Hay Plant - Production Manager

Standlee•Eden, ID

17h•Onsite

About The Position

The Production Manager is responsible for the day-to-day leadership of Production and Rail operations at the Eden Plant. This position leads 4 direct reports and approximately 155 indirect team members and is accountable for executing Standlee's three operational non-negotiables: Safety, Quality, and Assured Supply. This role ensures the operation runs safely, produces quality products, and delivers the units required to meet customer demand. The Production Manager owns daily, weekly, and monthly production results, labor management, and the training and development of Supervisors, Leads, the Rail Lead, and frontline leadership across the operation. This position profile identifies the key responsibilities and expectations for performance. It cannot encompass all specific job tasks that an employee may be required to perform. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and perform job-related duties as may be required by his/her supervisor. Team Scope 4 direct reports consisting of the Production Supervisors and Rail Lead, with approximately 155 indirect reports across the Production and Rail teams. The Production Manager provides leadership and direction for approximately 159 team members and is responsible for building leadership capability, aligning labor and operating priorities, and driving accountability throughout the organization.

Requirements

Five or more years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing, agricultural processing, food or feed production, or a similar industrial environment.
Demonstrated experience leading frontline leaders and employees across multiple shifts or operating areas.
Working knowledge of production systems, industrial safety, quality expectations, labor management, and performance metrics.
Strong communication, coaching, planning, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to maintain a strong floor presence and respond to changing operational priorities.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Operations, Business, Agriculture, Engineering, or a related field.
Equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
Experience with rail-served manufacturing or material-handling operations.
Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, root cause analysis, or other continuous improvement systems.

Responsibilities

Lead with Safety as the first priority in every production and rail decision.
Ensure all Production and Rail work follows established safety requirements, quality standards, and operating procedures.
Hold Supervisors, the Rail Lead, Leads, and team members accountable for safe work, quality execution, and consistent follow-through.
Stop or adjust work when Safety or Quality is at risk.
Align production and rail priorities with customer demand, inventory requirements, and assured supply commitments.
Identify risks early, communicate with urgency, and lead recovery plans when output or product availability is off plan.
Own and review daily, weekly, and monthly production and rail results.
Monitor production output, schedule attainment, downtime, labor efficiency, quality performance, waste, late orders, inventory flow, and rail execution.
Set clear operating priorities across all shifts and ensure shift-to-shift communication is accurate and complete.
Hold Supervisors and the Rail Lead accountable for results and corrective actions.
Lead recovery efforts when performance falls below expectations.
Use operating data to identify bottlenecks, remove barriers, and drive continuous improvement.
Oversee production and rail labor needs across all shifts.
Align staffing, schedules, and work assignments with the production plan and rail priorities.
Monitor labor efficiency, overtime, attendance, and staffing gaps.
Work with Supervisors and the Rail Lead to adjust labor as operating needs change.
Ensure labor is used responsibly while protecting Safety, Quality, and Assured Supply.
Provide clear leadership alignment through 4 direct reports supporting approximately 155 indirect team members.
Directly coach and develop Production Supervisors and the Rail Lead.
Build the capability of Supervisors and Leads to manage Safety, Quality, output, labor, attendance, communication, and employee performance.
Ensure onboarding, position qualification, cross-training, and refresher training are completed and documented.
Conduct regular one-on-ones, floor coaching, performance discussions, and follow-up with frontline leaders.
Develop succession plans and prepare high-potential employees for Lead and Supervisor responsibilities.
Create a leadership culture built on ownership, urgency, consistency, respect, and follow-through.
Lead daily Production operations through the Production Supervisors.
Provide direct leadership, coaching, and accountability to the Rail Lead.
Coordinate Production and Rail priorities with Maintenance, Quality, Safety, Planning, Inventory, and Shipping and Receiving.
Ensure rail loading, unloading, movement, staging, and material flow support the production plan and customer requirements.
Remove operational roadblocks and escalate major risks to the Plant Manager with facts and recommended actions.
Create one team across Production and Rail with clear ownership of the outcome.
Own workforce planning for Production and Rail to ensure staffing levels and leadership coverage support the production plan and business demand.
Partner with Supervisors and the Rail Lead to identify staffing gaps, skill gaps, cross-training needs, and future workforce requirements.
Maintain succession plans for critical frontline leadership and operating roles.
Coordinate with Human Resources on recruiting, onboarding, retention, attendance, and employee-development needs.
Manage labor, overtime, productivity, waste, and controllable operating costs to support budget expectations.
Review cost and performance trends and take corrective action when results are off plan.
Balance cost discipline with the non-negotiables of Safety, Quality, and Assured Supply.
Support COVI initiatives and identify sustainable opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce operating cost.
Build a culture of accountability, teamwork, respect, communication, and continuous improvement across Production and Rail.
Maintain a visible floor presence and regularly engage employees to understand barriers, reinforce expectations, and recognize strong performance.
Ensure Supervisors and the Rail Lead communicate consistently and address employee concerns with urgency and follow-through.
Promote retention and engagement by developing leaders, setting clear expectations, and creating opportunities for employee growth.