Plant Director

Plant Director

At Kevin's Natural Foods, our Plant Director serves as a hands-on leader responsible for managing all aspects of production operations at our Imperial Manufacturing Facility in Stockton, CA. This facility produces our frozen product portfolio and includes an on-site warehouse operation. The Plant Director is responsible for driving and maintaining a culture of Quality and Food Safety in the factory, by supporting the implementation and adherence to Quality and Food safety procedures and standards, achieving safety, service, and cost objectives while fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and team development. This role oversees day-to-day manufacturing operations, inventory control, food safety and regulatory compliance, process optimization, project execution, and associate engagement. We are seeking a leader who thrives in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. The ideal candidate will bring strong food manufacturing leadership experience, a passion for developing teams, and experience operating within frozen food production environments.

What You'll Do:

• As member of Kevins Operations Leadership Team own the factory 3-year improvement plan – aligned to overall operations strategic priorities.
• Cascade the 3-year site improvement plan into a 1-year improvement plan for Imperial operations with corresponding detailed 90 day plans.
• Drive daily and weekly connection points within the relevant operational meetings in identifying gaps to defined standard performance from 3 year/1 year plan (Safety, Quality, Efficiency, Service, Cost).
• Drive daily/weekly escalations/action plans to get back to standard. Daily direction setting for operations (production, inbound & outbound) in defining the top priorities and follow through of agreed action plans.
• Implement and deploy standard planning processes for factory scheduling.
• Implement and deploy standard planning processes to ensure raw and packs availability as well as outbound shipments on time.
• Further enhance and develop the culture of adherence to standard by leading and deploying the operations Manufacturing Excellence pillar team.
• Embed defined behavior framework defined by Kevins Operations Leadership team in daily operations at Imperial.
• Building capability in operations by providing resources for improvement activities in different pillars. Eg. By participating in Autonomous Maintenance activities linked to Manufacturing excellence pillars.
• Is a member of the Food Safety Management team to drive continuous improvement down the relevant site based HACCP Teams.
• Build change management capability and drive change through engaged and empowered associates
• Be a great line manager: Responsible for performance, talent processes, engagement and absenteeism of entire operations team including recruiting and developing team leaders.
• Ensure that appropriate Performance Management exists to ensure role clarity for both individuals and teams. This includes clear development plans for both functional skills and personal development leading to improved capability and improved job satisfaction & engagement as well as career opportunities. Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.
• Ensure products consistently meet Kevin's Natural Foods quality standards, customer requirements, and food safety expectations.
• Establish, implement, and enforce policies and procedures related to food safety, quality, regulatory compliance, HACCP, GMPs, and sanitation.
• Ensure accurate completion and review of all quality assurance, production, inventory, and operational documentation.
• Partner with Supply Chain, Procurement, Quality, R&D, Engineering, and Maintenance teams to optimize operations and drive business results.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives through analysis of production performance, labor efficiency, yield, throughput, and waste reduction opportunities.
• Ensure compliance with USDA, FDA, OSHA, SQF, and all applicable regulatory requirements.
• Monitor and improve inventory accuracy, product traceability, and warehouse operations.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for existing and new products.
• Lead manufacturing cost reduction initiatives while maintaining quality and service standards.
• Coach and develop front-line leaders and team members to solve operational challenges and achieve performance goals.
• Monitor equipment reliability and partner with Maintenance to improve uptime and asset performance.
• Support capital projects, facility improvements, and operational growth initiatives.
• Other duties as assigned or necessary.

What You'll Need:

• Bachelor's or Masters Degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain or similar
• 5+ years of leadership experience within a food manufacturing environment.
• Experience managing operations within a food manufacturing facility.
• Experience with IQF (Individually Quick Frozen), blast freezer, and/or spiral freezer operations preferred.
• Experience leading teams within a USDA and/or FDA regulated manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated success partnering cross-functionally with Quality Assurance, Operations, Maintenance, Materials, Procurement, Supply Chain, and Engineering teams.
• Familiarity with WCM programs such as TPM/IWS/ WCM
• HACCP certification or formal HACCP training required.
• Strong knowledge of GMPs, food safety systems, regulatory compliance, and quality management programs.
• Proven ability to implement and sustain manufacturing process improvements, productivity gains, and cost-saving initiatives.
• Effective leadership, coaching, team building, communication, and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, growth-oriented manufacturing environment.

Healthy, Diverse Teams Breed Innovation:

Kevin's Natural Foods is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We deeply believe that diverse backgrounds and experiences make better teams, and we seek to attract talent from all walks of life. The team at Kevin's is smart, humble, and passionate and we value a work environment that fosters personal development and opportunities to move within our small but quickly growing organization.

More About Kevin's Natural Foods:

Kevin's Natural Foods is a line of refrigerated and frozen meals, sides, soups, and sauces on a mission to empower even the busiest people to eat clean without sacrificing flavor. Co-founded by Kevin McCray who battled an auto-immune disorder for years, Kevin's Natural Foods was born from his desire to make clean eating seamlessly fit into any lifestyle. Shockingly delicious and made with clean ingredients, Kevin's products are ready in minutes and always free from gluten, soy, and refined sugar.

In 2023, Kevin's Natural Foods joined the Mars Food & Nutrition family, allowing us to expand our reach, accelerate innovation, and bring our mission to even more households while staying true to the quality and integrity that define our brand. A true market disruptor, Kevin's is the first clean refrigerated entrée brand working to prove every day that proper nutrition can be as delicious as it is healthy.

Salary Range: $170,000.00-$190,000.00 annually + benefits + bonus

Compensation within this salary range is dependent upon the candidate's experience, education, and relevant qualifications

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