Plant Superintendent (Food Manufacturing)

Job Description

The Plant Superintendent is responsible for leading the daily operations of a manufacturing facility. This position ensures the safe, efficient, and cost-effective production of high-quality finished products while meeting customer service expectations and regulatory requirements.

The Plant Superintendent provides leadership and direction to production personnel and works closely with Scheduling, Maintenance, Quality, Warehouse, and other support functions to optimize plant performance. This role is responsible for driving continuous improvement initiatives, maintaining compliance with food safety and quality systems, achieving operational and financial objectives, developing employees, and fostering a positive employee relations environment.

The incumbent must establish action plans to ensure operations meet budgetary goals, production schedules, safety standards, food safety requirements, and customer expectations while maintaining a culture of accountability, teamwork, and operational excellence. The position serves as a key member of the plant leadership team and provides leadership coverage in the absence of other plant leaders..

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

1. Promote and maintain a culture of safety excellence and accountability throughout the facility.
2. Ensure compliance with all safety, food safety, environmental, GMP, HACCP, and company policies and procedures.
3. Lead and participate in incident investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action implementation.
4. Ensure safe work practices and behaviors are consistently followed.
5. Ensure housekeeping standards are maintained throughout the operation.
6. Maintain compliance with all applicable regulatory and customer requirements related to food production and employee safety.
7. Support and reinforce food safety programs through employee training, documentation, and process verification.

Operations & Production Management

1. Lead the efficient utilization of labor, raw materials, equipment, energy, and utilities in the production and packaging of finished products.
2. Coordinate daily production activities to meet production schedules, customer requirements, quality standards, and cost objectives.
3. Monitor production performance, yields, labor utilization, downtime, and operational efficiencies, implementing corrective actions as needed.
4. nDevelop and execute plans to improve operational performance, reduce waste, and increase productivity.
5. Troubleshoot operational issues and provide leadership in resolving production challenges.
6. Review manufacturing processes and recommend equipment or process improvements to enhance safety, quality, productivity, and reliability.
7. Coordinate production activities during scheduled downtime for cleaning, maintenance, repairs, and capital improvements.
8. Ensure effective staffing, shift communications, and production documentation processes are maintained.
9. Provide operational support and leadership for a 24/7 manufacturing operation, including after-hours support as required.

Continuous Improvement & Financial Performance

1. Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to safety, quality, productivity, cost, and customer service.
2. Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on operational efficiency, product quality, cost reduction, and process optimization.
3. Assist in developing and managing departmental operating budgets.
4. Monitor and control departmental spending, including labor, overtime, operating supplies, and other production-related costs.
5. Identify and implement cost-saving opportunities while maintaining operational effectiveness and product quality.

Leadership & Employee Development

1. Provide leadership, coaching, performance management, and development for supervisors and hourly employees.
2. Establish clear performance expectations and accountability measures for all employees.
3. Conduct performance evaluations and create development plans for direct reports.
4. Foster a positive work environment that promotes teamwork, communication, respect, and employee engagement.
5. Conduct regular crew and departmental meetings to communicate plant objectives, business initiatives, safety expectations, and operational performance.
6. Support succession planning and talent development initiatives within the department.
7. Address employee concerns promptly and consistently while maintaining positive employee relations.

Cross-Functional Coordination

1. Partner with Scheduling, Maintenance, Quality, Warehouse, and other support departments to optimize plant performance.
2. Coordinate preventive maintenance activities with Maintenance to maximize equipment reliability and minimize downtime.
3. Communicate operational priorities, production plans, and performance results across all shifts and departments.
4. Participate in plant leadership meetings and contribute to the development and execution of plant goals and business objectives.

Administrative Responsibilities

1. Ensure production records, operational reports, and required documentation are completed accurately and maintained appropriately.
2. Review operational performance data and prepare reports as required.
3. Maintain compliance with company policies and administrative procedures.

Leadership Coverage

1. Assume delegated responsibilities of the Plant Manager in their absence.
2. Provide leadership coverage for Production and Maintenance supervisory functions as needed.
3. Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Food Science, Operations Management, Business, or related field preferred. Equivalent combination of education and manufacturing leadership experience may be considered.

Related Experience: Minimum 5-7 years of manufacturing leadership experience. Previous supervisory experience in a food manufacturing environment preferred. Experience leading continuous improvement initiatives and managing production performance metrics.

Equipment/Software Skills: MS Office Suite (Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access), AS 400. Familiarity with PLC, Warehouse Management Systems, Inventory Management Systems, Plant Automation Systems. Must be able to interface with mainframe, general accounting, MRP, and order processing.

Competencies

• Communication: Demonstrates strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills. Effectively communicates expectations, operational priorities, and business objectives across all levels of the organization. Listens actively, seeks clarification when needed, and fosters open, productive dialogue with employees, peers, and external stakeholders.
• Leadership: Provides visible, results-oriented leadership that promotes accountability, employee engagement, and operational excellence. Builds trust, develops talent, recognizes performance, and effectively manages change while fostering a culture of safety, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Analytical Thinking: Analyzes complex operational data and business challenges to identify trends, determine root causes, and develop practical solutions. Uses data and performance metrics to support sound decision-making and drive business results.
• Problem Solving & Continuous Improvement: Applies root cause problem-solving methodologies to identify, resolve, and prevent operational issues. Demonstrates a continuous improvement mindset by challenging the status quo, implementing sustainable solutions, and driving improvements in safety, quality, productivity, and cost performance.
• Teamwork & Employee Development: Builds high-performing teams through coaching, mentoring, and performance management. Promotes collaboration across departments, values diverse perspectives, encourages open feedback, and creates an environment where employees are empowered to succeed and contribute to plant objectives.
• Business Acumen: Understands the relationship between operational performance and financial results. Effectively manages resources, controls costs, and supports initiatives that improve productivity, efficiency, customer service, and profitability.
• Safety & Food Safety Leadership: Demonstrates an unwavering commitment to safety, food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance. Leads by example and holds employees accountable for maintaining safe work practices and adherence to company standards.

Additional Information

Physical: Must be able to walk throughout the plant, to include walking and climbing up/downstairs and ladders (portable, fixed). Must have be ability to lift up to 50 pounds occasionally is required.

Sensory: Must have the appropriate level of sensory acuity (visual, hearing, speaking, smell and touch) to be able to identify and react to normal, abnormal and alarm conditions (chemicals, temperature, etc.)

Mental/Reasoning: Must be able to logically and methodically work through and break down complex problems and processes to enable effective communication with all levels of the organization.

Full Time Employee Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision