of manufacturing or food production experience, including packaging operations.
• Minimum of 5 years in a supervisory, leadership, or management role in a manufacturing environment
• Experience with compliance standards (e.g., OSHA, ISO, FDA regulations) and sustainability practices.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, adapt to changing demands, and manage multiple projects independently
• Demonstrated experience in Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and problem-solving for packaging-related issues, including process failures, product defects, and packaging performance challenges.
• Experience managing production KPIs including OEE, labor efficiency, waste, yield, schedule attainment, and material utilization
• Proven experience coaching, mentoring, and developing employees
• Strong computer and communication skills, both written and oral
• Bilingual preferred