SC Plant Manager

Position Summary

The Plant Manager serves as the senior on-site operational leader responsible for the overall performance, management, and operational effectiveness of an assigned American Natural Processors (ANP) manufacturing facility.

This position maintains comprehensive accountability for plant operations, including production performance, workforce leadership, maintenance coordination, facility reliability, workplace safety, food safety compliance, sanitation, operating expenses, and continuous improvement.

The Plant Manager provides integrated leadership across plant functions, ensuring departments operate collaboratively and in alignment with company objectives, established policies, regulatory requirements, and financial expectations.

As the primary operational decision-maker at the facility, the Plant Manager establishes priorities, allocates resources within approved authority, develops plant leadership, and ensures timely resolution of operational challenges.

Reporting directly to the Director of Operations, the Plant Manager is expected to independently manage routine facility operations and elevate significant business risks, capital requirements, strategic decisions, and matters requiring corporate authorization.

The Plant Manager is expected to serve as a gold standard of the ANP Ways, demonstrating leadership, accountability, professionalism, consistency, and respect throughout the organization.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Overall Plant Leadership & Accountability

• Assume primary responsibility for the daily management and overall operational performance of the assigned facility.
• Establish plant operating priorities consistent with organizational objectives and direction from the Director of Operations.
• Ensure effective coordination among Production, Maintenance, Quality Assurance, Sanitation, Scheduling, and Administrative functions.
• Maintain accountability for production performance, labor utilization, equipment reliability, operating costs, and operational efficiency.
• Establish clear expectations and performance standards for plant leadership and operating personnel.
• Conduct regular plant leadership meetings to review operational performance, staffing, safety, maintenance, and business priorities.
• Identify operational risks and implement appropriate corrective actions.
• Serve as the primary point of accountability for facility operations and communicate significant concerns to the Director of Operations.

2. Leadership, Personnel Management & Organizational Development

• Directly supervise the Production Manager and designated plant management personnel.
• Provide leadership, coaching, direction, and performance accountability to plant supervisors and departmental leaders.
• Oversee plant staffing requirements, workforce planning, shift coverage, and organizational effectiveness.
• Exercise delegated authority regarding hiring, performance management, disciplinary actions, and employee separations in coordination with Human Resources.
• Ensure employee performance evaluations, coaching, and development activities are completed appropriately.
• Support succession planning and leadership development within the facility.
• Ensure consistent enforcement of company policies, attendance expectations, and workplace conduct standards.
• Promote a respectful, productive, and accountable workplace culture.

3. Production Oversight & Operational Performance

• Maintain overall accountability for production output, efficiency, quality, and achievement of operating objectives.
• Provide direction to the Production Manager regarding production priorities, staffing resources, and performance expectations.
• Review production reports, downtime trends, labor utilization, material losses, and other operational performance indicators.
• Identify opportunities to improve production capacity, operational efficiency, and resource utilization.
• Ensure production operations are coordinated with maintenance schedules, material availability, and staffing requirements.
• Address significant production interruptions or recurring operational concerns requiring plant-level decisions.
• Hold production leadership accountable for timely execution of established operating plans.

4. Maintenance, Facility Reliability & Capital Planning

• Provide plant-level leadership and coordination of maintenance priorities, equipment reliability, and facility infrastructure needs.
• Collaborate with the Maintenance Manager to ensure preventive maintenance programs are implemented and equipment deficiencies are addressed.
• Monitor recurring equipment failures, maintenance backlogs, and production losses associated with equipment reliability.
• Coordinate facility operating priorities with planned maintenance activities and major repairs.
• Ensure adequate resources are available for approved maintenance and facility improvement activities.
• Identify equipment replacement needs, capital improvements, and opportunities to enhance operational reliability.
• Prepare or support capital project proposals, including operational justification, anticipated benefits, and cost considerations.
• Oversee execution of approved facility improvement projects within assigned authority.

5. Safety, Environmental & Regulatory Compliance

• Maintain plant-level accountability for consistent execution and enforcement of established workplace safety requirements.
• Partner with Human Resources and designated safety leadership to support company safety programs, training, audits, inspections, and corrective actions.
• Ensure plant supervisors and employees consistently follow safe operating procedures and required protective equipment standards.
• Support investigations of workplace incidents, near misses, and unsafe conditions.
• Ensure operational corrective actions are assigned, monitored, and completed within established timelines.
• Maintain appropriate emergency response readiness and support crisis management planning.
• Promote a workplace culture in which safety is a shared responsibility and an essential operating expectation.

