Assistant Plant Manager

Assistant Plant Manager

Palmer Candy is looking for an Assistant Plant Manager at our Hwy 75 location.

Job Description

The Assistant Plant Manager will provide leadership support in all aspects of our production facility. As a member of the Plant Leadership Team, the Assistant Plant Manager will be an active leader in support of the Plant Manager and responsible for demonstrating a commitment to safety, continuous improvement, team member engagement, retention and maintaining a cost-effective operation. The successful candidate will understand and demonstrate a commitment to safety first.

Essential Functions:

• Maintain a clean and safe plant. Continually improve safety record by addressing both physical safety issues and team member safety behaviors. Maintain and improve housekeeping in all areas.
• Lead a zero-loss culture, assuring a safe working environment and compliance with all EHS and Food Safety Standards.
• Manage operations through key performance indicators (KPI's), including, safety, food safety, product quality, productivity, plant environmental, cost and customer service.
• Initiate plans and processes which minimize manufacturing costs through effective utilization of staffing, equipment, facilities, materials, and capital. Assure attainment of business objectives and production schedules while ensuring product standards that will exceed our customers' expectations.
• Operate the site at the highest levels of efficiency by managing equipment reliability, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), site spending and keeping expenses to minimum levels required to meet site strategy.
• Drive continuous improvement activities to achieve world class manufacturing excellence by leading, modeling, and embedding into the culture an innovative, "can do", and LEAN approach.
• Ensure plant sanitation and quality standards are consistent with federal, state, local, and company requirements.
• Ensure that the product being manufactured meets Palmer Candy and customer standards, policies and practices through the proper implementation and maintenance of all aspects of quality systems such as GMP, SQF, etc.
• Build a strong, achievement-oriented team by using the appropriate mix of hiring, delegation, training, monitoring, feedback, development, coaching, motivation, mentoring, and team member retention techniques.
• Ability to encourage the motivation and positive development of followers. Exemplify moral standards within the organization and encourage the same of others. Foster an ethical work environment with clear values, priorities, and standards.
• Identify operational discrepancies and provide focused solutions with a timeline for corrective action.
• Support the R&D team in the development of new product processes, support production runs, costing of labor and scrap standards for new products.
• Engage and motivate the workforce through an active and strong presence on the production floor.
• Reduce scrap and waste and initiate other cost reduction activities throughout the facility.
• Establish group and individual accountability throughout all plant departments.
• Participate in annual business planning and budgeting of the plant.
• Provide timely information and report on issues that affect plant performance and other critical matters.
• Regular and timely attendance is required for this job.
• Additional projects and duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Engineering, Food Science or technical field required;
• 5+ years of increasingly responsible manufacturing experience, food manufacturing experience is a plus.
• Demonstrated leadership of safety initiatives that drive a zero-injury culture.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in continuous improvement methodologies, lean manufacturing tools and operational excellence practices.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, independent thinking, strong organizational and planning abilities and excellent analytical and problem-solving skills are essential
• Ability to lead multicultural teams.
• Excellent communication skills interacting with all levels of staff, including hourly workforce and senior management.
• Ability to demonstrate a strong financial/business acumen is required to be successful in this role.
• Proficiency in MS Office required, working knowledge of RedZone System strongly preferred.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English and Spanish is a plus.