Senior Plant Operations Manager

Butterball; Ozark (AR); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Butterball is seeking an experienced Plant Operations Manager to lead our Arkansas manufacturing site. You will drive production, schedule adherence, quality, safety, and cost performance while guiding a large cross-functional team toward annual goals.

The role requires hands-on leadership and a strong process-improvement mindset with familiarity in Lean/Six Sigma and USDA-regulated foods. You will partner with functions to ensure safe, efficient operations and high-quality product delivery.

Qualifications

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent.
• 8+ years of relevant experience or demonstrated ability.
• 2+ years of leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Manage a large team of individual contributors and leaders; oversee HR activities and budgeting.
• Ensure operations comply with regulations, policies, quality standards, and obligations; optimize costs.
• Oversee production, maintenance, quality control, shipping, schedules, inventory, safety programs; implement efficiency strategies.
• Create and monitor KPIs; support problem-solving and risk mitigation.
• Contribute to short/long-term planning and team goal development.
• Implement continuous improvement to reduce costs and improve profitability.
• Promote leadership development and training.
• Oversee safety programs and health of team members.
• Manage operating budget in line with business plan.
• Participate in safety audits and corrective actions.
• Communicate updates to leadership on goals and strategies.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Strategic planning

Communication

Education

High school diploma or GED

8+ years experience

2+ years leadership experience

Tools

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma

Job description

Oversee the creation, implementation, and execution of operational strategies and goals to ensure achievement of goals, such as on-time delivery, cost of sales, safety of people and product, quality of the product, and human resource management. Oversees all manufacturing activities, pushes forward continuous improvements, and achieves effective and efficient operations. Collaborates cross-functionally to meet product goals, reduce costs, and ensure the highest level of product quality.

At Butterball, we exist to help people pass love on. As the most recognized name in turkey, the brand represents more than 60 years of cherished memories, providing quality, great tasting products that make meals something to celebrate every day. We proudly believe that life at Butterball means having a team who supports you, having the opportunity to grow personally and professionally, and making an impact on the health of others daily.

Whether you choose to work at one of our five (5) manufacturing facilities in NC, AR, MO, farms in AR, NC, and KS, corporate office in NC, IL, or in the field, we believe we have an opportunity for everyone to succeed. At Butterball, we believe in fostering a culture where every team member is valued, has the opportunity to grow professionally and contribute to our success. Join us in our Purpose and apply for an opportunity today!

Key Responsibilities

• Manages a large team of skilled individual contributors and/or people leaders. Provides guidance, coaching, and support to ensure successful delivery of department goals. Responsible for HR activities such as hiring, terminations, performance management, goal setting, team member development, scheduling, etc. Enforces and meaningfully contributes to the development of robust systems, policies, and procedures. Contributes to strategic planning and budget management for the function.

• Responsible for ensuring all operations comply with all regulations, company policies, quality standards, and contractual obligations while maximizing yields with minimal costs.

• Oversee all aspects of plant operations including production, maintenance, quality control shipping, production schedules, capacity utilization, inventory control, team member engagement, and safety programs. Develops and implements strategies to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and optimize workflows.

• Creates and monitors adherence to key performance indicators. Provides support for problem-solving, action plans, and risk mitigation strategies.

• Contributes to short and long-term planning strategies. Guides the development of team goals and action plans to ensure alignment to organizational goals.

• Implement continuous improvement methodologies to enhance all aspects of plant operations. Creates meaningful improvements to cost reduction, performance improvements, and overall profitability.

• Observes talent base and promotes opportunities for management to upgrade skills through training, education, and project participation.

• Oversees programs that ensure the safety and health of our team members.

• Manages and helps create overall operating budget in line with current business plan.

• Participate in safety audits, accident investigations, and other safety related activities as needed. Implements corrective actions and enforces a culture of safety.

• Communicates with leadership to provide updates on operational goals and strategies.

Minimum Qualifications (Educations & Experience)

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent

• 8+ years of relevant experience or demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities to succeed in the role

• 2+ years of leadership experience or the knowledge, skills, and abilities to succeed in the role

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Butterball Core Competencies

Caring about people, valuing contributions, and empowering to succeed is the Butterball Way. We recognize the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to Butterball and seek to create an environment where everyone can thrive. Everyone has a seat at the table and is expected to embody our core competencies:

• Safety First: We put safety first. The health, safety, and well-being of our people, products, and turkeys is everyone's responsibility and everyone's jobs.

• Integrity: We trust each other to do the right thing. We act with integrity and gain the confidence and trust of others through honesty, respect, and authenticity.

• Stewardship: We take care of what matters. We are accountable to our commitments and take responsibility for the well-being of our teams, our quality, our customers, our business, our brand, and our communities. We are always answerable for our actions and those we lead.

• Enthusiastic Attitudes: We create a climate where everyone feels they belong and can be engaged, every day. Where our people are enthusiastic and motivated to do their best and work together to make great things happen.

• Continuous Improvement: We are committed to continuous improvement. We challenge ourselves and our company to constantly learn, develop, grow, improve, and innovate

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Advanced knowledge of the food manufacturing industry, USDA regulations and requirements, and safety and health programs and how they are administered

• Firm knowledge of OSHA regulations, human resources principles, and employment law

• Expert in production planning, resource allocation, and cost management

• Top-notch leadership skills with the ability to develop, mentor, coach, support and motivate a large cross-functional team of people leaders

• Strong communication, interpersonal, and collaboration skills with the ability to influence all levels of the organization internally and externally

• Proficiency in Lean manufacturing, Six Sigman, or similar methodologies with the proven ability to identify and implement process improvements

• Sound project management skills with the ability to impact results

• Seasoned at innovating, strategic thinking, and overseeing cross-functional initiatives

• Proficient business acumen with the ability to identify and mitigate long term risk

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear, reach, stoop, kneel, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer, telephone, keyboard, and occasionally lift up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, color vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Working Conditions & Travel Requirements

• Work will be performed in a variety of conditions including climate-controlled office environment(s); in a manufacturing plant environment with varying conditions, such as cold areas, wet areas, warm areas, chemicals, and other site conditions; and in a farm environment including working outdoors in seasonal conditions with live animals and at times in dusty environments. This position requires the individual to wear and work in personal protective equipment while in the manufacturing and farm environment. This individual may be working around sick or diseased animals where additional precautions may need to be taken.

• The noise level of the office and farm environment is usually moderate. The noise level in the manufacturing environment may exceed 85 DBA and require hearing protection. Showering in and out of farm locations may be required.

• Some regional travel may be required.

Disclaimer

We embrace equal opportunity employment. Butterball is committed to the fair and impartial treatment of all employees and applicants for employment without regard to gender, age, race, religion, color, national origin, physical or mental disability, military/veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, or any other status protected by law.

This position is deemed Safety Sensitive for purposes of Butterball’s Drug/Alcohol Screening & Testing Policy. Details will be provided to individuals who receive a conditional job offer, or upon request.

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of what is required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not imply or establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.