Plant Director

Business Unit Overview

Michael Foods, Inc. is a leader in the food processing and distribution industry with business in egg products, refrigerated grocery and potato products. We offer exciting job possibilities throughout our organization where you can enhance your career, sharpen your talents and make an impact. Join our company and be part of an innovative team that's First in Food.

Location Description

Michael Foods, Inc. located in Gaylord, Minnesota is Minnesota's Healthy Heartland! Gaylord is located in south central Minnesota about an hour west of the Twin Cities and 35 minutes from Mankato, Hutchinson, and New Ulm. As the County Seat, Gaylord is the "Hub of Sibley County." Our location produces liquid egg, hardcook egg, and precooked egg such as scrambled, patties and omelets.

Responsibilities

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Plant Director is responsible for the effective and efficient manufacturing while support multiple operating facilities. Success in the role hinges on the ability to develop a capable and performance driven culture to not only produce required business needs but also build effective team to drive continuous improvement in delivering the value proposition for MFI.

This position has the responsibility to always comply with Safety work rules as well as an obligation to reinforce Safety as a Core Value. Ensure that all policies, procedures and activities, related to Food Safety & Quality, are followed and complied with uniformly, to reduce product and process variability.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Plant Performance:

• Oversee the daily operations to produce quality products through ensuring Food Safety and Quality standards.
• Responsible for the effective and efficient manufacturing while support multiple operating facilities
• Ensures a safe operating environment for all employees and contractors through policy and practice development to build a world-class Safety environment.
• Ensures procedures are effectively implemented and adhered to.
• Develops, deploys, improves, and sustains daily management systems to ensure effective operational performance in meeting output (OEE/Schedule Attainment) requirements.
• Perpetuates a culture of continuous improvement utilizing the tools and methods of the MFI Manufacturing Execution System as related to daily operational cadence.
• Utilizes a data-driven approach to identifying areas of loss and opportunities for improvement.
• Works closely with the Director of Continuous Improvement to deploy TPM/Lean manufacturing strategies to optimize processes, reduce waste, and improve operational performance for the site.
• Ensures all personnel are operating in compliance with plant, company, customer, and regulatory standards and guidelines.
• Manages effective budgeting, production scheduling, and resource planning to meet the business targets and optimizes operational performance.
• Promotes overall focus on delivering Service, Reliability, and Productivity for the ongoing operations for MFI.

Leadership and Team Development:

• Provide overall leadership, direction setting, and coordination of plant operations.
• Provides and promotes visible floor leadership, interfacing with all levels of the plant organization to create a cross-functional environment.
• Develops a high performing leadership team environment to ensure consistency and sustainability of results across a balanced scorecard approach.
• Build, mentor, and inspire high-performing teams, fostering a collaborative culture of accountability, trust, and responsibility.
• Provides coaching and development of plant staff to ensure effective leadership and collaboration to achieve balanced KPI's.
• Partner with Human Resources to ensure all employee capability and learning needs are met to provide an effective and sustainable operating environment.
• Participation as a member of the Supply Chain leadership team to support ongoing Supply Optimization of MFI Collaboration and Partnership Management:
• Act as the key liaison between potato operations and supply chain leadership to ensure continuity and effective customer service.
• Develop ongoing capacity mapping to meet the growth needs of the customer with clear plans, objectives, and deliverables.
• Creates and executes strategic planning, both short and long-term, to sustain staffing and capability needs enabling improvement of operational performance and reliability.
• Work with MFI supply chain and financial leadership to ensure coordination of efforts to deliver the business plans for value proposition.

Expansion/Startup Management:

• Develop, socialize, and execute multi-year expansion plans in close coordination with MFI leadership and supply chain growth plans.
• Partner with MFI Engineering resources to guarantee an effective build-out plan for future line expansion.
• Work closely with HR, SES, and FSQ to develop effective staffing, commissioning, validation, and start-up programs.
• Ensure clear and effective communication with Finance to develop and execute a business plan for business expansion.

Reporting and Documentation:

• Support the preparation and present regular reports on plant performance, process improvements, capacity extension, and plant optimization to senior leadership.
• Ensure the maintenance of accurate documentation of all activities, including metrics, action plans, and improvements.

Accountable for a safe and healthy workplace for everyone. Adhere to all safety policies and procedures and incorporate safety and health in all jobs and tasks.

Adhere to Quality work practices, follow GMP's, maintain sanitary conditions and ensure that product quality is maintained. Report to management any conditions or practices that may adversely affect food safety and quality.

Qualifications

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• Bachelor's degree (B.S.) from four-year college or university, preferably in Engineering or Science discipline, Supply Chain Management or Business. Master's degree is preferred.
• Ten or more years of related food manufacturing experience. Aseptic manufacturing experience preferred with clear USDA/FSIS exposure.
• Seven years of direct plant (single or multiple site) leadership experience.
• Management of co-manufacturing customer relationships is a plus.
• Excellent communication and listening skills, including the ability to effectively present information to all levels of the company from plant floor to executive leadership.
• Previous experience in leadership of teams, managing manufacturing processes, strategic planning, dealing with complexity, financial planning and strategy in a high-speed manufacturing environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills needed, including coaching, team building and training.
• Excellent time management and organization skills.
• Strong attention to detail, problem solving, reasoning, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to analyze performance data and financial variance trends is preferred.

The pay range for this position is $153,047 - $250,997 per year.