Production Group Leader

Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.•Orrville, OH

13d•Onsite

About The Position

Prairie Farms is a farmer-owned dairy cooperative, founded in 1938 by Illinois dairy farmers. We represent over 600 independent family farms and produce a wide range of dairy and food products, including milk, cheese, ice cream and yogurt. We are committed to quality, sustainability, and community support, with a goal of returning value to our farmer-owners and operating with integrity. Summary/Objective The Group Leader oversees the manufacturing and plant operations on a shift basis with direct responsibility for specific work teams and larger projects receiving support and direction from the Plant Manager in compliance with food safety, quality and regulatory requirements. This position is also responsible for developing the culture through coaching and supporting the work area team structure.

Requirements

Working knowledge of Microsoft Office
Excellent communication and organization skills, including written and oral presentation skills
Strong time management skills
Confidentiality is a must
Must be insurable by company standards
Must demonstrate excellent analytical and critical thinking skills
Strong organizational and influential leadership skills - managing and empowering personnel or teams
Demonstrated ability to problem solve
Comfortable in fast-paced environment
Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Agricultural Science, or a related technical field, or equivalent experience
Three to five year’s experience in production supervision
Regularly required to talk and hear
Active position requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling, and climbing
Able to lift up to 80 pounds
Vision requirements include: close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus

Responsibilities

Ensure work area teams follow the continuous improvement framework in the areas of Safety, Food Safety Quality and Productivity when conducting Daily Management Meetings
Develop a culture of accelerated continuous improvement utilizing standard work, problem identification, A3 problem solving, and decision making at the level of execution
Work with other group and team leaders, both operational and functional, to identify, prioritize and resolve issues between the teams
Responsible for leading operational improvements in the assigned work area teams
Develop the leadership capabilities of work area team leaders with formal bi-weekly coaching, goal setting, training and timely completion of performance reviews
Support team leader in developing and maintaining standard work, implementing and following defined standards
Collaborates directly with customers by attending meetings and discussions to ensure production plans, timelines, and quality expectations are met
Primary liaison between floor personnel and management
Stay current with industry trends and technology
Live and promote our vision and mission
Provide support to improve quality excellence, food safety, and product development efforts, cooperating closely with the quality control team
Follow work practices that align with and support the negotiated collective bargaining agreement
Ensure appropriate implementation and management of Safety and Food Safety Quality GMP’s
Ensure that we adhere to all state and federal regulations in the areas of safety and food safety quality
Ensure that we follow all company and customer standards
Work with teams to set goals to improve and demonstrate meaningful improvements in Safety, Food Safety Quality, and Productivity
Responsible for improving the cost position of the assigned work teams preventing or eliminating issues including overtime, labor efficiency, shrink, energy consumption, etc. with an expected annual savings goal of 3%
Responsible for identifying annual capital improvements and creating appropriate business cases to justify investment
Prioritize and manage top improvement goals and projects to ensure appropriate support from shared services like preventative maintenance, scheduling, and supply chain
Manage all company business according to the cultural objectives of the company (values and behaviors)
Understand and execute the principles of the company’s Operational Excellence program driving the right behaviors, standards and continuous improvement across all operating entities
Participate in cross-functional teams as required to advance the business interests of the company
Compliance with all company and regulatory policies/guidelines relating to associate safety, food safety and food quality
Work to communicate and execute the business goals and mission statement
Develop and execute a culture of continuous improvement through use of clear prioritization, problem solving and empowerment
In conjunction with the Human Resources Department and Plant Manager, develop and execute annual training and skill development with associates
Collaborate with all areas of Operations, Quality, Sanitation, and all leaders to execute priorities including improvements to safety, food safety quality and uptime of equipment