Plant Manager

About us: We are proud of our family and community. We are in the Amish Country in Northern Indiana, part of a hardworking group of farmers we see as an extension of our family. These relationships help shape our strong Midwestern values, which are important to our company. Our commitment to these values and to continuous improvement keeps us a leader in the industry.

We are the only duck farm in North America with American Humane Certified™ status. Our White Pekin ducks grow up in spacious barns, where they roam freely, behave naturally, and have plenty of food and water. This helps keep our ducks healthy and happy. Their lean meat is a great protein choice for home cooks looking for a new and versatile ingredient for their families, and it is nutritious too!

Our mission: To provide the best value to our customers through quality products, honest people, industry-leading practices and a commitment to excellence in animal care and all that we do.

Core Values: Trust, Teamwork, Integrity, Commitment, and Respect

General Responsibilities/Job Summary

This position directs and coordinates activities of the plant processing departments. These areas need to operate in a safe, proactive and when necessary, in a reactive manner regarding the safe and efficient operations of the Culver Processing Plant. 

Essential Functions/Duties 

1. Plan, organize, direct and run optimum day-to-day operations to exceed internal and customers’ expectations.

2. Increase production, assets capacity and flexibility while minimizing unnecessary costs and maintaining current quality and safety standards.

3. Be responsible for production output, yields, product quality and supporting team member safety and food safety.

4. Allocate resources effectively and fully utilize assets to produce optimal results.

5. Implement strategies in alignment with strategic initiatives and provide a clear sense of direction and focus.

6. Monitor operations and trigger corrective actions.

7. Collect and analyze data to find areas of waste or overtime and identify continuous improvement opportunities.

8. Work with Production Supervisors and maintenance personnel to ensure equipment is operating safely and efficiently, to prevent any unnecessary down-time due to mechanical failure. 

9. Plan and coordinate with Production Planner to fill orders and production priorities as appropriate.

10. Maintain knowledge of new equipment/machinery available in the market and make recommendations which will improve process efficiency and cost effectiveness.

11. Assist in coordinating quality, safety, manufacturing, maintenance and distribution activities to meet and exceed the expectations of both internal and external customers as necessary.

12. Provide leadership and mentoring to all Processing Supervisors and Team Members to resolve challenges and cultivate trusting relationships with all departments. 

13. Conduct meetings with Processing staff to ensure all operational issues are being appropriately communicated and addressed.

14. Work with Production Supervisors, Maintenance, Safety and FSQA Managers to ensure compliance and enforcement with regulatory inspections and requirements including, but not limited to USDA, OSHA, BRC, SOPs, SSOPs and other third-party audits. 

15. Work closely with the Production and Quality Group to monitor quality policies and procedures to assure conformance to all product quality specifications and where necessary take immediate corrective action to ensure quality conformance.

16. Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Education/Training: 

Minimum of an Associate’s degree from a two-year college / technical school and/or a minimum of 5 years of experience in a supervisory or management role combined with relevant work experience. 

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities: 

o Working knowledge of HACCP and GFSI (SQF or BRC) expectations

o Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and food processing equipment

o Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel

o Strong communication and interpersonal skills

o Bilingual (Spanish-English) strongly preferred but not mandatory

o Strong team building, decision making, planning, people management and executing skills

o Understanding of process and flow of work

o Strong ability to identify opportunities for continuous improvement

o Adequate knowledge of business and management principles (budgeting, strategic planning, resource allocation and human resources)

o Be knowledgeable of safety, quality, productivity, demand creation, inventory and stewardship processes

o Ability to create accountability and to lead by example

Experience: 

o 5-7 years experience in processing/packaging of food products; preferably in a raw poultry environment.

o 5-7 years experience in management with proven leadership skills.

Certification/Licenses: HACCP Certificate, OSHA 30 Card (Both preferred but not required) 

Travel Requirements:

Some travel required (e.g. vendors, other company facilities, trade shows, etc.)

Physical and Mental Job Requirements

o Ability to stand for long periods of time and walk throughout the plant

o Visual acuity required for working with various machines and equipment

o Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.

Working Conditions

Plant environment including potentially high levels of noise, slippery floors and temperature

extremes.