Harvest General Superintendent

Position Summary:

The Harvest General Superintendent oversees all harvest operations in a pork processing facility to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant production. This role provides leadership to department supervisors, and hourly employees, driving performance in safety, quality, yield, animal welfare, productivity, and cost management while fostering a positive and engaged workforce.

Key Responsibilities:

Operational Leadership

• Direct and coordinate daily harvest operations (slaughter, animal handling, carcass dressing, chilling, etc.) to achieve production goals.
• Ensure adherence to production schedules while meeting customer and regulatory requirements.
• Monitor KPIs such as yield, downtime, labor efficiency, and product quality; implement corrective actions as needed.
• Partner with maintenance, quality assurance, and fabrication departments to maximize plant performance.

People Management

• Lead and mentor superintendents, supervisors, and team leads to build high-performing teams.
• Drive employee engagement, retention, and development through coaching, recognition, and fair labor practices.
• Oversee staffing, scheduling, and training for the harvest department.

Safety, Quality, and Compliance

• Enforce all safety policies and foster a “zero-injury” culture.
• Ensure compliance with USDA, OSHA, and company standards, including humane animal handling.
• Collaborate with QA/Food Safety teams to meet regulatory and customer requirements.
• Lead audits, inspections, and corrective action processes.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify and implement process improvements to reduce cost, improve yields, and enhance product quality.
• Support lean manufacturing initiatives and engage employees in problem-solving efforts.
• Monitor equipment performance and recommend capital improvements.

• Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science, Meat Science, Business, Operations Management, or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• 5+ years of pork/beef/poultry harvest or meat processing plant experience, with at least 3 years in a senior supervisory or superintendent role.
• Strong knowledge of USDA regulations, HACCP, food safety, and animal welfare requirements.
• Proven leadership ability with experience managing large, diverse teams.
• Excellent problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, cold, and humid environment.