Position Summary
The Plant Operations & Production Manager is responsible for overseeing daily manufacturing operations, production scheduling, quality control, inventory management, food safety compliance, staffing, and continuous improvement initiatives to ensure efficient and profitable plant operations.
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Key Responsibilities
Production Management
* Manage daily production activities
* Create weekly production schedules
* Ensure customer orders are produced on time
* Monitor productivity and labor efficiency
* Reduce downtime and bottlenecks
Inventory & Purchasing
* Monitor raw material inventory
* Coordinate purchasing requirements
* Ensure proper inventory controls
* Reduce waste and shrinkage
* Maintain production and inventory records
Quality Assurance & Food Safety
* Ensure compliance with FDA, USDA, HACCP, GMP and customer requirements
* Prepare for customer audits
* Manage corrective actions
* Maintain quality documentation
* Investigate customer complaints and quality issues
Team Leadership
* Supervise production employees
* Recruit, train, and develop staff
* Conduct performance reviews
* Improve employee accountability and engagement
* Foster a positive safety culture
Cost Control
* Track production costs
* Improve labor utilization
* Reduce material waste
* Recommend process improvements
* Support profitability initiatives
Continuous Improvement
* Develop SOPs
* Improve production flow
* Implement lean manufacturing practices
* Identify automation opportunities
* Improve production reporting systems
Customer & Supplier Coordination
* Coordinate with sales and customer service teams
* Support customer visits and audits
* Work with suppliers to resolve production-related issues
* Assist in scaling production for major accounts
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Qualifications
Required
* 5+ years production management experience
* Food, pet food, or meat processing experience
* Knowledge of GMP, HACCP, FDA regulations
* Experience managing 15-50 employees
* Strong leadership skills
* Proficiency in Excel and inventory systems
Preferred
* Pet food or animal chew manufacturing experience
* USDA/FDA audit experience
* Lean Manufacturing certification
* Bilingual English/Spanish
Pay: $90,000.00 - $105,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
Work Location: In person
