General Manager

Purpose of Position:

The General Manager is responsible for the entire operations of the manufacturing plant. This includes the management and coordination of daily activities to ensure high performance and production at all times. In this role, will ensure the creation and implementation of a strategy designed to grow the business, coordinate the development of key performance goals for functions and direct reports, as well as managing costs and maintaining profitability.

Accountabilities:

• Provide leadership and motivation in order to achieve growth and profitability.

• Oversee daily operations of the business unit or organization; Meet or exceed annual plan goals in all areas including, but not limited to profitability, volume of packages, and controlling costs.

• Ensure the creation and implementation of a strategy designed to grow the business; Maintain current customer base, cultivate and develop new accounts.

• Set local sales strategy and selling prices for products in region and territory.

• Regulate pricing on a daily basis; pricing must be regulated to ensure minimum loss and maximum profit, based upon local market conditions.

• Review fluctuations in the business, analyze data and work out an action plan to improve and control.

• Coordinate the development of key performance goals for functions and direct reports; Continuously seek sales opportunities, and generate new ideas, to facilitate the Sales Department in generating and developing business.

• Generate annual marketing plan to highlight future efforts to achieve sales goals.

• Responsible for understanding the Profit and Loss statements and ensuring that all areas of deficiency are reviewed and corrected.

• Control product inventories to ensure minimum product loss, and maximum product movement.

• Manage all aspects of operations with special focus on labor cost and yield management.

• Supervise office personnel with proper accounting of inventory, compliance with company policies, and compliance with Department of Transportation and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations.

• Identify and implement efficient processes that will have an immediate and continuous positive effect on gross margins (e.g yields, direct labor costs, materials usage and stock control, etc.).

• Evaluate and decide upon key investments in equipment, infrastructure, and talent.

• Communicate strategy and results to the unit's employees.

• Engage with corporate officers in broader organizational strategic planning; Facilitate the flow of information from operations to the Corporate Office; Function as the designated point person in the facility.

• Support the development of a healthy internal culture that retains key employees and encourages their professional development.

• Oversee key hiring and talent development programs for facility.

• Review all issues at the local level concerning Operations, Sales, and Office Management.

• Special projects as assigned.

Minimum Skills Required:

• 4-year College Degree, from an accredited institution, and/or equivalent work experience in a related field.

• At least 3 years prior experience as a Plant Manager, or equivalent, in a similar role.

• At least 3 to 5 years with Manufacturing/Operations in a fast-paced, Food Industry environment.

• At least 5 years prior experience in fresh produce, food processing and packaging.

• Strong aptitude for root cause analysis and troubleshooting operational issues.

• Demonstrated understanding of Lean Manufacturing concepts.

• Strong leadership and managerial attributes.

• Exceptional organizational and time-management skills.

• Strong Financial Acumen skills.

• Proficient with Microsoft Office applications and computer technology.

• Excellent analytical, interpersonal and communication skills (i.e. oral and written).

• Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely while adapting communications content to level of audience.

Preferred:

• At least 5 years fresh produce sales experience preferred (i.e. large retailers, wholesalers, food service and small independent and cash customers).
• Executive MBA Degree preferred
• Responsible for leading entire business units or divisions of an organization.
• Must possess Lean & Six Sigma methods that provide organizations tools to improve the capability of their business processes.
• Bilingual in Spanish would also be a plus.

***Please note: This position does not qualify for relocation expenses. ***

DEL MONTE FRESH PRODUCE IS AN EEO/AA/V/H