Job Information
Prairie Farms Dairy Group Leader - 3rd Shift in Orrville, Ohio
Full Time
ESJ - Orrville, Orrville, OH, US
About Prairie Farms – “Farmer Owned. Locally Produced. Since 1938.”
We are a farmer-owned cooperative. This means we are owned and operated by over 800+ farm families who are critical members of society. They have selflessly taken on the tremendous task of producing nutritious, high-quality milk for a growing population, which requires being on the job 24/7, 365 days a year.
We have represented American agriculture since our founding in 1938. Many of our dairy farms are operated by several generations of family members with roots dating back to the 1800s. On average, each farm milks around 120 cows and everyone pitches in to keep them happy and healthy - which means around-the-clock care!
Our Mission:
To produce dairy products of the highest quality
To conduct our business with professional integrity
To exceed expectations of our customers and consumers
To support our communities in a positive, sustainable manner
To deliver exceptional patronage to our network of farm families
To simply “do right” for our farm families, employees, and communities
Summary/Objective
The Group Leader oversees the manufacturing and plant operations on a shift basis with direct responsibility for specific work teams and larger projects receiving support and direction from the Plant Manager in compliance with food safety, quality and regulatory requirements. This position is also responsible for developing the culture through coaching and supporting the work area team structure.
Benefits
Thrift retirement plan with generous company contributions
Excellent health benefit plans including medical, dental, and vision coverage
Company paid Short Term Disability and Life Insurance
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Health Saving Account (HSA)
Paid Time Off
Paid Holidays
Employee Assistance Program
Key Responsibilities
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Ensure work area teams follow the continuous improvement framework in the areas of Safety, Food Safety Quality and Productivity when conducting Daily Management Meetings
Develop a culture of accelerated continuous improvement utilizing standard work, problem identification, A3 problem solving, and decision making at the level of execution
Work with other group and team leaders, both operational and functional, to identify, prioritize and resolve issues between the teams
Responsible for leading operational improvements in the assigned work area teams
Develop the leadership capabilities of work area team leaders with formal bi-weekly coaching, goal setting, training and timely completion of performance reviews
Support team leaders in developing and maintaining standard work, implementing and following defined standards
Collaborates directly with customers by attending meetings and discussions to ensure production plans, timelines, and quality expectations are met
Primary liaison between floor personnel and management
Stay current with industry trends and technology
Live and promote our vision and mission
Provide support to improve quality excellence, food safety, and product development efforts, cooperating closely with the quality control team
Follow work practices that align with and support the negotiated collective bargaining agreement
Other duties as assigned
Safety, Food Safety Quality, Productivity
Ensure appropriate implementation and management of Safety and Food Safety Quality GMP’s
Ensure that we adhere to all state and federal regulations in the areas of safety and food safety quality
Ensure that we follow all company and customer standards
Collaborate with teams to set goals to improve and demonstrate meaningful improvements in Safety, Food Safety Quality, and Productivity
Financial
Responsible for improving the cost position of the assigned work teams preventing or eliminating issues including overtime, labor efficiency, shrink, energy consumption, etc. with an expected annual savings goal of 3%
Responsible for identifying annual capital improvements and creating appropriate business cases to justify investment
Prioritize and manage top improvement goals and projects to ensure appropriate support from shared services like preventative maintenance, scheduling, and supply chain
Required Duties of all Associates
Manage all company business according to the cultural objectives of the company (values and behaviors)
Understand and execute the principles of the company’s Operational Excellence program driving the right behaviors, standards and continuous improvement across all operating entities
Participate in cross-functional teams as required to advance the business interests of the company
Compliance with all company and regulatory policies/guidelines relating to associate safety, food safety and food quality
Competencies
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office
Excellent communication and organization skills, including written and oral presentation skills
Strong time management skills
Confidentiality is a must
Must be insurable by company standards
Must demonstrate excellent analytical and critical thinking skills
Strong organizational and influential leadership skills - managing and empowering personnel or teams
Demonstrated ability to problem solve
Comfortable in fast-paced environment
Supervisory Responsibility/Reporting and Working Relationships
Work to communicate and execute the business goals and mission statement
Develop and execute a culture of continuous improvement through use of clear prioritization, problem solving and empowerment
In conjunction with the Human Resources Department and Plant Manager, develop and execute annual training and skill development with associates
Collaborate with all areas of Operations, Quality, Sanitation, and all leaders to execute priorities including improvements to safety, food safety quality and uptime of equipment
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
Typically, Sunday – Thursday 8pm start
Must be willing to work a varied schedule up to fifty hours per week
Additional hours and days (holidays, weekends) as required
Will work to cover other salaried associate’s PTO/days off as needed
Expected Work Activity
70% on-site supervision, problem solving, implementing, and observing
20% office, planning, reporting
10% staff meetings, group planning, audits, tours, misc.
Education and Experience Required:
Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Agricultural Science, or a related technical field, or equivalent experience
Three to five years’ experience in production supervision
Work Environment
Exposed to fumes or airborne particles
Exposed to moving mechanical parts and vibration
Occasionally exposed to a variety of extreme conditions, hot and cold
Noise level can be loud on job site
Occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions
Both office and plant environment
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
Regularly required to talk and hear
Active position requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling, and climbing
Able to lift up to 80 pounds
Vision requirements include: close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus
Working Conditions
(S)he will be required to sit and stand for long periods of time.
Will be required to lift and move large amounts of paperwork (boxes of files).
Will be required to stoop, bend, and reach above the head and below the knees to file and retrieve data.
Must have the ability to travel for multiple days. Travel is estimated at less than 5%.
May require overtime hours.
Travel
- Must have the ability to travel for multiple days. Travel is estimated at less than 5%.
EEO Statement
Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.