Operations Manager - Slice/Further Processing - 1st Shift

West Liberty Foods, L.L.C.; West Liberty (IA); On-site; USD 104,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision & Prescription

Paid Time Off

Life Insurance

Short Term Disability

Flexible Spending Account

Health Savings Account

401(k) Retirement Savings Plan

Employee Assistance Program

Educational Assistance Program

Discount Benefits

Additional Voluntary Benefits

Job summary

West Liberty Foods in West Liberty, IA seeks an Operations Manager to lead day-to-day production, allocate resources, and optimize workflows for safety and profitability.

The role focuses on process optimization, budget oversight, coaching a cross-functional team, and ensuring HACCP/compliance while tracking KPIs and reporting to leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field or equivalent is preferred.
• At least 5 years of management experience with at least 2 years supervising others.
• Experience in manufacturing environment, especially food manufacturing.
• HAZMAT, CPR & First Aid, 10 Hour OSHA, Meat Science and HACCP experience a plus.
• Must be able to pass post-offer/pre-employment drug test, background screen, and E-Verify.

Responsibilities

• Process Optimization: Analyze workflows and implement SOPs to reduce waste and boost productivity.
• Resource & Budget Management: Oversee budgets, forecasting, cost controls, and supply chain coordination.
• Leadership: Train, mentor and manage teams with cross-department coordination.

Skills

Problem solving

Timekeeping systems

Food safety

Computer skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Job description

Where Your Career Becomes Family

About West Liberty Foods

Our mission is to be a leading food manufacturer by converting needs, ideas and expertise into value for our members, business partners and consumers.

West Liberty Foods manufactures hundreds of meat and poultry products that can be found in well-known grocery stores and top restaurant chains nationwide. Recognized as one of the top protein processors in North America, we have the capacity to produce over 650 million pounds of food products per year across our facilities. We are The Surprisingly Big Company, and we're right in your backyard.

Build your career with West Liberty Foods and be a part of an exciting, collaborative team that becomes family!

Opportunity Overview

• Job Title Operations Manager
• Location West Liberty, Iowa
• Shift 1st
• Annual Salary Range $104,000 - $140,000 depending on experience
• Shift Premium None

Job Summary

The Operations Manager is responsible for leading day-to-day business activities, resource allocation, and workflow optimization of production to ensure efficiency, profitability, and regulatory compliance. This role offers an exciting opportunity to drive operational excellence, implement continuous improvement initiatives, and foster a culture of safety, quality, and efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

• Process Optimization: Analyze workflows, identify bottlenecks, and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) to reduce waste and boost productivity.
• Resource & Budget Management: Oversee operational budgets, financial forecasting, cost controls, and vendor or supply chain coordination.
• Leadership: Lead, train and mentor team members while managing expectations, performance and coordinating cross-departmental communication. Foster a positive team environment through effective leadership, coaching and communication.
• Compliance & Quality Control: Ensure adherence to industry regulations, company policies, and quality assurance standards.
• Data & KPI Tracking: Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to drive data-informed decisions and report progress to leadership.
  • Safety
  • Attainment, Yields, Labor Reporting, Productivity and Efficiency
  • Staffing
  • Production Schedules
• Assures team members are paid correctly, reviewing timesheets, payroll and labor costs.
• Other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in a related field or equivalent is preferred.
• Leadership Experience: At least 5 years of management experience with at least 2 years of experience supervising others in leadership roles. Ability to lead, motivate and develop others. Coaching and performance management experience is a plus.
• Experience: Manufacturing environment is preferred, especially in the food manufacturing sector. Previous experience in HAZMAT, CPR & First Aid, 10 Hour OSHA, Meat Science and HACCP would be a plus.
• Skills: Ability to problem solve. Knowledge of timekeeping systems is a benefit. Must be able to work with other departments and follow all food safety guidelines and HACCP requirements. Must have computer skills to communicate and process data.
• Age: Must be a minimum of 18 years of age.
• Authorization: Must be authorized to work in the United States; no sponsorships are available.
• Physical Abilities:
  • Ability to stand for long periods.
• Environmental: Ability to work in varying temperature conditions.
• Flexibility: Must be able to work weekends as needed. Ability to adjust quickly to changing demands. Must be able to work in a fast paced environment.
• Compliance: Candidates must successfully pass a post-offer/pre-employment drug test, background screen, physical and E-Verify.

Equal Opportunity EmployerWest Liberty Foods is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

West Liberty Foods is committed to providing all team members with predictable work schedules that accommodate the universal need to spend time away from work to rest, relax, and spend time with family and friends. However, as a food manufacturer, West Liberty Foods is responsible for producing perishable products. To help ensure that our food products meet the quality and safety standards our customers expect, team members may, at times, be asked or expected to work overtime, weekends, or holidays. West Liberty Foods remains committed to its overtime, weekend, and holiday pay policies, and will schedule team members for those hours on a volunteer-first basis, whenever possible.

The following benefits are available:

• Medical, Dental, Vision & Prescription Coverage
• Paid Time Off
• Life Insurance
• Short Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Account and Health Savings Account
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
• Employee Assistance Program
• Educational Assistance Program
• Discount Benefits
• Additional Voluntary Benefits