Pay Range: $179,700-$251,500 per year DOE
Position SummaryThe Prepared Foods Head of Operations role is responsible for planning, organizing, and directing all operational aspects across five further-processing facilities. This leader provides strategic direction and drives excellence in safety, production, quality control, and regulatory compliance, supporting Foster Farms' mission, vision, and ACTION guiding principles: Accountability, Collaboration, Truth-Seeking, Initiative, Ownership, and Nimbleness.
The ideal candidate has a strong background in lean manufacturing, experience with SQF audits, and knowledge of OSHA, USDA/FDA, and PSM regulatory standards. Additionally, they possess exceptional financial acumen and a passion for developing high-performing teams.
Essential Functions- Develop, implement, and execute the operations strategy to achieve business goals and growth targets.
- Oversee the daily operation of ready-to-eat manufacturing, including production, plant maintenance, quality control, warehousing, and wastewater management.
- Implement and maintain lean manufacturing principles to optimize efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance productivity.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams (safety, quality, engineering, compliance, and supply chain) to ensure business objectives are met and operational gaps are closed.
- Prepare and manage the operational budget, including cost control and forecasting.
- Drive financial performance through effective P&L management, identifying areas for improvement and operational efficiencies.
- Manage and report key performance indicators and operational metrics, consistently attaining goals for safety, quality, cost, and productivity.
- Cultivate a high-performance culture focused on accountability, continuous improvement, and personal development.
- Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations and industry standards (USDA, OSHA, PSM), as well as Foster Farms' internal standards for safety, food safety, and environmental stewardship.
- Implement and enforce safety protocols to maintain a safe work environment for all team members.
- Build and lead a high-performing, diverse team of maintenance and reliability professionals, modeling Foster Farms' ACTION principles in every decision and interaction.
Success Measures- Safety: FSQA audit scores, safety rates, and environmental compliance.
- Operations: Yield efficiency, line efficiency, and labor management.
- Financial: Plant spend, EBITDA, and CapEx ROI.
- People: Retention, internal promotions, training, and team engagement.
- Customer: Key customer growth, perfect order rates, and household penetration.
Qualifications- Relevant bachelor's degree preferred, or equivalent work experience.
- Minimum of 7-10 years of progressive leadership experience in food manufacturing; RTE or USDA experience strongly preferred.
- Proven success in leading plant operations with responsibility for safety, quality, productivity, and financial results.
- Strong knowledge of people and food safety systems, regulations, compliance, and risk management.
- Proven leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
- Budget management, cost control, continuous improvement/operational excellence skills and KPI-driven performance management.
- Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and execute tasks in a changing and demanding work environment.
- Travel based on business need throughout assigned facilities.
- Demonstrated alignment with Foster Farms' ACTION principles.
Foster Farms ACTION Guiding Principles- Accountability: Deliver on commitments.
- Collaboration: Achieve more by working as a team.
- Truth-Seeking: Be open-minded and act with humility.
- Initiative: Be proactive and lead with a growth mindset.
- Ownership: Take responsibility for results.
- Nimble: Operate with speed and agility.
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