Plant Manager

Job Description: 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 …

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