Job Location: Chicago

We are open to candidates flexible for an expatriate assignment located in THAILAND. The campus is located in the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate of Rayong..

Want to make an impact?

The General Manager (GM) is a hands-on leadership position that manages all facility operations with overall responsibilities for team, production, maintenance, facilities, and safety. The GM is a critical component of the leadership team, ensuring that our plant operations deliver safe, high quality products efficiently. The candidate is a proven leader, team player, and is focused on people development, safety, quality, efficiencies, TPM methodologies, Lean mindset, and delivers solid financial performance for the facility. Challenging and rewarding opportunity for the operations professional who understands that in this role 95% of the plant team reports indirectly up to this leader and they will be ultimately responsible for total plant performance.

This position reports to the Jelly Belly CEO and Ferrara’s Chief Manufacturing Officer and will have primary responsibility for certain managerial duties pertaining to Jelly Belly Candy Company (Thailand), Ltd. The role is based in Thailand and will have responsibility for the primary and secondary sites.

The campus is located in the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate of Rayong.

Ways you will make a difference

The following responsibilities are representative but not exhaustive of what is expected of the General Manager:

• Manage facility production, packaging, and storage of quality food products including: food safety, quality, employee and asset safety, and operational efficiencies
• Directly manage and develop Production, Maintenance, and Sanitation Managers, providing developmental, coaching, and mentoring opportunities
• When appropriate act as a Change Agent, promoting the Ferrara vision, operating principles, and drive the path to manufacturing and team excellence
• Drive adherence of all safety guidelines and always work tirelessly to provide a safe work environment for all employees
• Champion continuous improvement and TPM methodologies along with a Lean mindset across the facility and train/support Managers and Supervisors as necessary
• Manage daily and long-term production activities to meet or exceed budgeted production goals and drive optimum equipment efficiency and productivity
• Determine appropriate actions with respect to acting with agility to changing business needs resulting from manpower or material changes and strategically formulate appropriate action plans
• Create an empowered culture to ensure that organization and its people understand the goals and objectives of the business and that they have the resources and leadership support to accomplish them. Provide an environment which ensures and provides for open and healthy communications.
• Manage monthly plant reviews and management report-outs to accurately report: operational efficiency, financial performance, human resources activities, quality, successes, improvement plans, and safety.
• Participate in Town Hall and employee events to improve team unity, involvement, motivation, and retention
• Coordinate plant activities with support from food safety and quality, procurement, warehouse operations, and other departmental functions to ensure the total manufacturing objectives are accomplished in a timely and cost-effective manner. Success is defined as no food safety or quality issues, zero accidents, and an overall cost-effective operation.
• Guide the plant floor data standardization, collection, utilization and management to drive continuous improvement
• Assist management and supervisory team in preparation and execution of customer and regulatory audits. Encourage a plant environment that is always audit ready.
• Implement effective systems and strategies of cost control over capital, operating expenditures, hourly wages, and salaries
• Core to this role is the management of scheduling and staffing for the plant to ensure optimal use of personnel while managing overtime costs
• Oversee production planning to ensure efficient schedules are delivered that drive lowest cost and met customer demands
• Establish and monitor overall plant performance for production and quality standards including compliance with established HACCP, BRC and GMP guidelines
• Support research and development test runs in the plant along with new customer launches
• Oversee inventory readiness including: raw materials, packaging and in-process
• Partner with Legal as necessary to ensure Jelly Belly Candy Company (Thailand), Ltd. remains in compliance with national and local laws and regulations.

Skills that will make you successful

• Proven leadership abilities in championing continuous improvement, safety, and team building
• Strong interpersonal skills (communication, coaching, setting expectations, providing feedback)
• Demonstrated problem solving and decision-making skills
• Comprehensive business acumen in managing and improving operations, team performance, communication, and processes
• Knowledge of budgeting, procurement, and cost control
• Proficient in Microsoft Office programs including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Specific computer skills with SAP, employee timekeeping and maintenance management systems strong preferred

Experiences that will support your success

• Bachelor’s Degree in an appropriate business discipline and 10 pus years of relevant and successful job experience in a food manufacturing environment
• Knowledgeable in all aspects of food manufacturing, processing, and warehousing
• Strong interest and proven capabilities in taking full accountability for plant performance including management of team, process, reporting, and day-to-day execution of objectives.
• Commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace
• Demonstrated Continuous Improvement, TPM methodologies, and Lean mindset