Role: Plant Manager 

Location: Firebaugh, California

Type: Direct Hire, Full Time

Salary: $85,000 - $100,000 annually 

Summary: Plant Manager is responsible for the daily management and coordination of plant operations including production, pre-production, operations, and transfers. This is a direct position that is responsible for the development of policies and procedures designed to increase productivity, ensure quality, and mitigate production problems. The Plant Manager monitors the operation to achieve plant objectives within scheduled timelines and budgets, establishes and maintains a safe, legally compliant workplace, and enforces compliance with all corporate policies and procedures. Additionally, this position is responsible for ensuring Food Safety compliance by adhering to company policies and procedures, GMPs and regulatory guidance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Maintains the plant budget for labor and operating expenses including monitoring and controlling the plant operating budget for Repairs & Maintenance, Environmental, and Utilities.
• Ensures production quality and storage of harvest production.
• Prepares the plant for harvest and maintains facility grounds.
• Monitors all hulling and drying operations and processes for maximized plant safety, sanitation, product quality, and food safety.
• Ensures compliance with all legal requirements of local, state and federal regulations.
• Oversees production methods to improve hulling and drying plant productivity and efficiency.
• Coordinates with all departments for hulling and drying plant operational efficiency (HR, QC, QA, Shipping, Sanitation).
• Manages employee scheduling to maximize personnel productivity.
• Coordinates maintenance and repairs to ensure plant operations maintain optimal productivity and safety.
• Oversees all shipping, inventory and storage of field huller run and fumigation as needed.
• Prepares all necessary reports for plant operations and inventory (monthly and annually).
• Maintains all organic documentation, cleaning, processing, and product isolation for organic certified products.
• Assigns and manages the execution of all plant maintenance projects.
• Plans processes and procedures to meet company goals.
• Works with Human Resources and Safety to proactively monitor all parties in relation to site occupational health and safety to minimize accidents and lost time.
• Ensures all required permitting and licensing complies and is up to date.
• Promotes facility cleanliness to support customer visits, audits, and a clean and safe work environment for production employees.
• Responsible for the food safety, quality and legality of products.
• Adjusts the production plan as required.
• Manages the Main Line, Sheller, and Supper Sack operation with an emphasis on achieving daily KPI's.
• Establishes new KPI's for the process in the plant.
• Manages silo, bin, fiber, and maintenance inventory.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Interviews, hires, and trains new employees.
• Oversees the daily workflow of the department.
• Provides constructive and timely performance feedback.
• Reviews and approved timecards properly.
• Partners with safety to promote a positive safety culture
• Works with Human Resources to handle employee discipline in accordance with company policy.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in business management, agriculture, or related degree or 5+ years running a 24/7 plant.
• Experience with budgeting and managing P&L.
• Bilingual in English/Spanish preferred.
• 2+ years of experience in pistachio or almond industry preferred.
• Qualified Pesticide Applicators License (QAL) or ability to obtain.
• HACCP Certification.

Skill and Ability Requirements:

• Ability to work nights, weekends, and overtime, especially during our harvest months.
• Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Presents numerical data effectively; Able to read and interpret written information.
• Knowledge of planning and organizing and a results focused approach.
• Knowledge of hulling operations.
• Knowledge of safety, environmental and quality regulations.
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Strong time management skills.
• Strong decision-making skills.
• Mediating and negotiating skills.
• Strong leadership, coaching and mentoring skills.
• Ability to be customer focused while adhering to all policies and procedures.
• Ability to work on a team and communicate effectively.
• Ability to adapt to changes quickly.
• Ability to take accountability and be dependable.
• Ability to enforce policies, rules, and regulations.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to work near moving mechanical parts. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to high.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk and sit. The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.