Plant General Manager

The Neil Jones Food Company•Vancouver, WA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Neil Jones Food Company is an industry leader, processing superior quality fresh-packed, vine-ripened California tomatoes and Pacific Northwest fruit. Headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, NJFC has been providing our nation’s discerning food service, retail, industrial and institutional customers with the finest quality canned and pouched products for over 50 years. NJFC operates three production facilities: Northwest Packing in Vancouver, WA.; San Benito Foods, in Hollister, CA; and Toma-Tek in Firebaugh, CA. We are looking for a Plant Manager who will direct, manage, and optimize the overall operations of a cannery and juice concentrate processing plant and related facilities. This leader oversees the production of canned and industrial fruit ingredients sourced from Pacific Northwest crops, including bartlett pears, dark sweet cherries, purple plums, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, cranberries, and value-added tomato products. Responsible for both conventional and organic manufacturing operations, establishing policies and making operational decisions that drive productivity, product quality, food safety, and cost efficiency. Develops and implements systems to collect and analyze operational metrics, evaluate productivity, and establish performance targets aligned with revenue and cost objectives. Leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of manufacturing practices with a focus on quality, efficiency, and regulatory compliance. Directs plant-level support functions, including finance, engineering, materials management, quality assurance, and human resources, to ensure alignment with overall plant operations and organizational goals at our Northwest Packing plant in Vancouver, WA.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing operations, business administration, or related field; or any equivalent combination of education and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the key responsibilities of this position.
8 years of previous plant management experience and 5 years’ supervisory and management experience, including supervising all levels of employees, preferably in a unionized environment.
Extensive experience leading multi-facility industrial food manufacturing operations. Deep knowledge of manufacturing processes, continuous improvement methodologies, and safety, environmental, quality, and employment systems to ensure regulatory compliance and operational excellence.
Ability to manage, develop, and oversee budgets, with skills in reading, interpreting, and analyzing financial statements.
Ability to pass a pre-employment drug test, background check including employment and educational verification, and credit screen, and to work extended schedule and weekends during the fresh pack season, typically July to early November.

Responsibilities

Drives continuous safety, quality, cost, and compliance improvement and culture based on current Best Practices.
Provides overall leadership in developing, communicating, and implementing operating strategies and goals for the facility, while providing direct guidance and leadership to managers and supervisors, managing, coaching, and developing staff, and overseeing site succession planning.
Ensures robust plant safety and security procedures and training are in place and that operations are in compliance with all required regulations.
Ensures positive relationships with key strategic external customers; understands customer requirements and translates needs into effective operating practices.
Develops and manages a complex budget; evaluates and provides leadership in determining resource allocation for the complex as a whole, and the individual functional units.