Assistant Plant Operations Manager

Description Key Result Areas: Performance Standards: Core Values Continuously exhibit and set the example for others in display of Company values: Customer Centric, Ambitious, Proactive, Innovative, Collaborative and Accountable. Regulatory Requirements/ Quality Assurance Ensure compliance with all food regulatory requirements. Ensure food safety and GMP’s are adhered to at site. Maintain superior scores on all third-party audits (AIB, SQF, ASI or similar). Ensure all shipped product meets product specifications. Ensure due diligence toward all customer complaints. Notify Corporate QA about potential withdrawals/recalls of products. Ensure compliance with all AB Mauri Yeast Quality Management System (YQMS) standards. Customer Requirements Pass all customer quality audits. Pass certification requirements. Develop and maintain a productive relationship with the customer service and sales teams. Supply Chain Ensure that receiving, shipping, and warehousing functions operate at a high standard and efficiently. Assist in demand planning and forecasting with corporate planning and logistics. Ensure a good communication channel exists from the plant to customer service team. Oversee the activities for planning, purchasing, packaging rooms and shipping/receiving departments. Manage yearly objectives and evaluations of supervisors, plant buyer and planning engineer. Look after efficiently organizing the warehouse, in cooperation with the receiving, production and shipping departments. Implement and coordinate systems for warehousing, tracking merchandise, raw materials, packaging, etc. Ensure efficient organization of inventory management and stock movement (incoming and outgoing) Operations Control Ensure plant packaging operations meet defined standards (Production, Engineering, QA/QC, YQMS, HR, Accounting, Purchasing, Maintenance, and Effluent). Work with other sites and ABM global and regional yeast technologists to identify, share, and implement best practices. Relentlessly execute against defined process standards while fostering a continuous improvement culture. Lead the CI program for the plant. Environmental Health & Safety Develop and maintain comprehensive standard health and safety reporting package. Cultivate a proactive health and safety culture at the site at all levels. Develop and maintain environmental and safety teams at the site. Ensure emergency response plans are current at the site. Ensure regulatory compliance is maintained at the site. Maintain environmental risk assessment. Human Resource Management Ensure management functions are completed including recruiting, performance evaluations, conducting staff meetings and taking corrective action as necessary. Participate in the hiring, evaluation, and training follow-up of employees. Manage weekly work and vacation schedules. Enforce and comply with HR policies and procedures. Including disciplinary policies. Comply with applicable employment laws. Comply with Union Contract policy and procedures. Comply with relevant employment laws. Communication Maintain site wide communication plan to include: Meetings – site, leadership, department Scorecards – ensure completion and posting Status reports – period, weekly and event driven. Leadership Establish site priorities to deliver high corporate standards of presentation and leadership across operations. Demonstrate innovation in practice to deliver high value. Operate to “best practices” in group. Encourage teamwork. Co-champion the site’s efforts to improve overall organizational capability and effectiveness as well as site/department KPI’s. Other Serve as site leader when Plant Operations Manager is not present or available. Other duties as assigned. Qualifications Technical Degree - Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, Microbiology, or relevant experience (an advanced technical or business degree preferred). Minimum ten years manufacturing experience, preferably in a managerial role in the food, fermentation, bio-chemical or pharmaceutical industry. Experience in leading and directing large groups of employees. Excellent mechanical aptitude and strong oral / written communication skills. Good coaching skills and demonstrated success in developing / mentoring people. Demonstrated success in improving quality, reducing costs, EHS performance. Experience with Resource Scheduling. Must have strong prioritization and analytical skills. Understanding of cost accounting principles, overall cost drivers, and business principles. Strategic planning skills and ability to set strategic objectives for the facility as well as drill down to individual objectives. Excellent leadership and problem-solving skills. Experience with Quality Management Systems (SQF, ISO, etc.). Understanding of food hygiene procedures and food safety requirements. Experience in process control and project engineering. Excellent PC skills in Excel, Word and PowerPoint. Continuous process and/or food manufacturing experience.