Operations Manager

The Plant Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing the manufacture and delivery of Vibrant Ingredients products to its customers, and for achieving all safety, quality, service and cost KPIs. The Production Manager promotes the values, philosophies, and goals of the organization to ensure employees are engaged and working effectively together. The Production Manager balances the demands of our day-to-day production environments with our forward-looking culture of continuous improvement. This balance ensures our organization can deliver on its core competency to our customers, and at the same time, improve our costs and capabilities year after year for sustainable success.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• 10+ years’ experience in food Manufacturing Operations
• Four (4) year B.S. degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or Manufacturing Engineering preferred
• Knowledge in food or flavor processing and/or chemical processing, GMP’s, clean design, etc.
• Strong understanding of Plant and Facility Management
• Working knowledge of Safety, Quality, Maintenance, HR disciplines and interaction within the plant
• Familiarity with batch and continuous processing: filtration techniques, extraction and product packaging
• Experience with MS Office applications, including MS project
• Understanding of lean manufacturing and a strong focus on continuous improvement required. Green belt desirable
• Experience with highly automated equipment and facilities
• Familiarity food safety programs like SQF, Kosher, Halal, etc.

Skills, Traits, & Competencies:

• Strong safety and quality awareness
• Team building, employee development, employee involvement, and growth of internal leadership
• Strong analytical, prioritizing, interpersonal, problem-solving skills
• Strong problem-solver, using structured approaches as well as creativity
• Strong ownership traits for the team, environment, and facility conditions
• Strong work ethic and sense of urgency
• High energy, positive attitude, hands on with the ability to keep multiple projects and priorities on track

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Leads production department operations to achieve all cost, quality, and safety KPI objectives
• Implement continuous improvement principles by increasing operational efficiency and improving overall yield and cost performance
• Lead department to execute the weekly production schedules, R&D trials, capital improvements, and all maintenance activities
• Implement key operational learnings and best practices to support performance improvements
• Foster a continuous improvement culture
• Develop teams to solve day-to-day operational issues and reach short- and long-term performance goals
• Deliver effective change leadership, driving business changes while minimizing people impact
• Communicate and collaborate cross-functionally to assist the team to solve operational issues
• Lead the identification and elimination of losses resulting in improvements in costs and quality
• Ensure company standards are followed relative to product quality, formulations, and plant safety
• Promote employee safety through employee safety programs and safe work practices and conditions
• Maintain a work environment that adheres to all compliance and regulatory guidelines
• Work directly with local and state regulatory authorities to ensure site compliance
• Assure department support, execution, and alignment with company’s ESG initiatives
• Establish clear performance expectations for all employees. Maintain an effective performance management process reviewing all direct reports’ progress against mid-year and annual plans
• Evaluate business unit capabilities, skills, and resource alignment to ensure performance against objectives
• Build people capability through effective employee relations, hiring, training, and communication for front-line hourly and salaried personnel and provide opportunities for career development

VIBRANT INGREDIENTS COMPANY OVERVIEW:

Vibrant Ingredients is an industry-leading taste and functional performance ingredient provider dedicated to “improving the food we eat by creating real ingredients from nature that work”. Vibrant Ingredient's plant-based food and beverage ingredients are designed to deliver flavorful and functional solutions that delight our customers and consumers. A commitment to Real, Simple, Better™ drives our innovation team to discover new on trend solutions. State-of-the-art facilities and customer application centers are strategically located throughout the USA, making customer collaboration simple. Vibrant Ingredients is committed to positively contributing to long-term socioeconomic development, sustainable and ethical business practices, and creating a beneficial and respectful environment for its employees, customers, suppliers, and community. Vibrant Ingredients is privately owned by Ardian and MidOcean Capital and is headquartered in Lake Mary, Florida. For more information, visit

As an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, Veteran or disability status.

**No External Recruiters**