Reporting to the Plant Manager, ensures the optimal performance of the Nature’s Path manufacturing facility (people, processes, technologies, and facilities) to consistently meet the company’s scheduled requirements and established key performance indicators. Has P&L responsibility, directly leads production, warehouse and safety teams. Ensures continuation of Food Safety leadership by appointing replacement in the case of absentee members.

Ensuring customer driven manufacturing capability to provide products which consistently meet our standards for quality, cost, and food safety by:

• Using documented quality standards and required product safety norms to plan and execute production plans to meet current and future requirements, including product and delivery standards.
• Establishing, implementing and upgrading NP’s core operating processes, including the GMP’s, SOP’s, supply management, TQM and LEAN, to ensure quality product, best value for customers, and efficiencies and cost structures that optimize profitability.
• When establishing new products utilize proven project management methods, on schedule and within budget to achieve planned efficiencies and cost structures.
• Ensuring that NP uses preventive maintenance to optimize performance of equipment and facilities.
• Ensuring NP uses the best available technologies to achieve best value products and outcomes.

Developing dedicated, focused and capable employees to meet NP’s current and future operating needs by:

• Working with People & Culture and the Plant Manager to implement Nature’s Path’s people management systems (recruitment and selection, training and development, communications, involvement and feedback, salary, compensation and group benefits, performance management and continuous improvement, and safety in the workplace).
• Adhere to, monitor, and ensure that all staff respect NP’s Corporate Policies, and that Managers and Team Leaders receive training to implement them effectively and consistently.
• Developing Managers and Team Leaders to coach in a manner that is consistent with the “Nature’s Path Way”.
• Delegate with trust and accountability with the purpose of optimizing the engagement and development of personnel.
• Ensuring that there is a productive and healthy work environment, and effective, well-maintained equipment that functions reliably.
• Ensuring that staff, and particularly Team Leaders, are being trained to meet the current and future needs of the organization.
• Consistently setting a personal example in leadership, as a “servant leader”.

The optimal use of, and returns on, the financial resources of Nature’s Path by:

• Working with the Plant Manager to efficiently plan the utilization of materials and other resources to minimize waste and obtain optimal returns on assets employed;
• Directly leading the production, warehouse and safety teams, while indirectly leading the maintenance, engineering and continuous improvement teams.
• Ensuring that all practices respect the financial policies and practices of Nature’s Path;
• Using appropriate budget and financial planning practices, and consistently monitoring, analyzing and addressing performance against these;
• Constantly striving to develop and use accurate, relevant financial information and other quantitative data for informed decision making;
• Working with the Plant Manager to efficiently develop and implement a Capital Plan to keep capacity in line with planned demand

Quality decision making through Operations by:

• Ensuring that each employee is properly trained to make the decisions required for her/his job;
• Constantly striving to deliver relevant, accurate, timely and user friendly information to each employee to facilitate informed and effective decision-making.

A commendable reputation of Nature’s Path in the business community and public by:

• Respectfully and capably representing the best interests of Nature’s Path in all internal and external dealings;
• Requiring the same standards from all staff in their internal and external dealings.

Effective co-ordination of Operations, internally and with other parts of the Company, in a mutually supportive, team effort by:

• Abiding by all rules and safety regulations as set forth by Nature Path Foods.
• Maintaining a safe work environment for the team and making the Production or Safety Manager aware of any equipment or personnel safety issues.
• Ensuring adherence of all aspects of the Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO) program
• Knowing where the MSDS is located and how to read them.

Education

• High School Diploma or better