Beverage Plant Production Leader

Dairy Challenge; Joplin (MO); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

DFA Dairy in Joplin, MO leads high-volume beverage production and packaging operations, focusing on safe, efficient, and cost-effective manufacturing while meeting strict quality and regulatory standards.

The role oversees filling, packaging, and production teams, drives continuous improvement, and collaborates across Maintenance, Quality, and Supply Chain to achieve plant objectives and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of supervisory or management experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably food/beverage.
• Knowledge of GMP, HACCP, and SQF.
• Experience with ERP/MES systems and data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Manage all assigned filling and packaging operations to ensure attainment of production schedules and customer requirements.
• Establish daily, weekly, and monthly production priorities to maximize throughput while minimizing downtime and product loss.
• Monitor operational performance and ensure optimum utilization of labor, equipment, materials, and utilities.
• Coordinate production activities with Processing, Maintenance, Quality, Warehouse, and Scheduling departments.
• Ensure proper staffing and labor allocation to meet operational needs while controlling labor costs.
• Recruit, train, coach, mentor, and develop supervisors and hourly employees.
• Establish clear expectations and accountability throughout the organization.
• Conduct performance evaluations and development planning.
• Foster positive employee relations and a culture of engagement and teamwork.
• Work with Human Resources to address employee relations concerns consistently and fairly.
• Support succession planning and leadership development programs.
• Develop, monitor, and improve key performance indicators (KPIs) including: OEE, Line Efficiency, Throughput, Waste and Yield, Downtime, Labor Utilization, Schedule Attainment, Product Quality, Consumer Complaints, Safety Metrics.
• Utilize production data and trend analysis to identify opportunities and drive results.
• Champion Lean Manufacturing, Root Cause Analysis, Center lining, Standard Work, and Continuous Improvement initiatives.
• Facilitate problem-solving activities related to efficiency losses, downtime, quality defects, and waste reduction.
• Manage departmental labor, operating, and expense budgets.
• Identify opportunities to improve productivity and control costs.
• Drive performance improvements that positively impact plant profitability.
• Partner with Maintenance leadership to maximize equipment reliability and production uptime.
• Participate in preventive maintenance planning and execution activities.
• Ensure operators properly execute equipment ownership activities such as: Cleaning, Inspection, Lubrication, Center lining, Basic troubleshooting.
• Support CAPEX planning and equipment improvement initiatives.
• Conduct daily production meetings and operational reviews.
• Communicate plant objectives, priorities, and performance results.
• Provide operational updates to senior plant leadership.
• Maintain compliance with: FDA Regulations, Company Policies, SQF Requirements, OSHA Standards, Environmental Requirements, Customer Specifications, Corporate Governance Standards.
• Support internal, customer, regulatory, and third-party audits.
• Ensure all operations are conducted in accordance with OSHA regulations, DFA safety policies, and plant safety programs.
• Promote a proactive safety culture through employee engagement, audits, observations, investigations, and corrective actions.
• Ensure deviations are documented, corrective actions are implemented, and verification activities are completed.
• The responsibilities herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employee, but is not a complete list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Other duties will be assigned as required.

Skills

Leadership

Lean manufacturing

OEE analysis

Problem solving

Communication

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

ERP systems

MES

CMMS

Redzone

Job description

DFA Dairy in Joplin, MO leads high-volume beverage production and packaging operations, focusing on safe, efficient, and cost-effective manufacturing while meeting strict quality and regulatory standards.

The role oversees filling, packaging, and production teams, drives continuous improvement, and collaborates across Maintenance, Quality, and Supply Chain to achieve plant objectives and customer satisfaction.