6. Food Safety, Quality & Sanitation

• Ensure the facility provides the operational resources, personnel support, and management commitment necessary to maintain effective food safety and quality programs.
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance leadership and designated SQF practitioners to support HACCP, SQF, GMP, sanitation, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Ensure plant operations follow approved food safety procedures, work instructions, and applicable regulatory standards.
• Support internal, customer, certification, and regulatory audits and ensure timely completion of assigned operational corrective actions.
• Ensure appropriate coordination of sanitation activities and plant housekeeping expectations.
• Support supplier approval and material control programs through coordination with responsible functional departments.
• Maintain operational accountability for compliance while respecting the independent technical authority of Quality Assurance personnel.
• Ensure plant leadership responds promptly to food safety concerns, product quality deviations, and regulatory issues.

7. Financial Management & Operational Cost Control

• Maintain accountability for operating performance within established plant budgets and financial expectations.
• Monitor labor costs, overtime, material losses, production cost per unit, maintenance-related expenses, and other controllable operating costs.
• Evaluate operational spending and identify opportunities for cost reduction and improved resource utilization.
• Collaborate with the Director of Operations and Finance leadership on operating budgets, forecasts, and financial performance reviews.
• Recommend capital expenditures, facility improvements, and resource investments supported by operational and financial justification.
• Exercise expenditure authority within approved budgets and established company approval limits.
• Ensure responsible use of company equipment, materials, personnel, and financial resources.

8. Training, Continuous Improvement & Operational Standards

• Ensure plant leadership implements required employee training, certification, and competency development programs.
• Coordinate with Human Resources, Quality Assurance, Maintenance, and departmental leadership to support training compliance.
• Promote consistent application of SOPs, work instructions, and established operating standards.
• Identify opportunities to improve plant efficiency, equipment reliability, workforce effectiveness, and operational processes.
• Establish accountability for implementation of approved corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support standardization of operational practices across ANP facilities as directed by the Director of Operations.

9. Communication, Reporting & Corporate Coordination

• Serve as the principal operational contact for the assigned facility.
• Provide regular reports to the Director of Operations regarding production performance, staffing, safety, equipment reliability, financial performance, and operational risks.
• Communicate significant plant incidents, regulatory concerns, equipment failures, personnel matters, and business interruptions promptly.
• Coordinate with corporate leadership and functional departments to ensure consistent execution of organizational policies and priorities.
• Make timely decisions within delegated authority and elevate matters requiring corporate direction or approval.
• Participate in organizational planning, performance reviews, and implementation of company-wide operational initiatives.

Supervisory Responsibilities

The Plant Manager directly supervises the Production Manager and other designated site management positions.

The Plant Manager provides overall operational leadership across the facility and maintains authority to establish plant priorities, coordinate departmental resources, and hold site leadership accountable for performance.

The position exercises delegated personnel and operational decision-making authority in accordance with company policies and established approval limits.

Quality Assurance, Human Resources, and other specialized functions retain their assigned corporate reporting relationships and professional authority.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing manufacturing operations, departmental leaders, and operational performance.
• Strong understanding of production management, workforce planning, industrial equipment, maintenance coordination, and workplace safety.
• Experience managing operating budgets, labor costs, and performance metrics.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and resolve complex operational challenges.
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, financial, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment and maintain accountability for facility-level results.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous Plant Manager, Operations Manager, or comparable senior manufacturing leadership experience.
• Experience in food manufacturing, agricultural processing, or regulated industrial operations.
• Knowledge of HACCP, SQF, GMPs, and food safety management systems.
• Experience with capital project planning, operational budgeting, and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated success developing supervisors and improving facility-wide operational performance.

Work Environment & Position Expectations

• Work is performed in both office and active industrial manufacturing environments.
• Requires regular presence throughout the facility and accessibility to plant employees and leadership.
• May involve exposure to noise, temperature variations, moving equipment, and industrial operating conditions.
• Must be able to access applicable areas of the facility, including stairs and ladders.
• Requires availability to address significant operational concerns outside normal business hours when necessary.
• Must comply with applicable safety, sanitation, and regulatory requirements.

Performance Expectations

Performance will be evaluated based on:

• Overall plant safety and operational compliance.
• Achievement of production, efficiency, and operating performance objectives.
• Effective management of plant operating costs and approved budgets.
• Equipment reliability, preventive maintenance execution, and reduction of preventable downtime.
• Food safety, quality, sanitation, and regulatory compliance.
• Employee leadership, development, accountability, and retention.
• Timely resolution of operational concerns and corrective actions.
• Effective cross-functional coordination and communication.
• Demonstrated independent management of routine facility operations.
• Consistent application and reinforcement of the ANP Ways.