Can we discuss the role of Plant Manager in Palm City, FL (Onsite)

FoodEmployment

Title: Plant Manager/Production Manager



Duration: Full-Time



Location: Palm City, FL (Onsite)

Position Overview

• We are seeking an experienced Plant Manager / Production Manager to lead the day-to-day manufacturing operations of our growing food production facility. This is a hands-on leadership position responsible for ensuring that production, staffing, food safety, quality, sanitation, maintenance, warehouse activities, and customer service requirements are effectively coordinated across the operation.
• The Plant Manager / Production Manager will oversee the activities of Production, Processing, Receiving, Shipping, Warehousing/Storage, Sanitation, and Maintenance, while working closely with Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Purchasing, Sales, Accounting, Administration, and senior management.
• The successful candidate will be a strong floor-oriented manufacturing leader who can develop employees, improve productivity, maintain high food safety and quality standards, and ensure production schedules are achieved safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively.

Key Responsibilities

Production & Plant Operations

• Direct and oversee daily plant and production activities to ensure customer orders are manufactured safely, efficiently, accurately, and on schedule.
• Manage production operations to achieve established goals for safety, quality, productivity, labor utilization, yield, efficiency, cost, sanitation, and customer service.
• Develop, review, and execute short-term production schedules and coordinate production priorities with Operations, Purchasing, Warehouse, Quality, and other departments.
• Ensure all required pre-production activities are completed, including verification of ingredients, packaging materials, labels, equipment readiness, production documentation, staffing requirements, and line setup.
• Monitor production throughout each shift and address operational issues that could impact output, quality, food safety, labor efficiency, or customer service.
• Ensure appropriate post-production procedures are completed, including sanitation, equipment cleaning, production documentation, inventory reconciliation, and preparation for subsequent production runs.
• Identify opportunities to improve throughput, reduce downtime, minimize waste, improve yields, and increase overall plant efficiency.

Leadership & Employee Development

• Provide direct leadership to production supervisors, line leads, operators, and other plant personnel.
• Establish appropriate staffing and manpower levels based on production requirements.
• Train, coach, motivate, and develop employees to achieve consistent performance and productivity.
• Hold supervisors and employees accountable for established production, quality, food safety, sanitation, safety, attendance, and performance standards.
• Promote positive employee relations and foster a culture of teamwork, accountability, communication, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Conduct employee performance evaluations and provide ongoing feedback, coaching, and corrective action when necessary.
• Ensure production expectations, schedules, procedures, and changes are clearly communicated to employees.

Food Safety, Quality & Regulatory Compliance

• Partner closely with Quality Assurance and Quality Control to ensure products consistently meet company, customer, regulatory, and food safety requirements.
• Ensure manufacturing operations comply with SQF, HACCP, GMP, FDA, company, customer, and other applicable food manufacturing standards and requirements.
• Maintain strict adherence to established food safety, sanitation, allergen-control, traceability, and quality procedures.
• Ensure required HACCP and food safety control points are properly monitored, documented, and maintained throughout production.
• Review and ensure accurate completion of production, quality, food safety, sanitation, and manufacturing records.
• Immediately identify and communicate food safety, quality, or regulatory concerns to appropriate management and Quality personnel.
• Initiate corrective action when nonconformities are identified and prevent the further processing or shipment of nonconforming product until the issue has been properly resolved.
• Maintain production areas in a clean, organized, inspection-ready condition.

Maintenance & Facility Coordination

• Coordinate with Maintenance and plant personnel to ensure production equipment remains safe, reliable, and operational.
• Identify equipment repairs, adjustments, and preventive maintenance requirements that could affect production performance.
• Work proactively to minimize equipment downtime and production interruptions.
• Assist management in identifying equipment, facility, automation, and process improvement opportunities.

Planning, Reporting & Cost Control

• Monitor production schedules to ensure customer requirements and delivery commitments are achieved.
• Maintain appropriate labor costs by optimizing staffing levels, scheduling, overtime, and employee productivity.
• Monitor production performance and provide management with accurate information regarding productivity, downtime, labor utilization, quality, waste, and operational issues.
• Ensure daily, weekly, monthly, and other required production reports and manufacturing records are completed accurately and submitted on time.
• Work cross-functionally with Purchasing, Warehouse, Quality, Sales, Accounting, and Administration to maintain continuity of operations.
• Complete special projects and operational initiatives as assigned by senior management.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 5 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, preferably within food, beverage, ingredients, sauces, dressings, condiments, prepared foods, or another regulated food manufacturing environment.
• Previous experience managing production employees, supervisors, or multiple plant functions.
• Strong understanding of production scheduling, labor management, manufacturing efficiency, sanitation, quality, and food safety.
• Experience working within an SQF, HACCP, GMP, FDA, or GFSI-regulated food manufacturing environment strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to improve productivity, manage labor, troubleshoot operational issues, and maintain production schedules.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to train, coach, motivate, and hold employees accountable.
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Solid computer skills and experience working with manufacturing reports, production records, spreadsheets, and related systems.

Preferred Background

• Candidates with experience in one or more of the following areas will be particularly attractive:
• Sauces, dressings, marinades, dips, condiments, or liquid food manufacturing
• Batch processing and blending operations
• Filling and packaging operations
• Private-label or co-manufacturing environments
• High-mix production environments with multiple SKUs
• SQF-certified facilities

Continuous improvement, Lean manufacturing, or process improvement programs