Site Director

Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. is a global leader in the production, distribution, and marketing of fresh, value-added, and shelf-stable fruits and vegetables under our Fresh and Foods divisions. Our diverse product portfolio proudly bears the Del Monte® brand and also includes prepared fruits and vegetables, juices, beverages, snacks, and desserts - available in over 80 countries worldwide. With operations spanning more than 35 countries, we’ve proudly been nourishing families for over 135 years.

Purpose of Position:

Del Monte Foods is the Foods Division of Fresh Del Monte, a global grower, producer and marketer of fresh, value-added, and shelf-stable produce. Del Monte Foods has a powerful portfolio of brands, including the iconic Del Monte®, Contadina® and S&W®. We are currently seeking a Site Director for our Montemorelos, Nuevo Leon (Mexico) location.

The Site Director is responsible for all daily manufacturing operations including production, maintenance, quality, warehouse, logistics, planning, and other production-related activities. This is a hands-on position that is responsible for the development of policies and procedures designed to increase productivity and assure quality. It is the responsibility of the Site Director to ensure production meets output and at desired quality for the lowest possible cost working within the standards of corporate, state, and federal policy. The Site Director will direct, coach and mentor staff to devise methods to use the plant's personnel and capital resources to best meet production goals in addition to coming up with new ways to make the production process more efficient utilizing Lean Manufacturing techniques. Budgetary responsibility includes oversight of the facility’s processes and activities to achieve KPI’s across multiple categories including labor, waste, quality, costs, efficiencies, safety, etc. Performance will be managed by the following critical metrics: employee retention and turnover, reduced total recordable injury rates, key certifications in food safety and quality, packaging fill rates and on time delivery, lower conversion cost year over year, asset reliability, and successful retention of improved yields.

Primary Responsibilities

Management

• Provide overall leadership and direction to plant managerial and hourly staff in all aspects of the production operation including raw product production, warehousing label and shipping operations, maintenance, capital projects and continuous improvement.
• Anticipate trends in organization’s market trends, raw material purchasing price fluctuations, community factors, or associate cultural factors which may influence operating activities.
• Contributes to achieving the food production objectives through coordinating workflow and product quality.
• Monitor departmental performance against goals to ensure that progress is being made, and that corrective action is taken if necessary.
• Anticipate and provide direction on future capital projects and equipment needs.
• Maintain effective community and government relations to assure the early identification of potential problems and maintain Del Monte's image in the community.
• Understand and deliver customer requirements at level >98% OTIF (On time item fill)

Safety

• Ensure a safe work environment by ensuring safe work behaviors, safe work conditions and, corrects any deficiencies in a timely manner.
• Through direct reports and team members, supervisors and managers, assures employee engagement, safety, quality, customer service, cost, and production objectives are met or exceeded.
• Monitor building security and maintain good housekeeping
• Provide training avenues to employees as needed leveraging Safety, SOP’s, and user manuals.
• Drive behavioral based safety program to change current culture and results.

Operations

• Takes complete ownership and accountability for overall plant operations with a desire to win.
• Lead quality and continuous improvement initiatives in support of operations. Take leadership role by training and implementing continuous improvement efforts within the team.
• Management of warehousing operations, including labeling and shipping to meet planned AOP costs, quality standards, and timeliness of shipping.
• Implement quality tools such as SPC, “best practices”, and SOP’s.
• Implement ‘lean principles’ on the floor and execute a site master plan in line with service and COGS.
• Identify quality issues and develop solutions to maximize first-time quality and minimize waste.
• Work with operators and vendors to improve raw and packaging materials performance.
• Responsible for achievement of department efficiency goals, and standards.
• Ensure maintenance and production, track downtime and develop and implement plans with operators and mechanics to improve line performance.
• Ensure that the facility operates with corporate and governmental guidelines.
• Ensure compliance with all quality and food safety requirements to protect customers, consumers; including all state and federal regulations.
• Monitor key performance indicators to assess labor and variance to budget, productivity, and schedule adherence.
• Available 24/7 as issues arise in operating activities.

People

• Provide leadership, guidance, and training to employees by developing and implementing plans to improve abilities.
• Directly support the development of internal talent in preparation for future advancement and promotional opportunities.
• Coach, motivate, train and effectively manage the performance of plant managerial and support personnel.
• Ensure efficient use of resources to maximize labor savings.
• Develop skills in the operations group to build quality into the production process.
• Work closely with quality manager to review product consistency in order to determine areas of improvement,
• Work closely with Human Resources Manager in implementing and adhering all employees to policies and processes.
• Responsible for enforcing consistent, fair and inclusive employment practices, legal and corporate compliance, as well as behaviors reflective of the company's commitment to diversity.
• Lead direct reports and partner with indirect functional staff, e.g. finance, continuous improvement and human resources to implement policies and procedures.

Qualifications

Required Skills

• Demonstrated ability to innovate and create strategies that significantly improve practices that enable the organization to achieve business and technical results.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and leadership skills at all levels, and competence in making timely, effective, principle-based decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to build credibility and confidence with a wide variety of leaders including internal stakeholders, customers and vendors and be seen as a trusted adviser.
• Experience with manpower planning, recruiting, and budgeting/forecasting.
• Business fluency in English is required.
• Unquestioned integrity with assertiveness, presence, and confidence.
• Demonstrated advanced customer focus, judgment, analytical skills, critical thinking, and communication skills (verbal, written, presentation and interpersonal).
• Strong business and financial acumen, including strong problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and business analysis skills.
• Demonstrated ability and experience working effectively in a self-directed, proactive, results-oriented, complex, fast paced environment across all levels.
• Demonstrated experience in driving initiatives, holding self and team accountable for results and ensuring continuous improvement.

Physical Demands

• Must be able to endure wet packaging facility environment.
• Must be able to endure hot/humid packaging facility environment (100 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Must be able to climb stairs, occasionally.
• Must be able to stand, stoop and walk, occasionally to frequently.
• Must be able to sit sustained periods of time, frequently.
• Must be able to wear protective clothing –hard hat, glasses, hearing protection, steel toe shoes, hair/beard nets frequently.
• Must have ability to carry up to 15lbs., occasionally.
• Must be able to balance or maintain body equilibrium to prevent falling when walking, standing or crouching on narrow or slippery surfaces.
• Must be able to withstand exposure to sanitation, production, and ingredient processes

Required Education / Certification

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Food Science, or related business field.

Required Years of Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.

• Preferred: 12 years of leadership experience in the food manufacturing industry.