Job Description

Position Overview

The Operations Manager is expected to direct the overall activities of their assigned area of responsibility to ensure customer orders are produced and shipped at the lowest possible cost to meet the customers’ requirements while maintaining company-established quality standards and KPIs. The role will provide oversight for a large team and will ensure that all internal and regulatory safety standards are met.

The qualified individual should have significant previous experience of working in a manufacturing production or operations environment and should have the people and operational skills to manage the assigned area of responsibility efficiently. The successful candidate should be a strong people manager, with the capacity to build, manage, and motivate a high-performing team, that will optimize the area’s performance.  
 

Qualifications

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

•    Serve as the Business Unit Manager for assigned department, area, or value stream.
•    Provide oversight, leadership, and direction to departments within all areas of responsibility, including all safety, food safety, and production processes and operations.  
•    Direct the overall activities of assigned area of responsibility to ensure customer orders are produced and shipped at the lowest possible cost to meet the customer requirements.
•    Maintain company-established quality standards. 
•    Liaise as necessary with other cross-functional areas of the business to effectively manage and influence the performance of assigned area of responsibility. 
•    Analyze department operations to ensure that the facility maintains a leadership position in the industry.
•    Share and receive information regarding best practices from other plant locations.
•    Ensure that appropriate SOPs are developed and maintained for all aspects of the business. 
•    Develop, mentor, and train the team to achieve and improve performance both on a personal level and company level.
•    Monitor inventory of all materials used within the area of responsibility, including finished goods.
•    Develop and report on suitable business metrics.
•    Perform other duties as assigned.

NOTE:  This list presents only the principal duties of the position and is not intended to be comprehensive. The duties and responsibilities listed above may be changed or supplemented at any time in accordance with business needs and conditions.
 

Education and Experience: 

•    Education: High School Diploma or equivalent is required.
•    Preferred Education:  Bachelor’s degree in business, Engineering, Food Science, or a related field. 
•    Preferred Experience: Ten or more years of manufacturing experience in the meat or food industry, including five or more years of department management experience.  
•    Must be at least 18 years of age or older. 

Competencies and Skills:

•    Understanding of USDA, FDA, OSHA, and BRC regulations.
•    Proven integrity in the areas of employee safety, quality, and food safety.
•    Ability to understand the vision of the organization and translate into specific actionable plans.
•    Good people management skills and the ability to hold team members accountable for results.
•    Proven ability to build strong teams and interact at all levels of the plant, including with front-line team members.
•    Passion for learning and a willingness to build new skills.
•    Ability to recognize opportunities to simplify processes and create efficiencies.
•    Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to communicate effectively with varied audiences.
•    Flexibility and the ability to adjust the schedule due to uncontrollable or unforeseen events.
•    Proficiency in using a variety of computer software. 
•    Good time management, multi-tasking, prioritization, and delegation abilities. 
 

Physical Demands: 

•    Ability to stand and move about the plant for prolonged periods. 
•    Ability to perform physical activities, such as, but not limited to, lifting items of up to 100 lbs. unassisted, bending, standing, climbing or walking.
•    Visual and hearing acuity.

NOTE:  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
 

Work Environment and Personal Protective Equipment: 

•    Works in a plant and in a general office environment.
•    Will be required to wear suitable Personal Protective Equipment as needed. 
•    May be exposed to the loud noise of plant machinery. 
•    May, on rare occasions, be exposed to extreme temperatures and oils. 
•    May be required to work near moving mechanical parts.