Plant Manager - Food and Beverage Manufacturing

Reily Foods Company; Knoxville (TN); On-site; USD 75,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Reily Foods Company seeks a Plant Manager for its Knoxville facility, responsible for leading operational activities and ensuring production excellence. Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree and extensive experience in the food or beverage manufacturing industry, along with solid leadership skills. This role offers a chance to shape the facility's success through effective management and continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of production experience, preferably in food/beverage manufacturing.
• 5+ years in operational leadership with a strong record of team building and mentoring.
• Lean Six Sigma, PMP, or relevant certifications are preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead all operational activities at the facility to ensure production excellence.
• Drive continuous improvements in Safety, Quality, Productivity, Cost, and Customer Service.
• Develop a highly effective leadership team and maintain focus on KPIs.

Skills

Leadership

Operational Excellence

Communication

Organizational Skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Operations or related field

Tools

MS Office Programs

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: Knoxville Plant - Knoxville, TN

Position Type: Full Time

Salary Range: Undisclosed

Description

We have a passion for flavor! Reily Foods Company provides iconic foods and beverages that have created meals and memories for over 120 years! Found in retail outlets across the country, our premier branded products include New England Coffee, Luzianne Iced Tea, Blue Plate Mayonnaise, Swans Down Cake Flour, and Carroll Shelby Chili, to name a few. We are currently seeking a Plant Manager in Knoxville. The right hire will exhibit natural leadership, enable best practices, and be accountable for their team's development and success.

The Plant Manager is directly responsible for leading and driving all operational activities at the facility to ensure consistent levels of production excellence are achieved and sustained while developing a fully engaged and talented workforce. In this role, the Plant Manager will provide clear direction and leadership to the plant staff through goal setting, performance and metric reviews, action planning and Continuous Improvement execution. Collaborating with all cross-functional groups within the organization, this role must maintain a clear focus on the tactical and strategic plans of the facility and ensure that they are aligned with corporate goals and objectives.

Responsibilities:

• Champion and drive continuous improvements in key areas, such as: Safety, Quality, Productivity, Cost and Customer Service
• Foster a Safety First, Quality Always culture focused on operational excellence while developing direct reports
• Develop a highly effective leadership team by applying high standards for selection, communicating, and delegating key responsibilities, establishing clear vision and stretch goals, and actively utilizing all performance, development and career tools to their full potential
• Improve upon the capabilities of all plant personnel and develop a highly motivated workforce
• Lead facility to achieve Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and use performance data to drive improvement and provide optimal production performance
• Maintain KPI scorecard within the key plant areas and conduct KPI review meetings with the plant leadership team
• Implement cost-effective control systems over capital assets, operating expenditures, and labor costs
• Continuously improve site processes and technologies
• Develop and execute upon a site capital plan, addressing both short-term and long-term opportunities
• Control and minimize overtime labor costs, maintenance/repair costs, downtime and product re-work
• Identify and eliminate potential sources of food safety risk. Responsible for delivering site environmental, health, & safety performance. Work to exceed expectations for all internal & external audits, i.e., BRC.
• Act as liaison between plant personnel and corporate functions building solid relationships between these teams.
• Effectively communicate urgent issues both internal and external to VP of Operations and the site leadership team, as needed
• Identify issues quickly, develop action plans and coordinate team member activities, so that these issues are communicated upward, and dealt with quickly & effectively
• Identify root causes of issues and adept at developing and implementing corrective actions to prevent repeat problems
• Follow all safety procedures and actively participate in safety training and safety system ownership initiatives
• Maintain safe and efficient use of equipment, tools, and person; reports any injury, accident, or unsafe condition to supervisor immediately
• Support and comply with GMP’s; understand and follow emergency action plan
• Support food safety, quality, and legality
• Ensure the operation is providing food-safe, quality products which meet or exceed all product specifications and regulatory requirements
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Operations or related field
• 10+ years of production experience, preferably within a food and/or beverage manufacturing environment
• 5+ years of Operational leadership with a demonstrated ability to successfully build and mentor high performance teams
• Lean Six Sigma, PMP, TPM or other relevant certifications
• Operational Excellence mindset with success meeting production KPIs
• Solid understanding and enforcement of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
• Understanding of major functions within the plant and the ability to work directly with all levels and functions
• Knowledge of GFSI audit schemes, such as BRC and SQF
• Highly organized with ability to multi-task, recognize priority and complete tasks in a timely manner
• Positive attitude and a team player that promotes collaboration
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• Proficient in MS Office Programs
• Willingness and ability to work any shift, if needed
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds
• Willingness and ability to travel as needed