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💰 Pay Range: $167,500/yr. – $195,750/yr. based on experience and qualifications. The Associate Director, Manufacturing is responsible for overseeing production, sanitation, operations training, and staff scheduling through a team of functional managers and supervisors – it's important to emphasize that your role may adapt to meet the evolving needs of our business.  The successful candidate will be accountable for all aspects of plant performance, utilizing continuous improvement strategies, and will ensure that objectives are attained in a cost-effective manner that is consistent with our company values. The Associate Director, Manufacturing will have overall responsibility for safety, productivity, continuous improvement, capital start up and employee engagement. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:    Leadership & Workforce Management Oversee 5 direct reports through functional managers and supervisors and lead an overall team of more than 300, including 12 exempt leaders. Coach, direct, and mentor staff to ensure manufacturing objectives are accomplished in a timely and cost-effective manner. Maintain an engaged and team-oriented workforce to meet business demands. Ensure plant personnel engagement through clear and consistent communication. Oversee cultural change initiatives and continually seek improvement of the plant’s competitive advantage.   Manufacturing Operations & Continuous Improvement Direct, drive, and manage plant operations for production with a focus on operating efficiency (OEE) and SQF production. Act as a change leader by implementing, leading, and sustaining a Lean manufacturing culture aligned with the annual business plan. Provide leadership in problem resolution to enable rapid improvement and stronger working relationships.   Safety, Quality & Compliance Communicate potential and actual food safety issues to key personnel and lead corrective action processes. Serve as a core leader of the plant safety team. Ensure manufacturing operations comply with local, state, and federal regulations and governing laws. Enforce company standards for cost control, waste reduction, quality, OSHA compliance, safety, and complete and on-time delivery.   Financial & Performance Management Develop, own, and execute departmental budgets. Design a manufacturing structure that minimizes labor and overtime costs. Drive cost-effective controls over operating expenses, wages, and manpower through MES utilization and partnership with Finance. Track yields, labor, and operating expenses using performance metrics to drive data-based decisions.   Cross-Functional Collaboration & Asset Management Partner with R&D and Marketing to develop profitable, market-winning products. Collaborate with Supply Chain on short- and long-term production scheduling. Work closely with Maintenance and Engineering to ensure effective facilities, equipment, and capital improvements.   Additional Responsibilities Perform other related duties as assigned. In the Associate Director’s absence, the Operations Manager will assume responsibilities. EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:  Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, animal science, industrial engineering, business or related field and 10+ years' experience in progressive leadership roles required. Manufacturing knowledge and understanding of yield, labor, plant efficiencies, and operations procedures required Solid understanding of OSHA, USDA and food safety regulations required. Bi-Lingual, preferred (English & Portuguese, or English & Spanish) Minimum of 10 years’ manufacturing experience, preferably meat processing. Demonstrated success as a change agent and developing and implementing continuous improvements and initiatives. Demonstrated success in assessing, developing, and retaining top