Plant Manager

How you will make history here… 

The Director of Site Operations is responsible for managing plant operations of a 300 employee (260 non-exempt and 40 salaried and salaried non-exempt) frozen food manufacturing site based in Austin, TX. This site produces 40 million pounds annually (TTL COGS managed = $38MM). A non-union facility with 1st and 2nd production shifts and a 3rd shift Sanitation and Refrigeration and Wastewater maintenance crew. The incumbent will ensure all key objectives are met, and will oversee and monitor performance for safety, quality, maintenance, cost, customer service, and employee engagement. This role oversees day-to-day activities across all departments and leads the transformation to a high-performing, team-based environment. The incumbent must be a strategic business partner with internal and external customers, suppliers, and peers throughout the organization. Excellent interpersonal skills are essential, along with the ability to drive continuous improvement using innovative tools and approaches. Key leadership requirements include inspiring trust, creating direction, driving decision-making, building talent and culture, executing with excellence, and owning the results.

What you will do… 

Primary Duties/Responsibilities:

Leadership: Manage daily plant operations through direct reports.

Workplace Objectives: Ensure that the operation meets key workplace objectives such as safety, employee engagement, and talent development and retention.

Alignment and Accountability: Establish clear goals that align the plant’s efforts with the organization’s vision; ensure synergies between people, processes, and strategies to drive flawless execution of business objectives.

Talent Development: Enhance organizational talent; build a competitively superior organization by attracting, developing, and retaining talent to ensure that people with the right skills and motivation are in the right place at the right time to meet business needs.

Strategic Planning: Develop and implement long-term strategic plans which support the corporate strategic road map and ensure the vitality of the plant operation.

Continuous Improvement: Create a culture of continuous improvement in production, quality, and cost. Foster a culture of innovation and efficiency. Monitor performance metrics and lead cross-functional teams to achieve sustainable improvements that align with organizational goals.

Corporate Collaboration: Work with various functions/business partners to drive plant and company initiatives, facilitate exemplary employee performance, and support company-wide measurables.

Cost Reduction: Proactively seek opportunities for cost reduction and improved productivity, including process and performance improvements, waste reduction, and increased safety.

Performance Monitoring: Monitor key performance indicators to assess labor and variance to budget, yield dollars to budget, total delivered cost, and controllable expenses. Create and lead execution of action plans for any gaps. Also, direct plant performance to support enablers and capital expenditures.

Compliance: Champion quality, safety, and environmental policies, ensuring compliance with all legislative and regulatory responsibilities.

Governance: Establish a strong governance to review and control operational performance and continuous improvement plans, embedding a zero-loss mindset across the site.

Standards and Compliance: Lead and be accountable for all manufacturing standards, governance, and compliance requirements, ensuring they are understood by all employees and regularly reviewed.

Stakeholder Engagement: Interface with key stakeholders throughout the organization

Physical Requirements: A mix of office-based desk work as well as frequent physical presence on the production floor to monitor operations and plant premises. Requires physical ability to navigate production environments, which may mean exposure to food processing smells normally found in food manufacturing facilities, noise, vibrations, extreme temperatures (hot and cold).

Who you will work with… 

• Reporting to Director, Site Operations
• Responsible for managing plant operations of a 300 employee (260 non-exempt and 40 salaried and salaried non-exempt) frozen food manufacturing site based in Austin, TX

What you bring to the table… (Must Have) 

• HS Degree or GED   
• 8+ years of experience in manufacturing and supply chain, with a solid track record in mid-smaller-scale operations.
• 5+ years of people management experience demonstrating ability to lead diverse teams effectively in a high-performance organization.
• Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, TPM, Equipment Reliability, and Six Sigma
• Basic knowledge of Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, and R&D interfaces.
• Prior experience in managing and leading a (select non-union) environment.

It would be great if you have… (Nice to Have) 

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Operations or Business Management, Supply Chains or Logistics
• Familiarity with P&L responsibility.
• Six Sigma Certification
• Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire teams, driving performance and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Proven experience in managing and developing talent, ensuring effective team dynamics and team engagement.
• Solid business acumen and strategic decision-making abilities.
• Excellent communication and project management skills.
• Strong business acumen and strategic decision-making abilities.
• Excellent communication and project management skills.
• Strong understanding of Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Safety Management, Logistics, and Warehouse Management.
• Highly proficient in MS Office and other digital productivity tools.
• Demonstrated ability to advance Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives through community engagement and servant leadership.