Job Summary
Howard Fertilizer & Chemical is seeking an experienced operations leader to take ownership of our Groveland manufacturing and distribution facility.
This is not a maintenance role. This is a turnaround leadership position.
The successful candidate will be responsible for improving operational performance, strengthening accountability, enhancing labor productivity, improving safety and compliance, rebuilding management credibility, and creating a culture of ownership and execution across both manufacturing and warehouse operations.
The facility operates in a union environment and requires a leader who can work effectively within the collective bargaining agreement while maintaining high standards of performance, attendance, productivity, and accountability.
This position reports directly to executive leadership and will have broad authority to implement operational improvements, establish performance expectations, develop supervisors, and drive measurable results.
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Key Responsibilities
Operations Leadership
· Lead all manufacturing, warehouse, shipping, receiving, inventory, maintenance, and facility operations.
· Establish clear operational expectations, performance standards, and accountability throughout the facility.
· Develop and implement daily management systems, production reviews, labor reporting, and operational scorecards.
· Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, productivity, inventory accuracy, and cost reduction.
· Identify operational bottlenecks and implement sustainable solutions.
Union Workforce Management
· Effectively manage operations within a unionized environment.
· Partner with HR to ensure consistent administration of the collective bargaining agreement.
· Conduct investigations, documentation, coaching, and disciplinary actions when necessary.
· Maintain positive labor relations while enforcing performance expectations.
· Hold supervisors accountable for consistent application of policies and procedures.
Leadership Development
· Evaluate current supervisory and management staff and develop plans to strengthen organizational performance.
· Coach supervisors to improve accountability, communication, and execution.
· Identify leadership gaps and participate in recruiting and selection of key personnel.
· Build a culture where expectations are clearly communicated and consistently enforced.
Manufacturing & Warehouse Performance
· Improve production efficiency, labor utilization, and throughput.
· Improve warehouse productivity, inventory accuracy, shipping performance, and order fulfillment.
· Develop labor productivity metrics and reporting.
· Establish standard operating procedures and ensure compliance.
· Reduce waste, downtime, rework, and operational inefficiencies.
Safety & Compliance
· Promote a culture of safety and accountability.
· Ensure compliance with company policies, OSHA requirements, environmental regulations, and operational procedures.
· Lead corrective action plans following incidents or operational failures.
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Qualifications
Required Experience
· 10+ years of manufacturing, distribution, or industrial operations leadership experience.
· 5+ years leading operations in a unionized environment.
· Demonstrated experience improving underperforming operations.
· Experience managing both manufacturing and warehouse/distribution functions.
· Strong background in labor management, employee accountability, and performance improvement.
· Experience implementing KPIs, labor productivity metrics, and operational scorecards.
· Proven track record of driving measurable operational improvements.
Preferred Experience
· Fertilizer, chemical, industrial manufacturing, food manufacturing, building materials, packaging, or related industries.
· Lean manufacturing or continuous improvement experience.
· Multi-shift operation leadership.
· Experience leading organizational and cultural transformation initiatives.
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Success Metrics – First 12 Months
· Improved labor productivity.
· Improved inventory accuracy.
· Reduced overtime costs.
· Improved shipping and receiving performance.
· Reduced safety incidents.
· Improved production throughput.
· Improved management accountability and performance.
· Successful implementation of operational KPI reporting.
· Establishment of sustainable supervisory and management processes.
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Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who is visible on the floor, earns respect through action, holds people accountable, follows through on commitments, and is comfortable making difficult decisions when necessary.
This individual is capable of building relationships with employees while maintaining clear expectations and consistent standards. They are not afraid to address performance issues, challenge the status quo, or drive change in a complex operational environment.
Pay: From $90,000.00 per year
Application Question(s):
- Required: 5+ years leading operations in a unionized environment. How many years leading operations in a unionized environment do you have?
Work Location: In person
