Operations Supervisor

Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc.; Oakland (MS); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc. in Oakland, MS seeks an Operations Supervisor to lead the shift line, ensuring safety, quality, cost and efficiency targets are met. You will coach hourly teams, manage production plans, and drive continuous improvement while adhering to GMP and HACCP standards.

The role emphasizes building capabilities, mentoring staff, and partnering with maintenance, engineering, and quality teams to deliver plant-wide improvements.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of manufacturing leadership experience.
• 2–4 years of manufacturing experience in a leadership role, preferably in the food industry.
• Associate degree in STEM required; Bachelor in STEM preferred; experience in lieu of degree considered.
• Knowledge of GMP, HACCP, and food safety regulations.

Responsibilities

• Lead and motivate the shift line team to meet and exceed performance standards in Safety, Quality, Cost and Efficiency.
• Develop and execute daily, weekly, and monthly production plans aligned with site and corporate goals.
• Provide coaching and develop team members to ensure accountability and high performance.
• Identify opportunities for operational improvement; lead initiatives to increase efficiency and reduce waste.
• Monitor KPIs for Safety, Quality, Cost, and Efficiency; implement corrective actions.
• Collaborate with maintenance, engineering, and quality teams to resolve production challenges.
• Ensure GMP, HACCP, and safety compliance on the production line.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Operational Excellence

GMP/HACCP knowledge

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Associate degree (2-year)

STEM degree

Bachelor’s degree (STEM)

Experience in lieu of degree

Tools

Loss Analysis & Gap Analysis

Centerlines

Small Work Teams

Autonomous Maintenance

Focused Improvement

Root Cause Analysis

STPD (Standardized Problem Solving)

Job description

Operations Supervisor

US-MS-Oakland

Oakland Plant

Type: Regular Full-Time

# of Openings: 1

Overview

Responsible for delivering performance targets in Safety, Quality, Cost, and Efficiency within the assigned production area. Lead and develop the shift line team to achieve and sustain operational excellence through effective coaching, continuous improvement initiatives, and adherence to company standards. Build organizational capability to drive and maintain improvements in performance and efficiency.

Position Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Leadership & Vision
• Lead and motivate the shift line team to meet and exceed performance standards in Safety, Quality, Cost and Efficiency.
• Communicate clear expectations regarding operational standards, ensuring alignment with company policies and goals.
• Develop and execute daily, weekly, and monthly production plans, ensuring alignment with broader site and corporate goals.
• Conduct regular team meetings to align priorities, address challenges, and recognize achievements.
• Provide coaching and feedback for team members to ensure accountability and high performance.
• Operations Excellence
• Oversee daily production activities, ensuring line shift operation to standard and quick resolution of any production issues.
• Identify opportunities for operational improvement and lead initiatives to increase efficiency and reduce waste.
• Ensure adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and company safety policies.
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to Safety, Quality, Cost, and Efficiency and implement corrective actions where necessary.
• Drive adherence to operational standards and continuous improvement frameworks (e.g., Autonomous Maintenance, Focused Improvement).
• Financial Management
• Develop and manage cost performance for the line.
• Track financial performance weekly and monthly; analyze variances and adjust plans as needed to meet financial targets.
• Identify cost reduction opportunities through improved operational efficiency and waste reduction.
• Talent & Organizational Development
• Build a high-performing team by recruiting, training, and developing hourly team members.
• Foster a culture of leading with Company Purpose and Values, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Provide coaching and development opportunities to team members to enhance skills and promote career growth.
• Lead cross-functional training to ensure team versatility and flexibility in managing production demands.
• Ensure hourly team proficiency in key tools and systems, including:
  • o Loss Analysis & Gap Analysis
  • o Centerlines
  • o Small Work Teams (Natural Work Teams)
  • o Autonomous Maintenance
  • o Focused Improvement
  • o Root Cause and Corrective Action Systems
  • o STPD (Standardized Problem Solving) tool.
• Collaboration & Strategic Partnerships:
• Collaborate with site leadership, maintenance, engineering, and quality teams to identify and resolve production challenges.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to implement new processes, equipment, and product launches.
• Function as the primary point of contact for production-related issues for the production line, ensuring alignment with broader plant objectives.
• #INDOAK

Position Qualifications

An equivalent combination of experience and education will also be considered.

Education Education Level Description

• 2 Year / Associate Degree
• Minimum Associate of Science degree in a STEM field (Engineering, Food Science, Technology, Math, etc.) required.
• Preferred Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM field or active enrollment in a 4-year STEM degree program.
• Experience in lieu of degree will be considered.

Experience Minimum Years of Experience Comments

• 2 to 4 years
• Minimum 2 years of manufacturing experience in a leadership role, preferably in the food industry

Certifications

• Knowledge of GMP, HACCP, and food safety regulations

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Multiple examples of successfully delivering performance improvement in Safety, Quality, Cost and Efficiency.
• Multiple examples of building organizational capabilities (team skill proficiency improvements, team promotions)
• Multiple examples of solving issues to root cause and eliminating recurrence.
• Multiple examples of deploying improvement tools and frameworks with measurable outcomes. (TPM, Lean, Six Sigma).

Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc. (AFNA) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. AFNA does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis protected by stated, federal, or local law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.

The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions for this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required, and the scope of responsibility, but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned.

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