ROLE PURPOSE/ POSITION SUMMARY
The Plant Manager is accountable for overseeing the daily operations of the food manufacturing facility, including production, quality assurance, maintenance, sanitation, safety, and supply chain. This role ensures adherence to food safety standards and regulatory requirements (e.g., HACCP, GMP, FDA, USDA) while delivering against production goals and cost targets. The Plant Manager will lead cross-functional teams to continuously improve processes, reduce waste, enhance productivity, and ensure timely delivery of products to customers. In addition, this position plays a key role in shaping plant culture, driving employee engagement, and fostering a safe workplace. Collaboration with the executive leadership team and corporate support teams is essential to ensure alignment with broader business objectives.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES/PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Key Accountabilities
Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance:
Ensure full compliance with all food safety standards (HACCP, GMP, SQF, BRC) and regulatory requirements from agencies such as the FDA, USDA, and local health departments.
Operational Excellence:
Oversee daily plant operations to ensure consistent, efficient, and high-quality production that meets customer demand and company standards.
Quality Assurance:
Maintain rigorous quality control procedures to ensure that all products meet internal specifications and external customer and regulatory expectations.
Health & Workplace Safety:
Lead a safety-first culture by maintaining a clean, organized, and hazard-free work environment. Ensure compliance with OSHA and company safety policies.
Supply Chain & Inventory Management:
Manage raw materials, packaging, and finished goods flow to ensure timely production and delivery while minimizing waste and spoilage.
Financial Performance:
Deliver against plant financial objectives by managing budgets, controlling costs, optimizing labor and materials, and improving operational efficiencies.
Leadership & Team Development:
Lead, coach, and develop the plant team to foster engagement, accountability, and a continuous improvement mindset.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
- Lead all plant operations including production, maintenance, quality assurance, sanitation, warehousing, and logistics.
- Ensure strict adherence to all food safety programs, conducting internal audits and leading external inspections as needed.
- Oversee daily production schedules, ensuring customer orders are fulfilled accurately and on time.
- Collaborate with customers, quality, procurement, and supply chain teams to support new product launches, reformulations, and special runs.
- Monitor KPIs (e.g., reliability, yield, downtime, complaints, waste) and implement action plans for continuous improvement.
- Coordinate with procurement and planning to manage raw material inventory, minimize shortages or overstock, and optimize warehouse space.
- Ensure all sanitation and cleaning protocols are executed according to schedule and verified for compliance.
- Champion a proactive safety culture by conducting regular safety audits, training, and incident investigations.
- Develop and manage plant operating budgets, capital projects, and cost-reduction initiatives.
- Foster a positive and productive working environment through regular communication, performance reviews, and employee development.
- Lead crisis management efforts for food recalls, contamination risks, or emergency shutdowns.
- Report on plant performance to senior leadership and recommend operational strategies.
QUALIFICATIONS/ CAPABILITY PROFILE
Minimum Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Engineering, Industrial Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
- Master’s degree (MBA or related field) may be considered an asset, especially for larger or more complex operations.
Minimum Experience
- 8+ years of progressive leadership experience in food manufacturing or a closely related industry.
- 5+ years of direct experience in plant operations management, including oversight of production, quality, safety, and supply chain functions.
- Proven track record of managing in a regulated food production environment, with demonstrated understanding of HACCP, GMP, SQF, and FDA/USDA regulations.
- Experience leading and developing cross-functional teams in a high-speed, high-volume manufacturing setting.
- Demonstrated success in implementing continuous improvement initiatives (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma) with measurable operational and financial impact.
- Strong background in budget management, cost control, and performance metrics.
- Experience working with ERP and manufacturing systems, preferably in a food manufacturing context (e.g., SAP, Oracle, or industry-specific platforms).
- Experience with customer audits, third-party certifications, and government inspections is highly desirable.
Minimum Knowledge/ Skills/ Abilities Knowledge
- Deep understanding of food manufacturing processes, including food safety, sanitation, and hygiene standards (e.g., HACCP, GMP, SQF).
- Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements from agencies such as FDA, USDA.
- Familiarity with allergen control, traceability, and recall procedures.
- Understanding of production scheduling, raw material management, and perishability factors unique to food operations.
- Knowledge of quality assurance systems and compliance protocols in a food production environment.
- Experience with food-specific ERP systems and supply chain logistics in temperature- or shelf-life-sensitive environments.
- Financial acumen related to plant operations including waste control, yield optimization, and production cost analysis.
Skills:
- Excellent leadership skills with experience managing diverse teams in a food production environment.
- Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to address quality, process, and supply chain challenges in real time.
- Clear and effective communication skills with the ability to lead cross-functional teams and interact with auditors and inspectors.
- High attention to detail, especially in areas involving food safety, labeling, and quality standards.
- Proficient in lean manufacturing and continuous improvement tools (e.g., Kaizen, 5S, root cause analysis) tailored for food manufacturing.
- Skilled in risk assessment and mitigation related to food safety and operational reliability.
Abilities:
- Ability to enforce and promote a strong food safety and safety-first culture at all levels of the plant.
- Ability to work under tight deadlines while maintaining product quality and compliance.
- Ability to interpret production and quality data to drive operational decisions.
- Ability to adapt to changing demand, seasonal production swings, or ingredient availability challenges.
- Ability to respond swiftly and effectively to audits, inspections, or food safety incidents.
- Ability to implement and sustain continuous improvement initiatives in a highly regulated environment.
