Plant Manager

Tovala•West Valley, UT

About The Position

Tovala is a food-tech company that combines hardware, software, and fresh food delivery to make home cooking simple. The Plant Manager directs and manages all plant operations, with overall responsibility for food production and related activities. The role provides direction and professional development for departmental managers and supervisors, drives continuous improvement and change management, and ensures plant and employee safety standards are met. The Plant Manager oversees the facility’s daily operations and production flow, works closely with teams across operations, culinary, maintenance, engineering, food safety and quality assurance, quality assurance, supply chain, and people, and maintains accountability for food safety, product quality, inventory, and on-time deliveries. The position also manages plant-related budgets and expenditures, tracks performance against KPI targets, and develops plans to improve efficiency and reduce waste. The role requires substantial engagement on the production floor, with at least 50% of time spent working with and engaging the team. The Plant Manager coaches and develops employees, promotes a safe and organized facility, and helps enforce company policies, procedures, regulations, and good manufacturing practices.

Requirements

Experience owning and improving KPIs.
Demonstrated ability to lead teams effectively.
Strong decision-making and people-management skills.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Comfort with Microsoft Word and Excel and willingness to learn new online tools and communication channels.
Self-starter with effective leadership, interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
Ability to excel in a fast-paced work environment at a growing company.
Knowledge of food manufacturing, processing, and warehousing.
Proven leadership abilities in continuous improvement, safety, and team building.

Nice To Haves

10+ years of manufacturing experience within the food industry preferred.

Responsibilities

Oversee and monitor day-to-day operations across the facility to ensure smooth and efficient food production.
Spend at least 50% of working time on the floor engaging and working with the team.
Oversee compliance with company policies and procedures, and foster a culture based on Tovala’s company values.
Partner with the People team as needed.
Collaborate with the maintenance team on the physical facility, production equipment, and related maintenance in accordance with best practices.
Anticipate issues affecting production and troubleshoot them in advance.
Collaborate with operations and culinary teams to ensure products meet quality, quantity, and integrity expectations.
Set high standards for facility organization and hold the team accountable.
Promote a healthy and safe culture through compliance with policies, procedures, and regulations.
Work with engineering and operations teams to implement new processes, tools, and technologies and drive their adoption.
Collaborate with FSQA and QA teams to ensure food safety is the top priority.
Collaborate with the supply chain team to maintain inventory levels and ensure 100% on-time customer deliveries.
Develop and administer plant-related budgets and authorize associated expenditures.
Manage daily, weekly, and quarterly KPI targets and develop and implement action plans to improve performance.
Collect, review, and analyze data to improve efficiencies and reduce waste.
Coach, mentor, and develop employees to optimize team effectiveness.
Establish, monitor, and review individual and team performance.
Follow and help enforce GMPs throughout the facility.
Perform other duties as assigned.