Assistant Production Manager

Job Summary:

The Assistant Production Manager evaluates and improves plant processes and operations to improve efficiency, reduce cost, improve sustainability, and maximize profitability. Develops and optimizes manufacturing processes to achieve the safety, quality, output, and cost goals of the organization. Collects production data and applies standard scientific and statistical methods to analyze, document, and diagram production processes. The Assistant Production Manager identifies process bottlenecks and devises solutions to resolve. Recommends changes or upgrades to equipment, work methods, or other aspects of the process to improve efficiency and utilization of resources including labor, energy, and raw materials. Builds standard work to prevent losses from re-occurring.

Functional Roles and Responsibilities

• Identifies, develops, and manages process improvement projects specifically aimed at improving operational KPI’s (safety, quality, productivity, waste and costs). This includes the ongoing development and training of required methods and procedures.

• Participates in Daily Direction Setting meeting. Communicates with Production Manager, Supervisors and Operators regarding losses, loss prevention initiatives, and participates in and leads root causes. Recommends and implements corrective actions using continuous improvement techniques such as Lean, TPM, Kaizens, and other proven tools.

• Works with manufacturing and maintenance personnel to ensure consistent operation of equipment at optimal condition. Identifies any/all of the following: set-up and run parameters; maintenance intervals, material specifications, and current best practices that can be re-applied to other machines, operators, or processes.
• Performs capacity studies, identifies bottlenecks, utilizes lean tools, and recommends solutions.

• Assists with start-up and First Hour Full Power. Looks for opportunities to reduce costs and increase efficiencies.
• Partner with quality, food safety, production, maintenance, planning & scheduling, finance and other departments to drive continuous improvement.
• Develops supporting set up, run and change over documentation and facilitates all training.

• Writes, performs, analyzes, and reports on validations to support process standardization.

• Develops project justifications, ROI analysis and proper project/capital requests consistent with company policy.

• Takes lead on management and implementation of safety initiatives. Always operates with safety considerations as paramount.

• Assists Manufacturing in preparing standard operating conditions with the appropriate input from the machine operators, supervisors and technical personnel.

• Determines the need for, and justifies capital projects such as source equipment and components by completing and routing Allocation for capital form.

• Assists Research and development in the development of customer specifications.

• Acquires knowledge of current procedures, work instructions, and associated forms prior to suggesting changes or solutions when gaps are identified.
• Utilizes a servant leadership approach with all associates at every level. Addresses employee concerns with the same importance as KPI performance gaps.

Assist in ensuring HACCP, GMP’s Work Instructions, and safe quality food system requirements are in compliance.

Requirements

• Proven work experience in manufacturing operations
• Knowledge of process related standards
• Excellent technical skills
• Analytical thinker with interpersonal skills
• Excellent analytical and math skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to influence team members to change existing practices
• Strong attention to detail
• Proven ability to identify, assess and solve problems using lean principles
• Proficient with computer and information technology
• Knowledge of Microsoft office & ability to adapt to custom software (Trax)
• Familiarity with applicable health and safety regulations
• Four-year degree or equivalent work experience in leadership roles
• Good presentation skills in group settings. Effectively communicates in front of crowds