Freeze Dry Dept Manager

Job Title: Freeze Dry Department Manager

Department: Operations

Reports to: Plant Manager

The Freeze Dry Department Manager oversees and manages production in a freeze-dried manufacturing environment, overseeing all stages of freeze-drying processes. They are responsible for ensuring safe, efficient processing of products while meeting quantitative and qualitative standards for production output, health and safety, HACCP, GMP, sanitation and product quality.

Essential Functions Include:

• The Freeze Dry Department Manager oversees and manages production in a freeze-dried manufacturing environment, overseeing all stages of freeze-drying processes which include Sanitation, Warehouse, and Production.

• Plan and coordinate work, ensuring cohesive, effective employee relations.

• Responsible for identifying and implementing cost effective and efficient plant processes through continuous improvement efforts.

• This role will be a driving force in ensuring Thrive Values are demonstrated throughout the department and through team members' actions.

• Coach, develop, and provide leadership direction to Supervisors and team members, promoting a positive work environment.

• Establish departmental key performance measures, including the creation of visual controls and provide regular progress reports to Manager.

• Work to ensure compliance and promote a work environment which complies with GMP's, SQF, HACCP, Quality, Safety, and other standards for a food processing facility.

• Overseeing the dryer equipment, machinery, packaging equipment, and warehouse, this role will coordinate with maintenance to ensure production equipment and machinery is properly maintained, repaired, or replaced as necessary to maintain smooth plant operations.

• Guide Supervisory level team members in Lean and/or 5S initiatives and drive the team in this culture.

• Manage production priorities.

• Responsible for ensuring effective employee relations.

• Recommends and implements cost effective and efficient plant processes.

• Directly responsible for employee development and performance decisions.

• Establishes departmental performance measures, including visual controls and provides regular progress reports to director of operations.

• Works in compliance and promotes a work environment which complies with GFGSI standards for a food processing facility.

• Performs accident / incident investigations to the point of offering resolve. Maintains a safe work environment and follows OSHA guidelines and other government agency requirements, wherever applicable.

• Performs all duties as assigned.

Qualifications Include:

• Minimum 5 years relevant leadership work experience in a manufacturing environment; food manufacturing a plus. Preferred: Bachelor's degree in business, operations, or relevant field.

• A demonstrated ability to lead people and get results through others by establishing and carrying out metrics and Key Performance Indicators.

• An ability to think ahead, plan and prepare action plans to achieve results.

• An ability to balance and achieve positive results in the areas of safety, quality, productivity, cost and employee relations using proven methods of Lean, Kaizen, 5s, Six Sigma, etc. techniques.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with an ability to manage multiple priorities and attention to detail.

Physical Requirements:

• Consistent and reliable attendance

• Occasional lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling; occasional stooping, kneeling, crouching, and/or crawling; and frequent fine finger dexterity.

• 50% or more sitting, 50% or more walking, and 40% or more standing.

• The job is performed under occasional temperature variations and in a food manufacturing production environment.

• Unrestricted visual and audio abilities are required for the safety of all employees. The ability to lift to 50 lbs. is required.