Assistant Director of Manufacturing

Position Description:  

The Assistant Director of Manufacturing supports the Director of Manufacturing in leading manufacturing operations across extraction, production, packaging, and related support functions. This role helps ensure safe, compliant, efficient, and consistent production of high-quality medical marijuana products for Louisiana patients. The Assistant Director will help lead team managers, drive continuous improvement, strengthen operational discipline, and support capacity planning, cost control, and leadership development.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

• Operational Strategy: Support the development and execution of manufacturing strategies that improve production efficiency, reduce waste, strengthen consistency, and support product quality.

• Safety Culture: Lead and reinforce a world-class safety culture across manufacturing operations.

• Cost Control: Monitor operating costs, identify cost-saving opportunities, and implement improvements without compromising quality, safety, or compliance.

• Capacity Optimization: Assess production capacity, equipment utilization, staffing needs, and expansion opportunities to meet current and future demand.

• Team Leadership: Support and lead manufacturing managers, supervisors, and team leaders, develop talent, and build engaged, accountable, and high-performing teams.

• Accountability and Succession Planning: Reinforce a culture of ownership, effective delegation, leadership development, cross-training, and succession readiness.

• Capital Improvements: Assist in identifying, advocating for, and implement manufacturing capital improvement projects that support long-term strategic plans.

• Root Cause and Corrective Action: Drive disciplined and timely root cause analysis and corrective action for production-related deviations involving quality, efficiency, compliance, or financial performance.

• Performance Metrics: Maintain consistent data collection practices and monitor key performance indicators to track performance, identify trends, and drive continuous improvement.

• Industry Knowledge: Stay informed on cannabis manufacturing trends, emerging technologies, and best practices to support innovation and operational excellence.

• Compliance and Quality Systems: Ensure manufacturing operations comply with Louisiana medical marijuana regulations, company SOPs, quality standards, and safety requirements.

• Director Support: Serve as an operational backup to the Director of Manufacturing and assist with departmental planning, budgeting, staffing, reporting, audits, and inspections.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree, or equivalent experience, in operations management, business, engineering, or a related field.

• Minimum of five years of experience in high-volume manufacturing, extraction/lab production, food production, or a related operation, including at least two years in a leadership role.

• Demonstrated experience leading managers, supervisors, or team leaders in a production environment.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Highly organized with strong attention to detail, accuracy, and follow-through.

• Ability to remain compliant with company policies and applicable state and federal regulations.

• Applicants must be at least 21 years of age.

• Ability to sit, stand, kneel, bend, squat, and/or walk for extended periods.

• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Cannabis industry experience.
• Experience with regulated manufacturing, food production, pharmaceutical production, or similar compliance-driven environments.
• Experience using KPIs, production data, or operational dashboards to manage performance.

This job description reflects management's assignment of essential functions. Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Organization:

Ilera Holistic Healthcare is a Louisiana based company which cultivates, processes and packages premium marijuana medicine for the medical marijuana patients of Louisiana.  Ilera Holistic Healthcare's mission is to improve the quality of life for the patients we serve by supplying consistent, effective, and safe medical marijuana solutions that provide relief and enhance wellness.  We are a curious and continuously learning team that lives our values of integrity, compassion, and community through how we treat other people and ourselves. 

Background Check Requirement:

As a condition of employment, a complete background investigation will be conducted based on the laws of Louisiana, federal rules for DEA registered Medical Marijuana Manufacturers, and the Louisiana Department of Health rules for therapeutic marijuana employment. This will include a criminal background check conducted by a third-party as well as any additional background check which the state or the DEA may request at their discretion.

EEO Statement:

At Ilera Holistic Healthcare, employees and applicants are evaluated based on their qualifications, skills, and ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position. Ilera is committed to assuring equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants.

Ilera is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with applicable law, we prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, creed, gender, pregnancy or related medical conditions, age, national origin, or ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, to include gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and gender identity, or any other consideration protected by federal, state or local laws. Our commitment to equal opportunity employment applies to all persons involved in our operations and prohibits unlawful discrimination by any employee, including supervisors and coworkers.

Disclaimer:

This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. Management has the exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice. The list of job responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, and the like is not exhaustive, rather it is illustrative of the current essential functions required for the position.