Plant Manager

Position Summary: The Plant Manager is an on-site leader for BFI's Branchburg, NJ manufacturing facility and is accountable for plant leadership, partnering with functional area leaders, continuous improvement, managing and ensuring best practices are in place and upheld, along with establishing team goals, coaching and the development of the plant team. The Plant Manager owns manufacturing and warehouse operations and the plant's preventive maintenance program, and is responsible for safe, compliant, audit-ready, and efficient operations. The incumbent is responsible for plant safety and quality, including SQF food safety standards and audit readiness, in partnership with the Safety and Quality Assurance departments, which are accountable for those programs; drives productivity, performance, and continuous improvement; builds capabilities and team culture; manages the plant operating budget; partners with other department leaders on capital projects for equipment, facility, and plant enhancements; and maintains strong relationships with customers, suppliers, contractors, and customer and third-party auditors.

Job Responsibilities:

Plant Leadership and Team Development:

• Set clear plant and team goals aligned with company objectives, communicate them to the team, and track progress and results.
• Build a positive, can-do culture grounded in safety, quality, and accountability. Mentor and coach team members, explain the "why" behind decisions, and hold people accountable to clear expectations.
• Hire, onboard, and develop capable staff, including training, cross-training, and succession planning. Hold regular 1:1 feedback sessions and annual performance reviews so employees continue to grow in their roles.
• Address performance issues through coaching, performance improvement plans, and termination, when necessary, in partnership with HR and in compliance with labor laws and company policies.
• Lead regular plant communication initiatives and identify improvements to effectively reach an understanding of all colleagues, such as Tier 1, shift huddles and all-hands meetings, to share goals, audit and performance results, along with company updates. Monitor, direct, and guide Leads/Supervisors on how to effectively lead Tier 1 mtgs.
• Works across functions and partners with key leaders/departments to build for durability, contribute to business strategy and value creation.

Safety, Food Safety and Quality:

• Implement and enforce the plant safety program in compliance with OSHA requirements and company policies and procedures, including incident investigation, root-cause analysis, and corrective action.
• Uphold all food safety programs in accordance with SQF, GMP, and HACCP requirements and company policies and procedures.
• Partner with the Quality Assurance and Safety departments, which are accountable for the plant's food safety, quality, and safety programs, to ensure compliance with food safety and safety regulations and to put measures in place that reduce risk.
• Conduct regular plant inspections and GMP walkthroughs to verify compliance with safety, food safety, and quality standards.
• Create a culture of audit readiness in which every employee understands and follows food safety, quality, and safety requirements every shift, not just during audits, so the plant is prepared for announced or unannounced audits at any time. Reinforce this through shift huddles, floor walks, recognition, and accountability, in partnership with Quality Assurance.
• Support customer, certification (SQF, Kosher, Halal), and regulatory audits, and ensure corrective actions are completed on time.

Manufacturing, Warehouse, and Maintenance:

• Own manufacturing and warehouse operations, managing daily production and warehousing activities to meet safety, quality, output, and delivery goals, working closely with the Production Manager, Planning, and Quality.
• Coordinate with other managers on material procurement, production planning, inventory, quality, and workforce allocation to ensure effective execution.
• Ensure smooth scaling of new formulas from the lab to production and inventory accuracy for raw materials is maintained to acceptable standards.
• Track and report key performance indicators (e.g., safety incidents, yield, throughput, on-time delivery, inventory accuracy) and lead continuous improvement initiatives that increase efficiency and reduce waste.
• Serve as liaison between Operations and supporting teams such as Regulatory, Quality, Applications, and R&D, building close partnerships with department heads to troubleshoot, educate, and solve day-to-day operational issues.
• Resolve operational issues and conflicts promptly, implementing appropriate solutions and escalating when necessary.
• Own the plant preventive maintenance program, including PM schedules, work orders, spare parts, and maintenance records, to maximize equipment uptime and reliability and to support food safety and audit requirements.
• Track maintenance performance (e.g., PM compliance, downtime, mean time between failures) and drive root-cause analysis and corrective action on equipment failures.

Financial Management and Capital Projects:

• Partner with the VP, Operations and other department leaders on capital projects for equipment, facility, and plant enhancements, providing operational input on scope, timelines, and budgets and supporting compliance with specifications, building codes, and safety regulations.
• Request quotes and negotiate cost-effective contracts with contractors and vendors in line with BFI's standards of business conduct.
• Work with Finance to develop and manage the plant operating budget; control expenses, monitor financial performance, and identify and address variances or risks.
• Keep the VP, Operations informed of plant performance, risks, and priorities, and provide input on operational strategy.

Qualifications:

• Bilingual in English and Spanish
• Bachelor's degree in operations management, engineering, food science, supply chain, business administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• 7+ years of manufacturing operations experience in food, beverage, or ingredients, including 3+ years in a plant leadership role coaching and managing people
• Demonstrated leadership, coaching, collaborating with others, and effective verbal and written communication skills, along with the ability to build teamwork and accountability across the Branchburg team
• Working knowledge of OSHA safety regulations, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), FDA regulations, and Food Safety (FSMA)
• Experience managing operating budgets, preventive maintenance programs, and inventory, and supporting capital projects
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills, with the ability to use data to drive results
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, with strong attention to detail and the ability to follow precise protocols
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, demanding environment
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint) for data management, reporting, presentations and communications
• Experience with ERP systems for production, inventory, and purchasing

Preferred:

• Background in GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) based food safety and production systems (FSSC 22000, SQF, etc.); SQF Practitioner certification a plus
• Knowledge of Kosher and Halal certification requirements
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen or other continuous improvement methods
• Experience with a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS)
• Experience with construction or facility projects and knowledge of building regulations

Physical Demands:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit at a desk and to stand and walk on the production floor and in the warehouse for extended periods; use hands and fingers to operate a computer, phone, and other office and production equipment; and talk, hear, and reach. The employee may occasionally be required to balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, climb stairs, turn the head and torso, taste, or smell.
• Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• The employee may occasionally lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects weighing up to 50 pounds.

Work Environment:

• Work is performed both in an office environment and on the production floor and in the warehouse.
• Daily time on the production floor and in the warehouse, with exposure to odors, fumes, noise, moving equipment, and allergens (dairy and food colorings).
• The noise level ranges from moderate in the office to loud on the production floor.
• Occasional work outside normal business hours, including early mornings, evenings, or weekends, may be required to support production needs, audits, or emergencies.

Personal Protective Equipment:

• Non-slip steel-toed shoes are required on the Production Floor
• Hairnets and beard nets are required to be worn on the Production Floor
• Lab coats, uniforms, or coveralls are mandatory on the Production Floor

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