Operations Manager

Position:  Operations Manager

Department: Operations 

Reports To: Plant Director 

Salary Type: Exempt 

Location: Jackson GA

Make a greater impact at Bonduelle Americas!

Bonduelle Americas is a certified B Corp inviting people to embrace a flexitarian lifestyle with an expanding portfolio of plant-rich products available in and beyond the produce aisle. We operate four facilities and employ nearly 3,000 Associates in the US. 

Bonduelle Americas is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Groupe Bonduelle (BON.PA), an established global brand with more than 170 years of family heritage bringing the joy of plants to tables around the world. Globally, our ready-to-eat plant-rich food products are grown on 173,000 acres by our grower partners and marketed in nearly 100 countries. Our mission is to inspire the transition toward a plant-rich diet to contribute to people's well-being and planet health. 

Join us at Bonduelle Americas for an opportunity to advance your career in a culture that places people first. As a valued member of our company, you will work in a mission-driven environment aimed at preserving the planet’s resources while providing healthy plant-based products to millions of consumers around the world. 

Position Summary:

The Manager of Operations is responsible for their team’s success in Bonduelle Americas Jackson, GA manufacturing facility. This position ensures production of high quality products within financial guidelines.  The Manager of Operations will focus on continuously improving operational performance and driving strategic initiatives that deliver financial results to the business for the overall success of Bonduelle Americas.

By your key position in our company, you will support our environmental and social initiatives to drive progress against our corporate social responsibility and B Corp certification ambitions.

What you will Do:

• Direct Plant Manufacturing Operations
• Leads production and logistics aspects for Processing and Packaging, including planning/scheduling, staffing needs, production, autonomous maintenance and sanitation of related equipment.  Ensure that systems and processes are consistently executed to produce a safe, quality product and a superior customer/consumer experience 
• Seek and implement process and packaging improvement opportunities to ensure that safety, quality, and cost requirements are met
• Initiate and facilitate continuous improvement kaizens to eliminate losses in the operation
• Champions the Operational Excellence/Continuous Improvement operating system, including 5S/Workplace Organization, Key Process Indictors (KPI), and a passionate pursuit of waste elimination. Ensures the repeatability and reliability of operational systems and processes through peer collaboration, employee development, and coaching/mentoring
• Ensure that personnel develop and utilize technical skills to continuously improve throughput and reduce scrap
• Develop and implement Continuous Improvement projects addressing productivity, quality, safety, and on-time delivery at the lowest possible cost
• By your key position in our company, you will support our environmental and social initiatives to drive progress against our 2025 corporate social responsibility and B Corp certification ambitions.
• Plant Safety and Quality
• Work collaboratively with Quality Manager and HSE Manager to coach and develop the plant safety and quality leads
• Ensure that all practices and procedures for safety, SQF, Food Defense, Quality, and production are properly followed and implemented
• Ensure compliance with Company, State, and Federal safety and quality requirements
• Ensure plant personnel adhere to safety, SQF and quality procedures.
• Maintain a clean and orderly work environment
• Departmental Cost Responsibility
• Cost center accountability for Make/Pack/Ship operations
• Develop operations budget
• Manage cost to deliver the budget
• Deliver against ongoing Cost savings efforts and challenges
• Organizational Development
• Comply with annual training requirements for the Operations Departmen
• Ensure all team members know that Food Safety is everyone's responsibility
• Continuous development of personnel for succession planning through proper training and guidance
• Develop the leadership technicians to the next level of effectiveness
• Ensure team has required skills to deliver against business needs

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bonduelle Fresh Americas requires its employees to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19, where allowable under the law, unless they are approved for a reasonable accommodation. If you are unable to provide proof of vaccination, you will be required to provide proof of a COVID test on a weekly basis.
• Degree
• Years of Experience in a given area

Desired Qualifications:

• 10 years of experience in a Consumer Product Manufacturing environment
• 10 years of experience in a management role
• Experience assessing, hiring, developing, and when necessary, replacing employees. Experience delivering training and coaching.
• Demonstrated ability to engage a frontline workforce and develop supervisors who communicate effectively to deliver best in class results
• Demonstrated experience with implementation of continuous improvement tools to drive efficiencies
• Knowledge of FDA regulations and GMP manufacturing requirements
• Knowledge of OSHA safety regulations and requirements
• Strong business acumen and analytical capability to drive profitable business results

Ideal Personal Profile:

• Possesses the ability to work effectively both cross functionally and within function across multiple sites
• Entrepreneurial, hands-on, with a strong bias for action and drive for results
• Change agent – Industry leader with a proven track record of establishing an environment susceptible to change and thinking outside the box
• Excellent interpersonal, communications, and presentation skills
• Innovative problem solver with a focus on Continuous Improvement
• Open to relocation across the USA and ideally internationally

Ideal Education:

• Bachelor's Degree in supply chain, engineering, operations or business
• Master’s in engineering, supply chain or business preferred.