Production Manager - Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.

Location: Luana Iowa (IA)

Job Title: Swiss Manager

Immediate Supervisor Plant Manager

FLSA Status: Exempt

Summary: Manage and coordinate people engaged in the cheese department operation. Oversee employee team of 60 people in milk receiving, HTST operations, and cheese production processes. Apply learned knowledge of processes for an accident free workplace, application of food safety policies, and continuous improvement. Work with maintenance to sustain operational readiness and reduce down time.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Ensure sanitation, safety, GMP’s (Good Manufacturing Practices) and quality policies and procedures are followed.
• Confers with management personnel to establish production and quality control standards, develop budget and cost controls
• Plans and directs production activities and establishes production priorities for products
• Coordinates production activities with procurement, maintenance and quality control activities to obtain optimum production and utilization of employee resources, machines and equipment
• Reviews and analyzes production, quality control, maintenance, and operational reports to determine cause of nonconformity to product specifications, and operating or production problems
• Develops and implements operating methods and procedures designed to eliminate operating problems and improve product quality
• Revises production schedules and priorities as needed due to unforeseen interruptions.
• Develops supervisors’ skills to effectively oversee the daily routines of their assigned direct line employees
• Maintain a personnel and staffing level to accomplish the production objectives in an effective and efficient manner
• Continue to improve managerial abilities or increase subordinates’ skills and capabilities
• Continually review with supervisors their job responsibilities and work together to create cost saving measures and/or ideas to improve quality and service
• Assist management with strategic initiatives and goal attainment
• Assist with the management and resolution of union grievances
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in related field preferred or equivalent work experience (3-5 yrs).
• Must have three to five years of related supervisory experience
• Must have solid working knowledge of production processes
• Must possess leadership ability and team building skills to effectively supervise employees and to interact with all levels of management.
• Must be able to develop and motivate a team
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills (oral and written)
• Must be able to work with team members at all levels within the organization
• Working knowledge of Microsoft software applications.
• Must demonstrate ability to participate in continual process improvement
• Must be willing to work flexible hours as required
• Must be able to verbally communicate, understand, and write in the English language.

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to sit, stand, or walk for prolonged periods of time. The employee is required to use hands and fingers to operate, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls and reach with hands and arms on a repetitive basis. The employee must be able to push, pull, and move up to 100 pounds. The employee must be able to physically lift up to 50 pounds. All jobs require visual acuity to review written documentations; ability to hear and understand speech. At times there can be loud noise which may cause the worker to shout in order to be heard above the ambient noise level. There is exposure to a variety of physical conditions such as proximity to moving mechanical parts, electrical current, and exposure to heat/cold temperature changes.

Prairie Farms is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law