Manager, Operations

Ferrara•DeKalb, IL

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Operations Manager reports to the Sr. Site Director and is the engine behind our fast-paced candy distribution and packaging operation, leading everything from inbound raw materials to high-volume packaging and final preparation for warehousing and shipment. This role owns the daily execution of packaging operations, ensuring products move efficiently, safely, and accurately through the facility. The day-to-day operations include but are not limited to the management of personnel, overall factory performance, and the strategic planning for ensuring consistent quality of production, product improvement and assisting in new product development processing and launch.

Requirements

Strong knowledge and capability of TPM or lean manufacturing, finance and accounting, project management, leadership, and statistics/logical problem solving.
Solid working knowledge of the following business enterprises: HSE/quality regulatory compliance
Excellent communication, facilitation and influence skills
Ability to give and receive constructive feedback
Ability to lead a team-based approach to decision making
Demonstrated ability to work in a results-oriented, challenging environment
Strong leadership skills with the ability to get results through mentoring others
Effective coaching, facilitation, presentation, and team building skills
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required. Preferably in engineering, business, operations management, or similar field
Minimum 5 years’ experience in manufacturing preferred. Preferably food/beverage experience
Proficient in Microsoft Suite applications
Occasional lifting up to 50 lbs. and operation of manufacturing equipment (including forklifts)
May require off shift/weekend work and limited travel

Nice To Haves

Lean Six Sigma Experience preferred, demonstrated by successful completion of a major improvement project
Experience developing/coaching hourly and supervisory staff

Responsibilities

Ensure team compliance with all safety policies, procedures and GMP’s
Leads effectively through hands on support and visibility on the production floor
Maintain product quality and sanitation standards
Optimize operational efficiencies to support the production, warehouse, and shipping of products
Identify and coordinate operational improvements necessary to deliver the site annual operating plan (AOP). Ensure cost performance gaps are identified, action plans are developed, and resources are properly allocated
Track operational output measures (i.e. efficiency, yield loss, product quality, inventory accuracy, transactional accuracy), anticipating and correcting trends which would compromise achievement of financial targets
Develop and motivate teams to solve day-to-day operational issues and reach short- and long-term performance goals
Deliver effective change leadership to drive business changes while minimizing people impact
Builds people capability through effective employee relations, hiring, training, and communication for front-line hourly and salaried personnel
Flex production plans on a shift-by-shift basis to prevent service issues and operational inefficiencies.
Optimize ingredient and packaging material usage to minimize scrap loss
Coach teams to demonstrate continuous improvement in profitability margins, efficiencies and cost savings initiatives