Operations Plant Manager

The Pork Slaughter Plant Manager is responsible for the overall management, performance, and profitability of the pork slaughter and processing facility. This position has full responsibility for daily plant operations, production, staffing, preventative maintenance, carcass yields, food safety, employee safety, quality, cost control, and plant profit and loss (P&L).

The Plant Manager is expected to be actively involved in plant operations, hold department managers and supervisors accountable, identify opportunities to improve efficiency and yields, and ensure the facility operates safely, efficiently, and profitably.

• Provide leadership and direction for all plant operations and departments.
• Manage the entire facility to meet production, quality, safety, yield, staffing, maintenance, and financial objectives.
• Establish clear expectations and accountability for department managers, supervisors, maintenance personnel, and production employees.
• Review daily plant performance and take corrective action when goals are not being achieved.

Maintain a strong presence on the production floor and understand the operational condition of the plant.

• Monitor and improve carcass yields and overall product recovery.
• Review daily slaughter numbers, carcass weights, yields, condemnations, trim loss, product loss, and other key production measurements.
• Identify areas where excessive loss or poor recovery is occurring and implement corrective actions.
• Work with production supervisors and employees to improve cutting practices, handling, recovery, and consistency.
• Establish and monitor yield standards and hold departments accountable for performance.

Balance production speed, labor efficiency, food safety, product quality, and yield.

• Oversee the plant's preventative maintenance program.
• Ensure scheduled preventative maintenance is completed and properly documented.
• Work closely with maintenance leadership to minimize equipment downtime and production interruptions.
• Review recurring equipment failures and ensure permanent corrective actions are implemented.
• Ensure critical production equipment, refrigeration, boilers, wastewater systems, electrical systems, and other plant infrastructure are properly maintained.

Develop maintenance priorities and assist with planning capital equipment repairs and replacements.

• Ensure the plant is properly staffed to meet production requirements.
• Work with Human Resources and department managers on recruiting, hiring, training, retention, scheduling, and employee development.
• Monitor labor hours, overtime, absenteeism, turnover, and labor cost per head or pound produced.
• Adjust staffing levels and production schedules to maximize labor efficiency.
• Develop supervisors and department managers capable of independently managing their areas.

Maintain accountability for attendance, productivity, workplace conduct, and performance.

• Have direct responsibility for plant financial performance and P&L.
• Understand and manage the major drivers of plant profitability, including:
  • Labor costs
  • Carcass and product yields
  • Maintenance expenses
  • Supplies
  • Utilities
  • Overtime
  • Downtime
  • Waste and product loss
  • Rendering and disposal costs
  • Production efficiency
• Review financial and operational reports regularly and identify unfavorable trends.
• Develop and manage plant operating budgets.
• Implement cost-saving initiatives without negatively affecting food safety, employee safety, quality, or long-term equipment reliability.

Work with senior management to establish financial and operational goals for the facility.

• Ensure compliance with USDA/FSIS requirements and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
• Support and enforce HACCP, SSOP, GMP, sanitation, animal welfare, food safety, and quality programs.
• Work closely with Quality Assurance leadership to address regulatory or food safety concerns.
• Ensure corrective actions are implemented quickly and effectively.

Maintain a plant…