Summary/Objective
The Fabrication Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing and managing all meat fabrication operations, including production processes, cutting, processing, yield management, labor utilization, workforce management, and operational supervision. This role ensures all production activities comply with company policies and USDA regulatory requirements while maintaining high standards of employee safety, food safety, product quality, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
Key responsibilities include developing, maintaining, and supervising all aspects of fabrication operations at OWB Packers. The Fabrication Operations Manager implements corrective actions and leads continuous improvement initiatives focused on improving operational performance, reducing downtime, improving yields, reducing operational costs, and supporting overall production efficiency.
This position works closely with other departments to ensure seamless coordination of fabrication production runs, inventory management, export requirements, customer specifications, and production schedules to meet operational and customer demands. The role is focused on driving continuous improvement, operational accountability, workforce stability, regulatory compliance, and consistent operational execution.
Essential Functions
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Production Operations
Manage daily meat fabrication operations including cutting, trimming, processing, packaging, and production flow.
- Oversee carcass grading, sortation, and processing in accordance with company, customer, export, and USDA requirements.
- Review production schedules and coordinate labor, workflow, staffing, and overtime to meet production and delivery requirements.
- Maintain a strong daily presence on the production floor to support employees, monitor operations, and drive execution.
- Ensure machinery, equipment, and facilities are properly maintained, sanitized, and operating safely and efficiently.
- Partner with Maintenance to identify recurring equipment failures, reduce operational downtime, and support preventative maintenance initiatives.
- Monitor line efficiencies, throughput, labor utilization, workflow performance, and operational productivity.
- Ensure all products meet customer specifications, export requirements, labeling requirements, and company quality standards.
- Maintain accurate production records, reporting systems, labor reporting, and operational tracking systems.
- Assist in managing production priorities during operational challenges, staffing shortages, or changing customer demands.
Quality, Yield & Food Safety Compliance
Monitor product yield, quality, trim performance, cut accuracy, and consistency to minimize waste and maximize operational efficiency.
- Maintain yield standards and control labor costs while ensuring profitability and product quality.
- Lead efforts focused on reducing customer claims, product defects, rework, and operational losses.
- Ensure products meet customer specifications, company standards, export requirements, and all regulatory requirements.
- Implement and monitor food safety and sanitation programs, including HACCP, USDA, GMP, SSOP, and company policies.
- Develop and review operational and quality assurance metrics such as audits, yield performance, efficiency trends, downtime, and labor performance.
- Support QA and Food Safety teams during audits, customer visits, regulatory reviews, and corrective action initiatives.
Leadership & Personnel Management
- Lead, supervise, train, mentor, coach, and evaluate fabrication and production personnel.
- Promote a culture where employee safety and food safety are non-negotiable.
- Hire, discipline, reward, and terminate employees in accordance with company policies and procedures.
- Conduct performance evaluations and establish clear goals while providing ongoing feedback, accountability, and employee development.
- Promote teamwork, accountability, professionalism, operational discipline, and continuous improvement.
- Promote workforce stability, attendance accountability, and employee engagement within the department.
- Ensure all employees are properly trained in safety procedures, food safety practices, GMPs, and use of required protective equipment.
- Oversee staff development including coaching, mentoring, and career development planning.
- Ensure compliance with company core values, business code of conduct, and applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
- Promote adherence to company policies and industry standards relevant to operational and financial practices.
Planning, Coordination & Communication
- Coordinate with Purchasing, Warehouse, QA, Shipping, and Operations teams to support production planning and inventory accuracy.
- Serve as liaison between plant management, customers, USDA personnel, and regulatory agencies regarding quality assurance, labeling, export requirements, and operational matters.
- Communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders to ensure customer satisfaction and operational alignment.
- Support execution of customer-specific programs, export programs, and special production requirements.
- Participate in operational meetings, investigations, planning discussions, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Cost Control & Operational Performance
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on reducing cost per head and improving operational efficiencies.
- Monitor and control departmental spending related to labor, overtime, supplies, packaging materials, and operational expenses.
- Identify operational bottlenecks and implement process improvements to improve productivity, workflow, labor utilization, and production performance.
- Support company initiatives focused on profitability, operational consistency, and sustainable plant performance.
- Assist in developing and supporting departmental labor plans, operational targets, and efficiency goals.
