We are the leading global independent beverage solutions provider serving a broad range of national and international retailers as well as Global, National and Emerging (GNE) brands. Our products are distributed worldwide from our production sites in Europe, North America, and Australia. Although our branding may not appear on the beverage labels we produce, there is a good chance you may be enjoying one of our drinks. Our ambition is to continually improve and it’s what keeps us at the top of our game.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
•The Plant Director will report to the Sr. Director of Operations and will be responsible for the entire Paw Paw manufacturing leadership team, e.g., Plant Operations, Engineering, Environment, Health & Safety (EHS).
•He/she will be responsible for managing all non-union manufacturing, business metrics & order fulfillment activities, and development of the Plant Production & Warehouse teams, to meet/ exceed required KPI’s for safety, environment, customer service & cost, while maintaining efficient production in the desired quality and quantity.
•He/she will manage yield, labor efficiency & overhead expenses, defining the operations strategy for the site, and lead overall business planning, costing & budgeting efforts for manufacturing operations & engineering.
•He/she will define performance metrics & implementation of goals, objectives and tactical plans while developing/ driving a consistent operating model/ management system to align performance metrics, processes, and expectations.
•He/ she will collaborate w/ senior leadership to provide insight & feedback regarding the strategic direction of the Company
•He/she will maintain clear & effective plant communication, via regular plant production meetings with employees & salaried associates, including weekly/ monthly/ quarterly performance reports & presentations (in Excel and PowerPoint).
•He/she will foster an ownership culture within the plant, through hands-on leadership and strong positive employee engagement, feedback & coaching, to develop a well-trained, disciplined and motivated staff.
•He/she will ensure the execution of new product launches to successfully meet customer expectations.
•He/she will attract & develop key talent for the organization to ensure the availability and development of the required talent to meet current and future organizational goals.
•He/she will ensure all OHSA, environmental regulatory & corporate standards compliance, by investigating and identifying any non-compliance related root causes.
•He/she will be accountable for maintaining a safe working environment through the development of strategies focused on accident reduction as well as energy and waste minimization
•He/she will oversee effective deployment of human resources throughout the plant and ensure the correct administration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
•He/she will be responsible for reviewing the SQF Annual Review checklist with Management.
•He/she will determine & implement key Quality Food Safety objectives and determine who is responsible, with time frame for competition.
•He/she will be responsible for site security/ Food defense.
Required Skills & Competencies:
A critical aspect to this role is that he/ she must be a people-first leader; hiring, developing, training and motivating an operations leadership team capable of carrying out operations & strategies, while also improving employee engagement.
•Culture & Values: Must demonstrate the values that make Refresco who we are: Entrepreneurial, Agile, Passionate, Responsible and Excellent.
•Leadership: Inspires & motivates others to perform well; influences actions and opinions of others; displays passion and optimism. Proven background in sustaining through pressure and the maturity to navigate the organization through pressure successfully.
•Managing People: Fosters quality focus in others; improves processes, products, and services. Proven background in attracting and developing talent.
•Strategic: Demonstrates ability to think strategically and to balance strategy with day-to-day operational priorities in a high growth business.
•Problem Solving: Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skillfully. Always looking for opportunities.
•Planning/Organizing: Uses time efficiently; plans for additional resources; sets goals and objectives; organizes or schedules other people and their tasks.
•Communication: Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; demonstrates presentation skills. Writes clearly and informatively and presents numerical data effectively.
•Teamwork: Balances team and individual responsibilities; contributes to building a positive team spirit; able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives. Global mindset and ability to work with different leadership styles.
•Change Management: Communicates changes effectively, builds commitment and overcomes resistance.
Qualifications & Education:
•Undergraduate degree in Engineering, Business, or related degree with 10+ years’ Plant Operations experience with a Food & Beverage manufacturing company
•Proficient in Excel, Word, SAP, and PowerPoint.
•Organized and adaptable team player, with problem-solving skills and proficiency working under production deadline pressures in a high-speed manufacturing environment with frequent changeovers.
•Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (verbal & written), with ability to work across multiple functions while inspiring and motivating teams.
•Experience preferred working with both cold and hot fill beverage manufacturing operations or experience working with liquid filling/ food manufacturing processes.
•World class experience developing & implementing operations performance, operational excellence and management systems that deliver consistent and systemic operating throughput.
•Experienced in Lean principled Continuous Improvement tools to include, but not limited to TPM, SMED, Kaizen, 6S, Process Mapping, Standard Work, etc.
