Industrial Maintenance Lead - 1st Shift Liberty

Who We Are and What We Do

Farmer Focus’s mission is to promote and protect generational family farms by shifting farm-level decision-making and chicken ownership back to farmers and empowering them to farm the way they know is best. We are committed to consistently producing 100% organic and humanely raised chicken that is better for people, the planet, and animals.  Our culture is rooted in servant leadership, and we live by our Farmer Focus CARES values: Community, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, and Stewardship.

Who We Are and What We Do

Farmer Focus’s mission is to promote and protect generational family farms by shifting farm-level decision-making and chicken ownership back to farmers and empowering them to farm the way they know is best. We are committed to consistently producing 100% organic and humanely raised chicken that is better for people, the planet, and animals.  Our culture is rooted in servant leadership, and we live by our Farmer Focus CARES values: Community, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, and Stewardship.

Position Summary

Farmer Focus has an opportunity for a Maintenance Lead! In this position the lead will be responsible for coordinating maintenance operations at the Acorn plant to ensure smooth production operations, high safety standards, assigning, training and monitoring staff in accordance with company policies and government regulations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Coordinate preventative maintenance program, equipment, and facilities repair for essential operations.

  • Maintain department performance within standards for efficient utilization of human resources and materials. 

  • Seek new opportunities for continuous improvement in materials and processes, including lean manufacturing and TQM.

• Ensure that routine equipment checks are being completed on all PLC’s and essential equipment.

• Coordinate equipment and labor to optimize completion of projects, routine maintenance, and necessary repairs.

• Ensure proper maintenance of refrigeration equipment, via the staff assigned to it. Responsible for maintenance and completion of PSM program.

• Supervise wastewater treatment operations, work towards the highest standard of wastewater recycling.  Ensure that the wastewater treatment meets the requirements of the discharge permit.

• Keep up knowledge of current maintenance and manufacturing technologies and systems.

• Ensure compliance with USDA, OSHA, EEO, and other appropriate government regulations.

• Establish and maintain appropriate working relationships with other management personnel and USDA representatives.

Responsibilities

• Mentor and motivate 5-12 team members, providing training and development to optimize their performance and personal growth. 

• Communicate performance standards to team members, recognizing and rewarding individual and team accomplishments and counseling performance problems.

• Communicate standards and ensure compliance with company standards and procedures, quality standards, GMP’s, and HAACP procedures.

• Train and enforce safety regulations and practices.

• Manage staffing and attendance.

• Facilitate team meetings, including team member training.  Ensure appropriate documentation is completed and maintained.

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

• Associate degree in related field and five to seven years of related supervisory experience; or any equivalent combination of experience and training. 

• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills

• Exceptional oral and written communication skills.  Good judgment and strong problem resolution skills.

• Ability to successfully manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Work Requirements and Environment

Work conducted primarily in an office environment, on-site in our Harrisonburg, VA facilities. Occasional travel between facilities for meetings, collaboration and team coverage. On occasion, work may require access the production environment. Must be able to tolerate the varying heat, wet, and chill of the plant. Hearing and eye-protective equipment required in the production area. Required to wear hair and beard nets in the production area. Must be able to traverse a two-story staircase multiple times per day.

Farmer Focus is committed to the principles of equal employment and to complying with all federal, state, and local laws providing equal employment opportunities, and all other employment laws and regulations. It is our intent to maintain a work environment that is inclusive and equitable, free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation based upon an individual's age, race (including traits historically associated with race, which includes hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation (including transgender status, gender identity, or expression), pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), military status (including status as a uniformed servicemember, a veteran, or dependent of a servicemember), or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws. Farmer Focus is dedicated to the fulfillment of this policy regarding all aspects of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, placement, transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay and other compensation, termination, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.