Position Overview

As Director of Plant Operations oversees the smooth operations of 3 existing North American meat processing facilities to ensure we achieve and maximize short and long term objectives for margins, efficiency, volume throughput, and quality. Provides vision and roadmap to assess all facilities, recommend and lead process improvements and set attainable KPIs for operational consistency and sustainability. Understands meat processing equipment, machine layout and process flow to optimize efficiency and measure outputs. Establishes and drives a lean manufacturing disciplined approach across all facilities. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, advises on timely profitable solutions to customer needs while meeting the highest possible standards for quality, service, integrity and food safety. Understands risk management and applies a risk mitigation approach to decision making. Has direct responsibility for mentoring the Plant Managers in Toronto, Los Angeles and Pedricktown, the Site Engineering team in Toronto, and the Food Safety & Quality Assurance Director, providing full oversight for these functions and facilities. Additionally oversees and mentors the Director of Maintenance & Reliability. Works closely with the Procurement and Sales departments to ensure adequate inventory of raw material and finished product to support the business within established Company guidelines. Also works with the Finance and IT teams to ensure adequate and timely sourcing of key operational KPIs including yield, labor utilization, packaging and cost. Also works with CFO and VP Accounting & Administration to assess and recommend appropriate Capex investments. Responsible for setting and achieving Capex and Operating budgets.

Major Responsibilities

1. Processing & Production: Provides guidance and oversight to the Plant Managers across all locations enabling them to better plan, organize, and execute all processing operations and production activities at their respective facilities. Ensures that the plants operate consistently and efficiently, following best practices and common guidelines where appropriate. Ensures the Company's facilities are fully HACCP compliant.
2. Operations: Leads the Plant Mangers to develop and implement annual operations plans and expense budgets for their processing and warehouse facilities focusing on production throughput objectives that support the corporate business plan. Establishes lean manufacturing (Six Sigma or similar) plans and implements across multiple sites. Monitors yield, production and labor costs to ensure Plant Managers correct any variances in a timely manner. Leads the Plant Managers in the preparation of annual Capital Expenditure Plans and Budgets for the various processing facilities and the Toronto warehouse facilities in accordance with Company's policies and procedures. Finalizes all budgets with CFO and VP Accounting & Administration on a timely basis and monitors and seeks approval for any out of scope expenditures.
3. Site Facilities: Responsible for overseeing all processing and refrigeration facilities under our control to meet our growing business needs. Provides ongoing support to Toronto Site Engineer and team to ensure appropriate safety controls and mitigation strategies are in place.
4. People Management: Directs all processing operations through a team of front line leaders to make safe, efficient use of resources with manpower, materials, and equipment. Provides mentoring, development, plus leadership to all direct reports. Administers the Company's Human Resources Policies and Procedures with respect to hiring, management, discipline, safety training, HACCP training and performance review decisions. Leads by example and corrects behavior in others to reflect Company values.
5. Maintenance & Repairs: Guides and directs decisions with respect to installing, dismantling, maintaining, repairing, and moving machines and equipment in each facility.
6. Financial: Responsible for financial management oversight of three processing plants. Reviews costs and product quality, modifying production plus inventory control programmes to maintain and enhance profitable operations. Monitors labor overtime, repair, and supply expenses. Ensures compliance with product quality standards. Follows proper Purchase Order processes for equipment, supplies and packaging and monitors direct reports comply with same for appropriate cost containment and vendor relationships.
7. Health & Safety: Ensures the organization has a current and compliant Health & Safety program and that this accords with the overall objectives of the organization. Models behaviors that support the Health & Safety; holds direct reports accountable for ensuring that they too model appropriate behaviors. Ensures that the organization consistently complies with all Health & Safety policies and legislative requirements. Ensures that the CEO is briefed on any major Health & Safety incidents. Ensures that the plants have effective disaster recovery programmes and that all locations are in compliance with all legislative and regulatory requirements for Canada and the U.S.A. governing processing operations.
8. Food Safety and Quality Assurance: Ensures that the Food Safety & Quality Assurance Director, their teams and all direct and indirect production staff comply with SQF, HACCP, GMPs and all food safety guidelines and regulations. Models behavior that demonstrates the right balance between production, safety and quality, and holds direct reports accountable for the same approach.
9. Overall Awareness: Maintains awareness of day-to-day issues across the various functions and facilities, and provides support, guidance, influence and decision-making to resolve concerns as well as recognize good performance.
10. Performs other related duties as required.
11. Based in Toronto Canada with significant travel expected to New Jersey and Los Angeles.

Key Success Measures

• The Lamb Company achieves its production facilities revenue, cost, and volumes targets for the fiscal year across all locations
• Lean manufacturing methodologies are adopted and functioning with positive results and continuous improvement
• Processed and value-added product development and availability meet or exceed Company plans
• There are zero non-compliance Health & Safety issues in the processing plants
• There are zero food safety issues and all audits and inspectors are fully satisfied
• Direct reports are at appropriate levels, appropriately trained, and regretted employee turnover is at or below Company targets
• Surveyed and measured customer feedback scores meet or exceed target around quality, service, integrity, and food safety

Qualifications & Considerations for the Position

• 15+ years' Senior Plant Operations, multi-site, lean manufacturing expertise with a North American or Global Meat Industry Manufacturer and Distributor, preferably with beef and lamb processing experience
• Strong commitment and track record managing and mentoring direct reports to enhance skills and knowledge in the areas of food processing, people management, budgeting, operations, food safety and health and safety
• Demonstrated leadership in serving customer needs while meeting the highest possible standards
• Champions quality and safety; defines and upholds standards and values and models these behaviors for all staff
• Knowledge of and demonstrated compliance to CFIA, USDA, OHSA, WSIB, and other legislated and regulatory health, safety, and food standards
• Must have some form of Continuous Improvement Certification (Lean, Six Sigma Green or Black Belt, PMP etc.)
• Effective communication skills with the ability to inspire and lead teams to succeed
• Collaborative, approachable, respectful, and influential leadership skills
• Proficiency with applicable computer systems, such as Google Suite, Microsoft Office, Dynamics 365 and other function specific software
• Possess, or willing to attain change management certification (ADKAR)
• Able to effectively handle the high stress, time and travel demands that come with responsibility as Director, Plant Operations for the Lamb Company's operations in North America