Production Manager

Who We Are

Since 1955, we have been on a mission To Passionately Feed Millions Daily with High Quality Food People Enjoy! We are a third-generation family-owned and professionally managed organization with a commitment to strategic growth. We continue to be successful because of talented people, just like you, who choose to join our family and call E.A. Sween home. We pride ourselves on fostering a welcoming, respectful, and rewarding culture where employees are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work each and every day. At E.A. Sween, our team members are seen, heard, and appreciated not just for what they do, but for who they are. We hope you'll join us!

What We're Seeking

We are seeking an energetic, experienced leader to oversee day-to-day plant floor operations across 1st, 2nd, and 3rd shifts at our Eden Prairie location. This role requires flexibility to work across shifts and, when needed, split shifts. The individual will manage scheduling priorities, review daily operating reports, and drive increased production through strong leadership in Production, Quality, Safety, Maintenance, and Warehousing.

This role partners closely with plant leadership and corporate resources to ensure high-quality finished products are produced safely, efficiently, and within scheduled timelines. The individual is expected to adhere to all E.A. Sween company, departmental, and safety policies and procedures.

This position reports directly to the Minnesota Plant Manager within the Operations Division and is an in-person role.

Compensation: The target salary range for this position is $115,000-$122,000 annually, consistent with our internal compensation framework. This position is classified as Grade 16, with a full pay range of $94,810.51-$150,352.02. You are eligible for an incentive bonus up to 15% of your annual salary, prorated based on your start date. Final pay will be determined by your experience, skills, internal equity, and available budget.

Physical & Work Environment Requirements:
While performing the duties of this role, the employee must be able to work in cool conditions (up to 50F) up to 20% of the time. The role requires frequent standing or walking for most of the day; use of hands to handle and feel; and reaching overhead with hands and arms. Occasional sitting, climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, bending, turning, pushing, and pulling are required. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and, at times, up to 40 pounds. Required vision abilities include close and distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

What You'll Do (Responsibilities)

HEALTH & SAFETY:

* Educates and directs personnel on the use of all control points, equipment, and resources; maintaining compliance with established policies and procedures.

* When necessary, lead investigation process and root cause analysis on all lost time accidents.

* Enforce safety policies and procedures (both in-house and regulatory) to decrease the potential for employee injuries on the job. Acts as a point of contact for after-hours employee and plant security.

* Work with US Compliance and safety manager to ensure that all annual safety training is completed by all OPS employees, and all Health, Safety and/or Environmental Written Programs are in place.

* Work with FFW (Fitness for Work) for all employee injuries/reports to ensure and maintain safe performance of essential job functions.

FOOD SAFETY & QUALITY:

• Oversee the activities of personnel, ensuring departmental procedures to comply with food safety regulations, and current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
• Ensures quality and safety standards are followed, to produce and deliver safe quality food products.
• Assist with root cause analysis for non-conforming products, as necessary. Make suggestions for corrective actions.

* Work with senior management to ensure all corrective actions from all audits are completed and reviewed.

* Partner with the Maintenance Department to ensure the company actively maintains the facility and prioritizes repairs to the facility and equipment based on food safety risk to product or process.

* Ensure that all employees, including new employees, are adequately trained and supervised in food safety principles and practices commensurate with food allergens and food defense on an annual basis.

* Ensure that written procedures are established to determine the safety and security of returned goods.

OPERATIONS/SUPPLY CHAIN LOGISTICS

* Implements and manages Lean Manufacturing concepts and techniques.

* Informs Plant Manager of daily production performance status and communicates any issues that may prevent lines from reaching goals for the day.

FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE:

• Control and minimize overtime, premium freight, and repair expenses.
• Support capital project development and execution.
• Work with Plant Manager and production supervisors to evaluate goals for scrap, downtime, and performance expectations for each line.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT:

* Drive Customer and Employee Success by seeking opportunities for improvement.

* Champion change throughout the organization.

* Be an active participant in CI initiatives.

PLANT PERFORMANCE & EQUIPMENT:

• Monitor overall plant operations for production, maintenance, quality and shipping and receiving standards.
• Coordinate plant activities with planning department and production supervisors to ensure the total manufacturing objectives are accomplished in a timely and cost-effective manner.
• Function as a liaison to the maintenance team to maximize their operating efficiency, troubleshooting, root-cause investigation, corrective action implementation, preventive/predictive maintenance activities while contributing to internal projects as well.

LEADERSHIP:

• Provide direction, development, and leadership to operations team to accomplish the company's performance management goals and objectives.

* Use the Spirit of EA Sween to guide decisions.

• Train and educate shift leads and production supervisors in a manner that contributes to departmental and company goals.
• Evaluate employee skills and performance, making appropriate recommendations.
• Promote a positive, team-oriented environment.

* Hold direct reports and overall team accountable to follow standard work/known procedures.

* Help Identify, develop, update, implement and enforce standard work throughout the department.

R&D:

* Collaborates and supports product development and execution.

• Communicate effectively with R&D, Production, Quality Assurance, Marketing, Sales, and other departments to resolve issues and ensure smooth commercialization of new or revised products.
• Create accurate production cost evaluations for new or revised products in cooperation with operations and other relevant teams.
• Ensure the timely creation and accuracy of product Bill of Materials, routings, flow charts, and other supporting documentation for new and current products in compliance with SQF and other applicable management systems.
• Develop new processes when needed in cooperation with R&D, production and engineering teams, utilizing technical knowledge of manufacturing equipment, people, and existing processes.
• Oversee testing and analysis of replacement or alternate materials in production.
• Ensure proper communication of process and product changes.
• May travel to other facilities in support of product development, product transfer, process improvement, and cost down projects.

EQUIPMENT:

* Knowledge of electric and manual pallet jack/forklifts

* E1 JD Edwards

* RFS Scan Guns

• Red Zone

What You'll Need (Qualifications)

Required:

* Four-year degree in Business Administration or a related degree required and 5+ years of leadership experience in a Food Manufacturing environment with a proven history of delivering strong operating results.

* Must have strong leadership capabilities and previous supervisory experience.

* This role requires demonstrated knowledge of and respect for diverse cultures and national origins, with the ability to lead and support a highly diverse workforce in an inclusive and respectful manner.

* Excellent verbal and written communications skills and strong positive employee relations skills.

* Good project management capabilities.

* The ability to diagnose operational gaps, inefficiencies and vulnerabilities, analyze operational budgets, facilitate teams, and drive overall plant operational improvements.

* Strong computer skills.

* Must be able to work on/direct multiple projects at one time without direct supervision and be able to manage deadlines, confidential information, and interruptions in the work process.

* Must be able to multi-task, handle deadlines, and confidential information.

* Must be able to work well with various levels of employees, cross-functional team members, and diverse cultures.

PREFERRED:
Advanced Safety training, HACCP training/certifications, continuous improvement skills, strong work ethic, above average organizational skills, ability to train and engage employees.

How You'll Find Success at EAS

* Value People Most of All: Show respect & care, embrace diversity, and empower others.

Commit to Safety Everyday: See something say something do something, practice safe behavior, and celebrate safety success.

* Invest in Our Company to Thrive: Share ideas to improve, learn & grow, and embrace change.

* Think Before Doing and Act Decisively: Make thoughtful decisions, work together to find solutions, and do what's right.

* Welcome Constructive Straight Talk: Be honest and respectful even when difficult, be open to ideas and feedback, and ask questions to understand.

* Serve Up Exceptional Experiences: Provide value to customers, take pride in your work, and help others to be successful.

* Enjoy What You Do!: Have a positive attitude, Live the Spirit of E.A. Sween, and celebrate success.