Processing Plant Manager / Processed Food

The Plant Operations Manager is responsible for leading end-to-end operations within a processed food manufacturing facility, with a focus on ready-to-eat and prepared meat products such as turkey slices, ham slices, deli meats, and sandwich-ready protein items.

The role ensures efficient production, food safety compliance, product consistency, equipment reliability, cost control, and continuous improvement across processing, slicing, packaging, storage, and distribution operations.

Lead overall plant operations for processed and ready-to-eat meat products, ensuring efficient production, optimal yield, product consistency, and adherence to production schedules.

Oversee processing, slicing, packaging, maintenance, utilities, warehousing, and logistics functions to ensure smooth operations and maximum equipment uptime.

Implement and improve production workflows, automation systems, line layouts, and process controls to enhance productivity, reduce waste, and improve labor efficiency.

Ensure full compliance with food safety, hygiene, quality, and regulatory standards, including HACCP, GMP, sanitation programs, allergen control, traceability, and temperature control.

Manage cross-functional teams across production, engineering, quality, maintenance, and supply chain, driving accountability, performance, and operational discipline.

Monitor key performance indicators such as yield, downtime, line efficiency, labor productivity, waste levels, customer complaints, and cost per unit, taking corrective actions as required.

Lead capital projects, equipment upgrades, capacity expansion, and process improvement initiatives aligned with business growth and operational excellence objectives.

Bachelor s degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Food Science, Food Technology, Meat Science, or a related field.

Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in food processing, ready-to-eat meat production, deli meat manufacturing, or prepared food operations, including at least 5 years in a leadership role.

Strong knowledge of processed meat production, including cooking, chilling, slicing, portioning, packaging, vacuum or modified atmosphere packaging, cold storage, and distribution requirements.

Solid understanding of HACCP, GMP, food safety systems, sanitation standards, environmental hygiene monitoring, traceability, and regulatory requirements for ready-to-eat food products.

Proven experience managing plant machinery, automation, maintenance programs, utilities, and equipment reliability in a high-volume food manufacturing environment.

Strong leadership, analytical, and problem-solving skills with a demonstrated ability to improve yield, reduce downtime, optimize costs, and lead continuous improvement initiatives.

Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and work effectively with senior management, quality teams, auditors, and external partners.