Packaging Department Manager

Summary

This position is responsible for planning, directing, coordinating and overseeing all production of bulk and co-manufactured products. Full accountability for results in terms of employee safety, GMP & food safety adherence, production efficiencies, material usage variances, production inventory accuracy, and the training / development of production associates. The position is responsible for overseeing and leading the work of associates in both direct and indirect labor positions covering production within 24 hours up to 7 days a week operation. The manager is also responsible for planning and maintaining work systems, procedures, KPI measurements, and policies that enable and encourage the optimum performance of its people and other resources within the organization. This position will have a complete understanding of the costs associated with production including labor and overhead absorption / variances; material consumption cost / variances and how they flow through the financial statements. Budget adherence for the indirect labor overhead department of packaging management along with the production labor and material variance drive the financial accountability of this position.

Seeking an experienced and hands-on Packaging Manager to lead all packaging operations within our facility. This role will oversee the setup, operation, and continuous improvement of our vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS) pillow baggers, horizontal form and fill zipper pouch baggers, and bulk case packaging systems. The ideal candidate has strong leadership skills, in-depth technical knowledge of packaging machinery in food packaging, and a continuous improvement mindset to drive productivity, safety, and quality.

Primary Responsibilities

• Continuous Improvement - finding improvement opportunities and implementing change to realize those opportunities; continuously doing this from opportunity to opportunity – consistency
• Lean Principles – the continuous development of lean concepts and principles including 5S, root cause analysis and Kaizan events
• Leadership – creating a culture of ownership and accountability through employee expectations, empowerment, and development
• Financial accountability of materials usage and production labor variances
• Associate Staffing Structure – defining the various roles, responsibilities, and expectations of both the direct and indirect labor associates within operations
• Associate Training & Development – developing and enhancing the skills of the supervision team and pushing that same expectation to supervision enhancing and developing the skills of our associates
• Financial Performance / Budget – budget ownership of utilization factors; standard / BOM accuracy; and the overhead departments of production management, sanitation, and warehouse.
• Team Building – develop a collaborative approach not only with the direct responsibilities but also with supporting or supported departments including Quality; Engineering; R & D; Maintenance; Inventory / Distribution; Planning & Scheduling; Finance; and HR.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements

• 10+ years of increasing management responsibilities within a food manufacturing environment
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
• Excellent computer skills and proficient in excel, word, power point, and outlook
• Experience with ERP / MRP programs / systems
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Team concept (employee empowerment / engagement) management style
• Excellent time management and organizational skills with the ability to multi task
• Ability to measure / monitor production processes to create efficiencies - reduce cost, waste, and downtime; eliminate material consumption variances
• Develop, coach, train, and mentor personnel across all levels
• Prepare and analyze budgets; complete financial understanding; strong mathematical and analytical skills
• Ability to create a future vision and implement strategies towards accomplishing that vision - continuous improvements
• Ability to analyze a process flow, identify root cause process breakdowns, and implement process changes / improvements / corrective actions
• Develop goals and objectives; monitor / measure with key performance indicators (KPI’s)
• Strong leadership skills – providing clear expectations and responsibilities
• Engineering Degree preferred
• Green Belt Certification a plus