Role: Laying Hen Production Manager

Position Type: Full time

Location: Wasco, CA. 93280

Reports to: Live Operations Manager

Salary: $100K- $140K (with relocation assistance)

Job Brief:

The purpose of this role is to plan, direct, manage, and oversee production operations. This includes safety, biosecurity, animal husbandry, personnel management, budget management, cost control and operating efficiencies. This individual will be responsible for overall flock health and good production practices for the production operations. This person will provide management oversight for any additionally assigned activities and project work, and will provide necessary resources to members of management team to achieve quality and cost objectives.

Essential Functions:

• Lead the safety, bio-security, operational and other programs for the production operation.
• Oversee areas of poultry husbandry, flock management, work with the bird scheduling and movement team.
• Work with other teams on activities, projects and issues that address production personnel, financial, processing, feed management and other production matters to ensure strategic objectives and priorities are successfully addressed.
• Working with the Supervisors and layer staff, effectively manage the production operation including operating budget and capital investments related to production.
• Manage expenses and budget aspects of production operations; focus on controlling production labor costs.
• Manage the effective scheduling of production employees; minimizing costs and maximizing labor efficiencies.
• Work with maintenance staff, vendors and contractors on matters of maintenance, repairs and supplies to ensure that the operation remains both technically sound and efficient.
• Work with Veterinarian to maximize effectiveness of feed formulation.
• Responsible for daily/weekly/monthly safety checks.
• Maintain compliance with environmental, regulatory agencies and animal welfare standards.
• Follow all USDA and OSHA regulations and procedures to keep the facilities in compliance.
• Responsible for the Welfare of the birds
• Implement and maintain the Biosecurity program to maintain a secure facility. The manager will be required to work with all management to maintain a bio-secure facility.
• The Manager must always maintain a high standard of professionalism.
• Responsible for following procedures to maximize production by ensuring proper feeding, water and ventilation programs are implemented and followed along with the daily activities of production operations, including mortality management.
• Must ensure placing, feeding, vaccination and moving of birds takes place in a safe, effective, and timely manner.

• Recognizes and takes steps to prevent and resolve all production problems to minimize their impact on the operation. Able to diagnose problems and determine appropriate solutions.
• Managing and assisting with vaccinations, blood draws and submission to labs.
• Document the care given to the birds and complete management reports.
• Responds to emergency alarms.
• Provide direct daily supervision of assigned direct reports to ensure accuracy and adherence to pertinent policies, practices, and procedures (SOP's, safety procedures, and biosafety protocols)
• Prioritize and schedule workload of assigned direct reports.
• Work effectively with Human Resources to ensure recruiting and staffing practices are consistent with company policy and labor laws.
• Assist in the interview and selection of qualified non-exempt personnel. Assist in developing recommendations regarding personnel actions, including hiring.
• Partner with Human Resources to assist in the handling of disciplinary issues and drafting the appropriate personnel action documents.
• Manage retraining and implement change with purpose and urgency.
• Identify training and development needs of direct reports. Assist in the development, implementation and delivery of training programs.
• Responsible for ensuring that all direct reports are trained on each essential job function for their positions, the training is effective, and an appropriate record of training has been documented for each essential job function.
• Responsible for the documentation of training records of all tasks, policies, processes, and procedures that an employee is trained on.
• Monitor and document the performance of direct reports. Assist and provide regular coaching and counseling.
• Schedule overtime as authorized. Review timecards and manage with the coordination of vacation/time off schedules.
• Recommend and implement techniques to improve productivity, increase efficiencies, cut costs, take advantage of opportunities, and maintain state of the art practices.
• Assist in the communication, training, execution, and maintenance of departmental SOP's and job descriptions.
• Serve as a role model to subordinates as it relates to effective time management, communication, and utilization of resources, and provide leadership and motivation to department personnel.
• Ensure that direct reports complete their timesheet daily and submit a completed timecard for approval on the last day worked each workweek.
• Ensure that direct reports resolve all timecard, attestation, and payroll related matters and complete the attestation on the last day worked each workweek.
• Ensure that direct reports have regular, consistent, and predictable attendance per company's attendance and punctuality policy

• Regular, consistent, and predictable attendance per the company's attendance and punctuality policy.
• Any other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, Competencies, and Abilities:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Bilingual in English and Spanish, both written and verbal proficiency, preferred
• Mechanical ability related to farm and barn machinery.
• Proficiency with basic computer software (Microsoft Office applications)
• Ability to keep detailed, accurate records
• Highly organized, pro-active, self-motivated and honest
• Excellent time management
• Excellent problem solving and decision making skills
• Adhere to the highest standards of ethics, integrity and credibility
• Familiarity with industrial equipment operations
• Knowledge of farm equipment operation and maintenance is required
• Ability to successfully supervise and direct people and their work.
• Lead by example, stepping in when necessary to keep operation moving.
• Ability to motivate and lead employees.
• Ability and willingness to communicate routine, urgent production and processing issues and needs to Live Operations Manager.
• Escalate issues as appropriate and in a timely fashion to ensure information is shared effectively.
• Ability to work cohesively with all levels of employees, while providing coaching as appropriate.
• Ability to work with and manage outside vendors and suppliers.
• Ability to influence people in all roles and levels in the organization.
• Strong leadership, management, operational skills.
• Ability to discern quickly, capture the essence of a problem and make sound judgments.
• Ability to translate observations into action plans.
• Strong problem-solving skills, project management and coordination of multiple projects simultaneously.
• Open and direct communicator; excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to be self-directed and focus in a fast-paced environment with accuracy and detail.
• Self-motivation and independent work habits.
• Computer skills.
• Ability to understand and implement company quality policy, food safety fundamentals, and company safety and conduct policies.
• Ability to understand and ensure facility remains current and operates within all industry regulations.
• Reading and comprehension skills necessary to read, understand, and follow SOP's and other written instructions or work details. English reading and writing abilities

• Knowledge of and ability to use computers, run reports complete accurate data entry and document information related to all reporting requirements of quality systems and SOPs.
• Ability and availability to work weekdays and weekends.
• Willingness to learn, grow and take on more responsibility as required.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, budgeting, human resources, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources is preferred, not required.
• Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems is preferred, not required.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
• Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
• Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
• Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance

Education and Experience Requirements:

• A high school diploma or its equivalent is required.
• BS or MS in Animal Science or Veterinary Science or 5+ years of comparable experience
• 5 years' experience managing 25 plus direct reports.
• Experience working with layers and pullets.
• Laying hen production management experience is required

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to meet physical requirements of the job including long periods of standing, and bending.
• Frequently stoop/crouch/bend/climb/push/pull objects to complete the essential functions of this position.
• Vision sufficient to safely perform the essential job tasks, including working with a computer.