Description

Champion Petfoods is expanding! We are excited to announce we are looking for a Plant Director to join our rapidly growing company.

Champion Petfoods is an award-winning pet food maker with a reputation of trust spanning 35+ years. Founded in a small town in Alberta, Canada, Champion – with its ORIJEN® and ACANA® brands – is a key player in the global premium pet food industry across three major geographic regions. Our purpose, To Earn Pet Lover Trust Every Day so Pets Thrive for a Lifetime , provides the foundation for our highest aspirations as a company.

We would love to hear from you if you are passionate about personal and professional growth and see yourself as a key player contributing to our continued success as an award-winning company.

Here’s the scoop - Summary

The Plant Director is a senior manufacturing leadership role responsible for directing the overall operations of the Auburn, Kentucky facility to ensure the efficient, effective, and safe manufacturing of ultra premium, high quality pet food. The site is 375k sqft. operation with three extrusion lines and four packaging lines. The Plant Director reports to the Vice President of Manufacturing & Operational Excellence, oversees the Production, Maintenance, Warehouse, Quality, and Safety functions, and leads a team of approximately 240 non-union associates.

What a typical day looks like:

Leadership

• Provide overall leadership for manufacturing operations, including directing, implementing, and maintaining operational-level strategies and objectives.

• Support the development and implementation of plant metrics (e.g., safety, quality, budget, production attainment, associate relations and retention, labor, and material variances, etc.).

• Measure and monitor performance against plan.

• Manage and control material, labor, and overhead costs.

• Plan, organize, and direct the production and scheduling operations to ensure the highest levels of safety, efficiency, and quality are met.

• Assure attainment of business objectives while ensuring product standards that will exceed customers’ expectations.

Associate Development

• Promote a culture of engagement through open communication, inspiring leadership, and people development.

• Foster accountability and teamwork within the kitchen.

• Establish group and individual accountabilities throughout assigned departments for problem-solving and cost reduction, both on a permanent and unplanned basis.

• Encourage use of new techniques and focus on fact-based problem solving.

• Develop capabilities of frontline associates through mentoring, training, and coaching.

Continuous Improvement

• Implement methods and procedures to drive continuous improvement and lead cost reduction and Lean manufacturing initiatives.

• Optimize safety, quality, production, maintenance, procurement, and material management strategies to achieve to achieve customer satisfaction through world class KPI performance.

• Develop a culture of ownership through employee engagement, growth, and empowerment.

Capital Investment & Expansion

• Participate in diligence and assessment activities related to operation optimization and expansion options.

• Provide input on key engineering and design decisions.

• Collaborate with internal and external resources on facility modifications and equipment installation.

What are we looking for?

The ideal candidate will possess: (1) plant management and/or operations leadership experience in a food or CPG manufacturing environment of relevant size, structure, and complexity; (2) track record of building processes and organizational capabilities, and developing and leading high-performing manufacturing teams; (3) experience driving manufacturing performance through continuous improvement initiatives; and (4) the strategic, analytical, and interpersonal skills necessary to serve as a hands-on functional leader, team builder, and change agent.

Other Key Attributes

• Bachelor’s degree required; Engineering or Business Administration preferred; MBA or advanced degree preferred.

• Skilled in Lean practices; strong preference for minimum Six Sigma Green Belt or equivalent.

• Strong knowledge of food safety, HACCP, ISO, OSHA.

• At least 15 years of progressive manufacturing and supply chain leadership in the food or CPG industry. Experience in protein processing preferred but not required.

• Experience in an FDA regulated environment where quality, compliance, and safety are core values.

• Expertise in leading manufacturing operations, including production planning, production scheduling, line setup and change out, production control, and production optimization.

• Expertise in manufacturing standards and metrics (e.g., KPIs) for safety, quality, production, labor and material variances, and employee relations and retention; establishes a culture of accountability through individual and team metrics.

• Significant experience engaging with customers to plan for and address product, quality, and service requirements and collaborate on service improvement opportunities.

• Expertise in forecasting, budgeting, and P&L management.

• Experience in applying Lean manufacturing or TPM methodologies to reduce cost and improve productivity; experience developing and leading continuous improvement programs; demonstrated track record of driving positive change.

• Experience in maintenance and technical programs that support production operations.

• Experience in materials management, including procurement, inventory control, warehouse management, and inbound/outbound logistics.

• Experience managing capital improvement initiatives and expansion plans during ongoing operations.

• Excellent communication skills, including written, verbal and presentation skills; comfortable and credible with both internal stakeholders and external audiences.

• A flexible, dynamic, self-demanding and proactive individual; able to motivate him/herself and others; a natural bias for action and ability to deal with ambiguity.

What can you expect from Champion?

• Safety: a strong commitment to ensure all people are provided with a safe, healthy and respectful environment.

• Earnings: Competitive salary that gives financial piece of mind, annual bonus incentive program, 401K with company match.

• Industry Competitive Benefits: Medical, dental, vision and employee assistance programs to meet your individual or family needs.

• Continuing Education: In house & online learning & development, as well as an education assistance program.

• Quality: a dedication to uphold the highest standards of authenticity, nutritional integrity, and food safety, to earn the trust of Pet Lovers everywhere.

• Other Perks: Free bag of premium pet food each month.

What are you waiting for? Join the pack!

Come as you are.

We value diversity in all forms and know the power it can bring. Workplace equality allows for creative ideas to bloom, diverse points of views to be heard, and increases overall happiness. That sounds pretty good to us.

Champion is an equal opportunity employer. Regardless of your race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, veteran status, or any other creed, you are wanted here.