What are the responsibilities and job description for the AmeriQual Foods - Business Unit Director position at AMERIQUAL?
Description
Job purpose
The Business Unit Director (Value Stream Leader) has end-to-end accountability for the performance of an assigned
value stream, from raw material receipt through finished product production and handoff to distribution. The position leads
the value stream as a business unit, with responsibility for safety, food safety, quality, delivery, cost, people, customer
performance, and continuous improvement. The role aligns cross-functional resources, develops organizational capability,
and drives execution of the AmeriQual Operating System (AOS).
Duties and Responsibilities
• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the assigned value stream and serve as the single point of
accountability for results.
• Own performance across safety, quality, service, delivery, cost, productivity, throughput, and people metrics.
• Develop and execute annual operating plans, budgets, staffing strategies, and improvement priorities aligned with
company objectives.
• Lead daily management, visual performance reviews, escalation processes, root-cause problem solving, and
corrective action follow-through.
• Drive implementation and sustainment of AOS, Lean manufacturing, standard work, waste elimination, flow, and
continuous improvement practices.
• Coordinate Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, Planning, Supply Chain, Human Resources, Finance,
and Technical Services support for the value stream.
• Improve labor and material utilization, equipment performance, operating cost, capacity, yield, schedule attainment,
and customer service.
• Partner with Maintenance and Engineering to reduce downtime, improve reliability, prioritize capital needs, and
remove operational constraints.
• Ensure compliance with company policies and applicable employee safety, food safety, quality, customer, and
regulatory requirements.
• Lead, coach, and develop value stream leaders and team members; strengthen accountability, engagement,
succession readiness, and problem-solving capability.
• Build a culture of ownership, teamwork, respect, transparency, disciplined execution, and continuous learning.
• Support new products, business growth, demand changes, and cross-functional initiatives affecting the value stream.
Qualifications/Requirements
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, or a related
field required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive manufacturing experience, including at least 5 years leading managers and
large cross-functional teams; food or consumer products manufacturing experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with Lean manufacturing, Toyota Production System principles, operational excellence,
or a comparable continuous improvement system.
• Strong financial and business acumen, including experience with budgets, operating plans, cost management,
performance metrics, and capital justification.
• Proven ability to lead organizational change, develop people, solve complex operating problems, and influence
across functions.
• Excellent communication, decision-making, analytical, coaching, and execution skills.
Physical requirements
This job operates in an office environment but may require exposure to manufacturing plant conditions. While performing
the duties of this job, employees are regularly required to sit, walk and stand; Some bending, reaching, and lifting may be
required. Position will frequent the production floor, so operating in standard seasonal warehouse and food processing
plant temperature conditions will be required. Work is completed in a facility where nuts, fruits and other allergens are
present.
Job purpose
The Business Unit Director (Value Stream Leader) has end-to-end accountability for the performance of an assigned
value stream, from raw material receipt through finished product production and handoff to distribution. The position leads
the value stream as a business unit, with responsibility for safety, food safety, quality, delivery, cost, people, customer
performance, and continuous improvement. The role aligns cross-functional resources, develops organizational capability,
and drives execution of the AmeriQual Operating System (AOS).
Duties and Responsibilities
• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the assigned value stream and serve as the single point of
accountability for results.
• Own performance across safety, quality, service, delivery, cost, productivity, throughput, and people metrics.
• Develop and execute annual operating plans, budgets, staffing strategies, and improvement priorities aligned with
company objectives.
• Lead daily management, visual performance reviews, escalation processes, root-cause problem solving, and
corrective action follow-through.
• Drive implementation and sustainment of AOS, Lean manufacturing, standard work, waste elimination, flow, and
continuous improvement practices.
• Coordinate Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, Planning, Supply Chain, Human Resources, Finance,
and Technical Services support for the value stream.
• Improve labor and material utilization, equipment performance, operating cost, capacity, yield, schedule attainment,
and customer service.
• Partner with Maintenance and Engineering to reduce downtime, improve reliability, prioritize capital needs, and
remove operational constraints.
• Ensure compliance with company policies and applicable employee safety, food safety, quality, customer, and
regulatory requirements.
• Lead, coach, and develop value stream leaders and team members; strengthen accountability, engagement,
succession readiness, and problem-solving capability.
• Build a culture of ownership, teamwork, respect, transparency, disciplined execution, and continuous learning.
• Support new products, business growth, demand changes, and cross-functional initiatives affecting the value stream.
Qualifications/Requirements
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, or a related
field required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive manufacturing experience, including at least 5 years leading managers and
large cross-functional teams; food or consumer products manufacturing experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with Lean manufacturing, Toyota Production System principles, operational excellence,
or a comparable continuous improvement system.
• Strong financial and business acumen, including experience with budgets, operating plans, cost management,
performance metrics, and capital justification.
• Proven ability to lead organizational change, develop people, solve complex operating problems, and influence
across functions.
• Excellent communication, decision-making, analytical, coaching, and execution skills.
Physical requirements
This job operates in an office environment but may require exposure to manufacturing plant conditions. While performing
the duties of this job, employees are regularly required to sit, walk and stand; Some bending, reaching, and lifting may be
required. Position will frequent the production floor, so operating in standard seasonal warehouse and food processing
plant temperature conditions will be required. Work is completed in a facility where nuts, fruits and other allergens are
present.