VP of Operations--Food Manufacturing

Taher is seeking a highly experienced food manufacturing leader to provide overall leadership and operational direction for our manufacturing operations in Plymouth, Minnesota.

Our manufacturing business produces high-volume fresh and prepared foods for major national retail, convenience and grocery customers, including burgers, sandwiches, bakery products and other ready-to-eat and prepared-food items. Current customer programs include products for 7-Eleven, Costco, Kroger and other customers.

This is a significant operating leadership role. The Vice President of Manufacturing Operations will be accountable for building the leadership, operating discipline, systems and execution necessary to safely and consistently deliver quality food to our customers while improving productivity, labor utilization, throughput, yield, reliability and financial performance.

We are looking for a leader who understands that manufacturing leadership happens where the work happens. This individual must be highly visible throughout the operation, routinely walking production and bakery floors, engaging employees, coaching supervisors and managers, reviewing performance at the point of work, identifying barriers and driving problems through to resolution.

Taher is in the business of finding solutions. We need a manufacturing leader who operates the same way.

• Lead the operation. Establish clear expectations, operating priorities, accountability and execution across Culinary / Prepared Foods and Great Northern Bakery operations.
• Build the leadership team. Develop strong plant, production, quality, maintenance, logistics and frontline leaders who can effectively manage the business, coach employees and solve problems.
• Be present on the floor. Maintain a highly visible leadership presence across shifts and operating areas. Understand performance by seeing the work, talking with employees and leaders and reviewing actual conditions in the operation.
• Drive customer execution. Ensure Taher consistently meets customer commitments for quality, food safety, specifications, service, volume, timing and delivery.
• Improve operating performance. Build the systems, routines and accountability necessary to improve safety, quality, throughput, schedule attainment, labor productivity, yield, waste, downtime, reliability and cost.
• Create a problem-solving culture. Move the organization from reacting to recurring issues toward identifying root causes, making decisions and sustaining improvements.
• Partner across Taher. Leverage Taher’s corporate expertise in Procurement, Human Resources, Training & Development, Finance, IT and other support functions while retaining clear accountability for execution within manufacturing.

• Provide overall leadership and direction for Taher’s Plymouth manufacturing operations.
• Translate customer demand, forecasts and business priorities into executable production strategies.
• Ensure production plans are appropriately staffed, scheduled and executed across shifts.
• Establish daily, weekly and monthly operating rhythms that create visibility and accountability for results.
• Monitor operating performance and intervene quickly when safety, quality, labor, production, maintenance or customer-service performance falls outside expectations.
• Ensure effective coordination across Culinary / Prepared Foods, Bakery, Production, Maintenance, Food Safety & Quality, Sanitation, Logistics, Supply Chain and supporting functions.
• Identify operational constraints and lead initiatives to improve capacity, flow and manufacturing effectiveness.

• Create an operation capable of consistently executing against the expectations of…