Northwood Plant Manager

Hirzel Canning Company•Northwood, OH

11d

About The Position

Hirzel Canning Company & Farms is a fifth-generation family company producing locally grown tomato and sauerkraut products under its Dei Fratelli brand. The Plant Manager leads daily operations at the Northwood plant, overseeing production, warehouse, shipping and receiving, inventory, food safety, and staffing. The role coordinates production planning with the Supply Chain Manager and works with maintenance and other plant managers to use resources effectively and improve equipment, facilities, and processes. The Plant Manager provides leadership and support to plant staff, including setting performance expectations, resolving employee concerns, coordinating coverage, supporting supervisors, and arranging monthly safety and food safety training. The role promotes compliance with company policies and applicable regulations, models the company’s core values, and helps maintain a safe, positive, and productive workplace. Attendance every workday is described as essential. Candidates must be willing and able to pass a pre-employment drug screen.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience in plant management or senior production leadership.
Expert knowledge of food science and relevant regulatory standards.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google tools.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Ability to lead a diverse workforce.
Willingness and ability to pass a pre-employment drug screen.
Ability to meet the stated physical demands, including regularly lifting or moving up to 25 pounds and frequently lifting or moving up to 50 pounds.
Daily attendance is essential to efficient company operations.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant scientific or business discipline.

Responsibilities

Oversee daily plant operations to support safe and efficient workflows across production, warehouse, shipping, and receiving.
Coordinate resources, monitor production output, address issues, and ensure production targets are met.
Maintain compliance with quality standards and food safety guidelines; serve on the Corporate and Plant Food Safety Committee.
Set productivity expectations and guide employees in meeting them.
Oversee inventory operations to ensure production supplies and materials are available.
Coordinate with the Supply Chain Manager to plan and schedule weekly production and label work orders, adjusting plans as needed to meet demand.
Oversee sterilization, supervision, and Clean-In-Place procedures for the Aseptic Line as required.
Participate in cross-facility meetings and coordinate with other plant managers on resource use.
Assist production supervision when multiple operations are running.
Oversee kraut operations, including tank capacity management and planning for fresh-pack and canning activities.
Coordinate with the Maintenance Team on equipment, facility, and process improvements.
Lead and support Northwood Plant staff by setting performance expectations, monitoring progress, and resolving employee concerns.
Coordinate planned time off and arrange coverage as needed.
Review wages for market competitiveness and alignment with job responsibilities and employee performance.
Maintain sufficient staffing by requesting external job postings from Human Resources when necessary.
Arrange and support monthly training focused on personal safety and food safety compliance.
Support supervisors with backup, coaching, and on-the-job training; cover production-line breaks when necessary.
Promote compliance with company policies and procedures and state and federal regulations.
Model company values, encourage a positive attitude and sense of urgency, and maintain constructive working relationships.
Support company and plant changes and promote a unified leadership team.