Senior General Manager

Position Summary:

The Senior General Manager provides visionary leadership, overseeing all manufacturing and operational functions across the facility to drive efficiency, productivity, and growth. This role ensures seamless execution of production, food safety, sanitation, maintenance, and strategic initiatives. With a focus on innovation and continuous improvement, the General Manager cultivates a high-performance culture, aligning teams with company objectives and industry best practices.


Key Responsibilities:

Operations Leadership:

• Inspire, coach, and develop leadership teams, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and operational excellence.

• Drive efficiency by optimizing production processes, streamlining workflows, and implementing innovative automation solutions.

• Champion a safety culture by improving safe behaviors and conditions. Improve audit readiness, and compliance while spearheading new initiatives to enhance workplace safety.

• Oversee the development and execution of strategic plans, leveraging industry trends and financial insights to propel business growth.

• Lead maintenance team to improve equipment reliability through Best Practice implementation and continuous improvement tools.

• Establish and manage budgets, performance metrics, and resource allocation to maximize efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

• Promote a data-driven approach to decision-making, utilizing KPIs and analytics to refine operations and drive measurable results.

Food Safety & Compliance:

• Ensure unwavering adherence to all regulatory requirements, including OSHA, EPA, FDA, HACCP, and SQF standards.
• Coordinate Sanitation with Production Leaders and Team Member efforts to ensure equipment health and readiness.
• Oversee verification processes to guarantee that all finished products meet or exceed food safety and quality specifications.
• Champion a culture of food safety, coordinating training initiatives and ensuring all employees uphold SQF and compliance requirements.
• Continuously evaluate and enhance food safety and quality systems to align with evolving industry standards.

Management & Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Direct the manufacturing of products at highest quality and lowest cost.

• Direct plant and warehouse operations with operations supervision to ensure constant superior quality products are produced at the lowest possible cost and orders are shipped/picked efficiently.

• Maintain appropriate staffing across all shifts. Authorize recruitment, termination, and promotion of associates in consultation with Human Resources; determine standards of behavior and ensure disciplinary procedures are carried out consistently and according to company policies.

• Responsible for executing the Calbee Performance Management System and directly responsible for meeting Plant KPI's.

• Direct warehouse manager/staff and functions. Oversee and direct distribution of Calbee products.

• Work with production supervision, production planning and other departments to ensure customer demands are met.

• Monitor all plant operations regularly and systematically regarding overall plant efficiency and recommend methods and procedures for enhancement in the areas of safety, continuous improvement, plant efficiency, quality, and cost.

• Provide leadership, direction, and support to plant personnel to stimulate maximum efficiency and productivity. Set clear, executable performance standards to meet production area goals. Mentor and lead personnel to their maximum level of achievement.

• Initiate capital spending recommendations to support future growth and profitability of plant operations. Recommend capital improvement projects and participate in capital project planning and execution. Works closely with Engineering/Project Management in the planning and execution to ensure success and realize ROI.

• Ultimately responsible for food safety within the facility. Responsible for supporting the enforcement of policies and procedures related to quality, good manufacturing practices and the SQF system

• Develop and maintain a safe workplace in accordance with regulatory and plant policies. Build and maintain an effective safety team in manufacturing and related plant departments.

• Direct production area cost functions, including budgets, daily variances, scrap, and downtime by reviewing budgets and standards with managers and submit revisions as appropriate.

• Coordinates with production planning, procurement, and receiving to ensure adequate supplies are available to meet demand.

• Maintain a long-term focus on continuous improvement utilizing data systems to identify, design and execute improvement projects. Work closely with CI team to achieve goals.

• Reviews all plant maintenance records and schedules maintenance with plant supervision to reduce plant down time.

• Build and sustain a high-performing leadership team through mentorship, strategic guidance, and talent development initiatives.

• Apply analytical and decisive decision-making skills to achieve company objectives and drive operational efficiency.

• Lead change management efforts, ensuring smooth transitions during process enhancements, technology adoption, and organizational development.

• Oversee facility and equipment planning to support current and future business needs, ensuring long-term sustainability.

• Establish strong internal and external relationships, fostering collaboration and strategic partnerships to enhance business performance.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Uphold the highest ethical standards, reinforcing a culture of integrity, respect, and corporate responsibility.

• Ensure a clean, safe, and compliant work environment across all locations.

• Proactively seek and implement innovative solutions to enhance company-wide operations.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Food Science, or a related field.

• Requires 10+ years of prior leadership experience, preferably in the food manufacturing industry.

• Experience managing large-scope projects and capital improvements.

• Working knowledge in many diverse business functions including manufacturing, engineering, maintenance, and preventative functions.

• Bachelor's degree is preferred.

• Excellent interpersonal, communication, presentation, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to lead and professionally develop others.

• Knowledge of safety and quality control procedures.

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in food production or a related manufacturing industry, with a demonstrated ability to lead large-scale operations (HR knowledge a plus)

• Strategic thinker with a proven ability to drive operational excellence and continuous improvement.

• Exceptional leadership and people management skills, fostering motivation, accountability, and teamwork.

• Strong business acumen, with expertise in financial planning, budgeting, and resource optimization.

• Effective communicator with outstanding interpersonal skills to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization.

• Expertise in technology, automation, and digital transformation strategies to drive innovation.

• SQF Practitioner Certification preferred.

• Additional certifications in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or related areas are a plus.

Calbee North America is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, age, sex , religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, citizenship, ancestry, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or familial status or any other legally protected status.