Job Details

SUMMARY

The Head of Production oversees the Packaging (Bottling) and Manufacturing (Weighing, Blending, Encapsulation) operations. The role is responsible for ensuring a safe and efficient work environment, drive continuous improvement, and ensure compliance with UL, NSF, Hala, Organic and cGMP standards. This role involves building and implementing comprehensive training programs, maintaining state-of-the-art equipment, and analyzing data to inform decisions. The Head of Production will also be responsible for setting Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), managing the operating budget, and preparing the capital expenditure budget.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Ensure departments maintain high levels of safety, product quality, accuracy, efficiency, and effectiveness in accordance with cGMP, NSF, UL, Hala, and Organic guidelines and best practices.
2. Develop, implement, and maintain comprehensive training programs for all production staff. Ensure that all employees are properly trained and following procedures and safety protocols.
3. Develop and maintain data management systems and forecasting tools. Must be able to build and interpret data models with available data to make decisions and process improvements.
4. Monitor daily back orders, develop processes to forecast and minimize out-of-stock and multi-ship situations. Ensure scheduling is balanced between meeting deadlines and maintaining productivity standards. Act as productivity expert within the Operations team.
5. Plan, set, and achieve departmental and company goals. Demonstrate flexibility, creativity, and initiative to lead and maintain an effective team. Lead using a continuous improvement mindset.
6. Collaborate with Purchasing, Receiving, Quality, Facilities, Process Engineering, HR, and Shipping departments to ensure departments are meeting customer service expectations as well as ensuring needs are met as internal customers.
7. Responsible for ensuring all equipment is properly maintained and operated.
8. Develop and manage departmental operating and capital budgets. Define headcount and operating requirements, propose and execute capital expenditure projects to improve customer experience or cost controls.
9. Lead and direct all department personnel to meet company goals, ensuring high job satisfaction while maintaining a safe and effective work environment.
10. Lead and direct production scheduler to ensure proper balance of productivity and on time product delivery.
11. Conduct regular team meeting with all shifts to keep team members informed as to department and company performance, plans, and progress.
12. Actively participate in the Sanitation Team.
13. Maintain a positive and professional working relationship with peers, management, and support resources, with a constant commitment to teamwork and exemplary customer service.
14. Conducts self in the presence of customers and community so as to present a professional image of Swanson Health Products (SHP).
15. Other duties as assigned.

COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

• Excellent communication and leadership skills
• Previous manufacturing and leadership experience
• Mechanical background preferred
• Team-building experience
• Proficient in data analytics
• Ability to rely on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Manages subordinate supervisor(s) who supervise employee(s); is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of these units. Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; and addressing complaints and resolving problems.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Bachelor Degree in Management, Engineering or Operations required and a minimum of 5 years (Director level) or 8 years (Sr. Director level) experience in management of operations. Or; an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential responsibilities and duties of the job as listed above.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable a qualified individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position as required by state and federal law.

1. The physical activity of this position.
2. Finger Dexterity: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
3. Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
4. Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
5. Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discriminations in sound.
6. Repetitive motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.

1. The physical requirements of this position.
2. Light work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for sedentary work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for light work.

1. The visual acuity requirements including color, depth perception, and field vision.
2. The worker is required to have visual acuity to determine the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned (i.e., custodial, food services, general laborer, etc.) or to make general observations of facilities or structures (i.e., security guard, inspection, etc.).

1. The conditions the worker will be subject to in this position.
2. The worker is subject to noise consistent with manufacturing operations.
3. The worker is subject to hazards. Includes a variety of physical conditions, such as proximity to moving mechanical parts, moving vehicles, electrical current, working on scaffolding and high places, exposure to high heat or exposure to chemicals.

1. TRAVEL
2. Ability to travel up to 10%