Key Performance Expectations (KPIs)
Responsible for supporting and achieving department goals related to:
- Employee Safety Performance
- Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance
- Product Quality & Claims Reduction
- Throughput & Production Attainment
- Attendance & Workforce Stability
- Export & Customer Specification Compliance
- Operational Cost Reduction
- Continuous Improvement Initiatives
Continuous Improvement & Compliance
- Identify and implement process improvements to increase productivity, reduce costs, improve yields, and improve product quality.
- Ensure compliance with all company policies, safety regulations, USDA regulations, export requirements, and applicable federal requirements.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct
- Demonstrate the highest level of integrity, professionalism, and ethical behavior in all business dealings.
- Ensure compliance with company policies, legal standards, and industry regulations.
- Promote a culture of transparency, respect, and accountability within the department and across the organization.
- Safeguard confidential and proprietary information at all times.
- Serve as a role model for ethical decision-making and responsible leadership.
Other Duties
Conduct and complete any other duties assigned.
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Required Education and Experience
Minimum 5 years of leadership experience in meat fabrication, meat cutting, protein processing, or food manufacturing operations preferred.
- Expertise in product specifications, GMP, SSOP, HACCP, export procedures, product labeling, and regulatory requirements contributing to Quality Assurance and Food Safety.
- Strong understanding of meat yields, fabrication cuts, trimming performance, and processing techniques.
- Knowledge of food safety standards, sanitation requirements, and USDA regulations.
- Ability to manage production schedules, labor utilization, staffing, and operational priorities in a fast-paced production environment.
- Strong communication, leadership, coaching, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
- Experience working with KPI reporting systems, labor tracking systems, or operational dashboards preferred.
- Computer knowledge required.
- Bilingual in English and Spanish.
Competencies
1. Leadership
2. Written & Verbal Communication
3. Conflict Resolution
4. Problem Analysis
5. Coaching & Mentoring
6. Team Player
7. Deliver Results
8. Accountability
9. Decision Making
10. Continuous Improvement
Supervisory Responsibility
Directly supervise fabrication and production personnel, including scheduling, task assignments, labor planning, and performance oversight.
- Lead daily production operations to ensure efficiency, safety, food safety, and adherence to production goals and quality standards.
- Train, coach, and develop employees to improve skills, performance, accountability, and overall team effectiveness.
- Conduct performance evaluations and provide ongoing feedback to support accountability and continuous improvement.
- Manage staffing decisions including hiring recommendations, disciplinary actions, promotions, and terminations in accordance with company policies.
- Ensure compliance with all safety procedures, food safety standards, GMP, SSOP, USDA regulations, export requirements, and company policies.
- Monitor productivity, labor utilization, workflow, overtime, and operational efficiencies to meet production schedules and customer demand.
- Ensure employee timecards are accurately reviewed, approved, and submitted on time and that employees properly use the timekeeping system to record hours worked with no missing punches.
- Review and respond to time-off requests in a timely manner, including approval or denial in accordance with company policy.
- Coordinate with QA, Warehouse, Purchasing, Maintenance, Shipping, and Operations teams to support production planning and inventory needs.
- Foster a culture of teamwork, safety, accountability, and operational excellence across all production areas.
Work Environment
This job operates in both a professional office environment and plant production environment. A significant portion of the work is performed in the plant and requires use of personal protective equipment including safety shoes, safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection, and hard hats. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to fumes or airborne particles, moving mechanical parts, vibration, cold environments, and loud noise levels associated with food production operations.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 20 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 55 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time, salaried exempt position, working onsite at the Brawley, CA facility. The standard schedule is Monday through Friday, beginning at 4:00 AM and continuing until production is completed.
This position may require extended hours based on production needs. Weekend work may be required in emergency or operational situations.
Summary/Objective
The Fabrication Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing and managing all meat fabrication operations, including production processes, cutting, processing, yield management, labor utilization, workforce management, and operational supervision. This role ensures all production activities comply with company policies and USDA regulatory requirements while maintaining high standards of employee safety, food safety, product quality, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
Key responsibilities include developing, maintaining, and supervising all aspects of fabrication operations at OWB Packers. The Fabrication Operations Manager implements corrective actions and leads continuous improvement initiatives focused on improving operational performance, reducing downtime, improving yields, reducing operational costs, and supporting overall production efficiency.
This position works closely with other departments to ensure seamless coordination of fabrication production runs, inventory management, export requirements, customer specifications, and production schedules to meet operational and customer demands. The role is focused on driving continuous improvement, operational accountability, workforce stability, regulatory compliance, and consistent operational execution.
