Superintendent - Plant Operations

Job Description

Job DescriptionDescription:

The Superintendent – Plant Operations is responsible for the day-to-day operational leadership of one or more processing areas within the facility. This role provides direct leadership to Production Supervisors and is accountable for driving safe, efficient, and high-quality production while developing a highly engaged, performance-driven team. The Superintendent plays a critical role in achieving operational KPIs related to safety, quality, yield, cost, and throughput, while ensuring compliance with all regulatory, food safety, and company standards.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership & Performance

• Lead and coach a team of Supervisors to achieve optimal plant performance, including safety, quality, productivity, yield, and labor efficiency.
• Establish, communicate, and execute short- and long-term production goals aligned with facility and company objectives.
• Ensure effective production planning and execution across all assigned processing areas.
• Monitor and control downtime, yields, and operational losses; analyze root causes and drive corrective actions.
• Partner closely with Maintenance to improve equipment reliability, reduce downtime, and enhance overall operational efficiency.
• Ensure accurate reporting of production metrics and KPIs.

Food Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Maintain full accountability for product quality, food safety, food defense, and regulatory compliance within assigned areas.
• Lead and support compliance with HACCP, SQF, USDA, and internal Quality Control Programs.
• Assist in the development, implementation, and ongoing improvement of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Initiate and lead corrective and preventive actions to address nonconformities related to product, process, or quality systems.
• Ensure GMP, sanitation, and food safety standards are consistently followed on the production floor.

People Leadership & Development

• Build a strong, engaged, and accountable supervisory team through coaching, training, and performance management.
• Support talent development, succession planning, and continuous skills improvement for supervisors and hourly teams.
• Promote a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with HR on employee relations, performance management, and workforce engagement initiatives.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Lead or actively participate in cross-functional initiatives involving Operations, Safety, Quality, Maintenance, and HR.
• Support company-wide initiatives related to continuous improvement, safety culture, and operational excellence.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on yield improvement, waste reduction, labor optimization, and process efficiency.
• Utilize data, KPIs, and manufacturing systems to support decision-making and operational improvements.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant discipline from an accredited institution preferred.
• Minimum of 5+ years of experience in food manufacturing or protein processing.
• Minimum of 5+ years of supervisory or leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with portioning equipment, Multivac systems, grinders, and similar processing equipment strongly preferred.
• Butcher or protein processing experience highly desirable.

Technical & Regulatory Knowledge

• Strong working knowledge of:
  • GMPs, HACCP, SQF, SPC
  • OSHA and USDA regulations
  • Manufacturing systems including BOMs, routings, capacity planning, work orders, inventory control, and shop floor control
• Proven ability to analyze operational data and drive performance improvements.

Core Competencies

• Results-driven operational leadership
• Strong people leadership and coaching skills
• Problem-solving and root cause analysis
• Clear communication and cross-functional collaboration
• Continuous improvement mindset
• High attention to detail with strong food safety focus

Language Skills

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) highly preferred, but not required.