Production Manager

Empire Livestock LLC.; Joplin (MO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Empire Livestock LLC is seeking a senior operations leader to oversee filling, packaging, and production in a high-volume beverage facility. You will lead production supervisors and frontline staff, focusing on safety, efficiency, and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities include meeting production schedules, driving continuous improvement, and collaborating with maintenance, quality, and supply chain teams to achieve plant objectives and customer requirements.

Qualifications

• Management experience in a manufacturing setting preferred.
• Experience in beverage or food production is a plus.
• Understanding of safety, quality, and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead filling and packaging operations to meet production schedules.
• Establish priorities to maximize throughput and minimize downtime.
• Monitor performance and optimize labor, equipment, and material use.
• Coach and develop supervisors and hourly staff.
• Drive Lean, root-cause analysis, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Manage budgets and drive cost-control measures.

Skills

Leadership

Lean Manufacturing

GMP/HACCP

OEE

ERP/MES

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

ERP

MES

CMMS

Redzone

Job description

Provide leadership, direction, and accountability for all assigned filling, packaging, and production operations within a high-volume beverage manufacturing facility. Ensure the safe, efficient, and cost-effective production of high-quality products while maintaining compliance with food safety, quality, environmental, regulatory, and customer requirements. Lead production supervisors, operators, team leads, and support personnel to achieve operational excellence through a culture of safety, continuous improvement, employee engagement, and performance accountability. Collaborate cross-functionally with Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, Warehousing, Supply Chain, Scheduling, and Human Resources to achieve plant objectives and customer service requirements

JOB DUTIES AND 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 compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), HACCP, SQF, FDA regulations, customer requirements, sanitation standards, and internal quality systems.
• Partner closely with Quality leadership to maintain product integrity and regulatory compliance.
• 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.

Requirements

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 5 to 8 years’ experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably food and/or beverage manufacturing.
• Supervisory or management experience
• Certification and/or License – may be required during course of employment.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Beverage, dairy, aseptic, ESL, bottle filling, gable top filling, roll-fed filling and/or packaging experience.
• Experience managing multiple production lines and shifts.
• Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement experience.
• SQF, HACCP, GMP, or Food Safety certification.
• Strong leadership and team development skills.
• Knowledge of high-speed bottle and gable top filling operations.
• Strong understanding of food manufacturing systems and processes.
• Knowledge of OEE, downtime analysis, loss elimination, and KPI management.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to analyze production data and identify trends.
• Experience with ERP, MES, Redzone, CMMS, and/or manufacturing information systems.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Project management and Continuous Improvement experience.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong organizational and decision-making skills.

An Equal Opportunity Employer including Disabled/Veterans

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