Plant Manager / Production

The Wenger Group

• $75K — $95K *
Souderton, PA 18964In-Person
Food & Beverages
5 - 7 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • High school diploma required; Bachelor's degree in Operations, Food Science, or related field preferred.
  • 5-10 years of progressive leadership experience in food or meat processing, including plant-level management.
  • Strong knowledge of USDA/FSIS regulations, HACCP, SSOP, GMP, and food safety systems.
  • Proven ability to lead large teams in a fast-paced, high-volume production environment.
  • Strong communication, leadership, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
  • Experience with ERP/MES systems and production reporting tools preferred.

Responsibilities

  • Champion and enforce all plant safety programs, including LOTO, machine guarding, PPE, ergonomics, and hazard mitigation.
  • Ensure full compliance with USDA/FSIS regulations, HACCP, SSOP, GMP, and other food safety requirements.
  • Direct all plant operations to meet or exceed production schedules, throughput targets, and customer demand.
  • Lead, develop, and coach supervisors and frontline employees across all shifts.
  • Identify and lead initiatives to improve yield, reduce waste, and enhance throughput.
  • Oversee accurate reporting of production metrics including yields, labor usage, and inventory.
  • Partner closely with Quality Assurance to manage product integrity and address deviations.

Benefits

  • Opportunity for professional growth and advancement within a large, established organization.
  • Comprehensive safety training programs to ensure employee well-being.
  • Collaborative team environment that encourages continuous improvement and innovation.
  • Involvement in high-impact projects that enhance food safety and production efficiency.
  • Flexible working hours to accommodate personal commitments.
Full Job Description
Key Responsibilities
Safety & Regulatory Compliance
  • Champion and enforce all plant safety programs, including LOTO, machine guarding, PPE, ergonomics, and hazard mitigation.
  • Ensure full compliance with USDA/FSIS regulations, HACCP, SSOP, GMP, and other food safety requirements.
  • Oversee pre-operational inspections, CCP monitoring, metal detection programs, calibration systems, and labeling accuracy.
  • Maintain cold-chain integrity and sanitary conditions across all departments.
  • Lead audit readiness and ensure proper documentation for USDA, third-party, and customer audits.
Operations & Production Leadership
  • Direct all plant operations to meet or exceed production schedules, throughput targets, and customer demand.
  • Monitor plant-wide KPIs including yields, labor efficiency, waste, giveaway, downtime, and first-pass quality.
  • Optimize staffing levels, equipment utilization, and line configurations to maximize productivity.
  • Manage daily production planning and communicate changes across departments.
  • Ensure consistent adherence to product specifications (cuts, weights, packaging, labeling).
People Leadership & Culture
  • Lead, develop, and coach supervisors, leads, and frontline employees across all shifts.
  • Drive accountability for performance, attendance, and adherence to company policies.
  • Foster a culture of safety, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
  • Oversee employee training programs including SOPs, equipment operation, food safety, and knife safety.
  • Conduct regular leadership meetings, shift reviews, and communication sessions.
Quality & Food Safety
  • Partner closely with Quality Assurance to manage product integrity, deviations, holds, and customer complaints.
  • Ensure all process controls are followed and non-conformances are prevented or corrected.
  • Lead root-cause analysis (e.g., 5-Why) and corrective/preventive action implementation.
  • Drive continuous improvement in product quality and compliance metrics.
Continuous Improvement & Efficiency
  • Identify and lead initiatives to improve yield, reduce waste, minimize downtime, and enhance throughput.
  • Support Lean manufacturing, 5S, and standard work implementation across the facility.
  • Encourage employee engagement in improvement ideas and problem-solving efforts.
Reporting & Systems Management
  • Oversee accurate reporting of production metrics including yields, labor usage, downtime, and inventory.
  • Ensure ERP/MES systems are properly utilized with accurate data entry for production counts, scrap, and rework.
  • Maintain traceability and documentation required for regulatory and internal audits.
Qualifications
  • High school diploma required; Bachelor's degree in Operations, Food Science, or related field preferred.
  • 5-10 years of progressive leadership experience in food or meat processing, including plant-level management.
  • Strong knowledge of USDA/FSIS regulations, HACCP, SSOP, GMP, and food safety systems.
  • Proven ability to lead large teams in a fast-paced, high-volume production environment.
  • Strong communication, leadership, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
  • Experience with ERP/MES systems and production reporting tools preferred.
Work Environment
  • Cold, wet, high-speed food production environment with exposure to raw meat and USDA oversight.
  • Required use of PPE (cut-resistant gloves, coats, hearing protection, etc.).
  • Ability to work flexible hours including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and extended hours as needed.
  • Frequent standing, walking, and lifting (up to 50 lbs).
* Ladders Estimates

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