The food industry plant manager oversees all aspects of a food processing facility, ensuring efficient preparation, production, compliance with regulations, and adherence to quality and safety standards. They are responsible for managing staff, budgets, and food processing operations to meet production goals while maintaining profitability.
Key Responsibilities:
Production Management:
Oversee daily operations, including production scheduling, resource allocation, and process optimization.
Quality and Food Safety:
Implement and enforce quality control procedures, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations like FDA and USDA, and maintaining certifications like SQF.
Staff Management:
Lead, supervise, and train plant personnel, fostering a positive and productive work environment.
Budget Management:
Develop and manage the plant budget, ensuring efficient resource allocation and cost-saving initiatives.
Maintenance and Repair:
Coordinate maintenance and repair of plant equipment to ensure operational efficiency.
Compliance:
Ensure adherence to all relevant regulations, including health and safety standards, environmental regulations, and food safety guidelines.
Continuous Improvement:
Analyze production data, identify areas for improvement, and implement process improvements.
Collaboration:
Work with other departments, such as procurement, distribution, and marketing, to align objectives and strategies.
Additional Responsibilities:
Documentation:
Maintain plant documentation, including SOPs, and records of production and safety activities.
Safety:
Ensure a safe working environment, adhering to safety protocols and regulations.
Problem Solving:
Address and resolve production issues promptly and professionally.
Communication:
Communicate effectively with senior management, stakeholders, and plant staff.
Strategic Planning:
Participate in strategic planning and decision-making related to plant operations.
Qualifications
Previous experience leading food processing operations, with hands on production experience.
Previous experience managing processing raw food, ie. Produce/crop products.
Previous experience successfully executing optimized food processing considering seasonal product availability.
Previous executions successfully leading staff and team members to produce safe, high quality food items while meeting customer requirements and profit / business goals.
Bachelors Degree preferred. Military experience preferred.