The Plant Manager of Seed+ oversees the fresh cut and vegetable processing facility. The Plant Manager is responsible for leading all aspects of plant operations, ensuring the efficient production of high-quality products while maintaining strict adherence to food safety, occupational safety, quality assurance, and regulatory standards. This role requires strong leadership, operational experience with varied machinery and equipment, and the ability to drive continuous improvement initiatives to grow this startup division to its full potential.
Duties and Responsibilities1. Operations Management: Lead and manage all plant operations, including improving flow for efficient production, daily production reports to optimize labor utilization, modification of SSOPs and SOPs as new machinery is introduced, oversee equipment maintenance, lab testing of product produced, oversee food safety compliance, production scheduling, material and supply inventory management, equipment maintenance, and sanitation procedures. Develop and implement strategies to optimize production efficiency, minimize downtime, and reduce waste. Ensure compliance with all relevant food safety, quality assurance, OSHA labor practices, FSMA,HACCP, USDA, California Department of Public Health, and other regulatory agencies
2. Performance Monitoring and KPIs: Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure plant performance, such as: Actual growth to target units Margin target to actual Production yield Labor management Evaluate equipment effectiveness (OEE) Production yield and efficiency Quality metrics (e.g., first-pass yield, defect rate) Monitor KPIs regularly and take corrective actions as needed to drive improvements and achieve operational targets.
3. Quality Assurance and Food Safety: Implement and maintain rigorous quality control measures to ensure the consistency, safety, and integrity of all products. Conduct regular inspections and audits to verify compliance with food safety standards and regulatory requirements. Investigate and address any quality or food safety issues promptly and effectively.
Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Engineering, Business Administration, or related field. Advanced degree or professional certification is a plus. HACCP certification Minimum of 7 years of experience in plant management or operations leadership roles within the food processing industry, preferably in fruit and vegetable processing. Strong knowledge of food safety regulations (e.g., FDA, USDA), GMPs, HACCP principles, and industry best practices. Proven track record of driving operational excellence, implementing continuous improvement initiatives, and achieving KPI targets. Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. Ability to effectively prioritize tasks, make data-driven decisions, and lead cross-functional teams
All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, age, color, sex (including pregnancy), religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable laws or regulations. GPAC (Growing People and Companies) is an award-winning search firm specializing in placing quality professionals within multiple industries across the United States since 1990. We are extremely competitive, client-focused and realize that our value is in our ability to deliver the right solutions at the right time.
