Plant Manager - Milk Specialties Global

At Milk Specialties Global, our focus is to create high-quality ingredients designed to optimize health and nutrition. We are passionate and dedicated people. Each day, we collectively explore new, innovative ways to enhance product performance and value through our broad human and animal nutrition portfolios. We offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental, vision and life insurance as well as a healthy 401(k) company match program.

The Plant Manager has the responsibility for directing operations at the assigned facility to support overall business objectives including managing activities in the areas of production, sales, quality, customer service, inventory, maintenance, safety, and employee relations.

 Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop key manufacturing plans and programs toward budgeted unit cost and output objectives. Develop strategies and specific programs to meet both long term growth and short-term manufacturing costs and product quality goals.
• Coordinate activities of all manufacturing functional areas to assure continuity towards plant goals, meeting all customer quality requirements. Communicate priorities as necessary. Review and approve SOP’s for all production processes.
• Sustain production capacity that is synchronized with sales volume requirements, developing contingency plans as needed. Undertake ongoing programs to minimize inventory levels.
• Develop and track annual operating budget for measurement towards objectives.
• Remain current on matters relating to production methods, formulations, analytical techniques, and federal regulations as they relate to the company’s products. Develop action plans for improvement as necessary.
• Maintain and improve the quality of the plant assets, both current and fixed. Develop plans and execute capital improvement program to maintain/improve existing assets, to improve operating efficiencies and/or to meet expanding volume needs based on OEE.
• Recruit, develop, coach, and lead personnel, constantly raising the standards of performance. Establish training and development programs for employees. Create team–based environment encouraging open communication and seeking input regarding production, safety, and quality issues.
• Implement and manage safety and regulatory programs to assure long term safe operation of the facility.
• Work with Purchasing and Quality Assurance to establish quality specifications for incoming raw materials, monitoring these raw materials to ensure that specifications are met.
• Assist Quality Assurance in development of new products/processes and improve current products/processes. Establish procedures and supervise all experimental and test runs, reporting all results.
• Manage inventory of off-spec materials, including the scheduling and reworking of products as needed.
• Maintain and improve all production log data and implement OEE system. Work with operations, maximizing OEE through World Class, Six Sigma, and other appropriate tools.
• Maintain formulation data system including entering all new product formulations.
• Maintain history file on all products including formulation, product standard, label, and packaging.
• Ensure facility compliance with all state and federal requirements relating to the manufacture of food grade products. Maintain effective communication with proper government agencies.
• Develop and maintain a relationship with the community of which the plant is a part, both individually and with the plant as a whole.
• Manage the Business Development Managers and Customer Service.

 Position Requirements:

• 10 years previous management experience in a food grade operation.
• Background in packaging facility.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.
• Excellent knowledge of plant operation procedures and business system software applications.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills.
• Previous supervisory experience.