Plant Director

Reporting to the senior management, the Plant Director is responsible for the overall activities and financial performance of the facility: production, maintenance, warehousing, quality, health and safety, as well as the management of human resources and the budget of their sector. They ensure compliance with production volumes and schedules, cost and process optimization, performance, profitability, and operational risk management of the plant, talent development, and continuous improvement. They actively contribute to the company's growth strategy as a business partner to the senior management.

Key Responsibilities

Production Planning and Management

• Plan, organize, and control all production activities based on sales forecasts established with the management
• Establish production schedules and ensure compliance with deadlines, volumes, costs, and quality standards
• Optimize the use of production capacity, human, material, and equipment resources
• Collaborate closely with sales, purchasing, supply chain, and logistics in inventory management and control (raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods)
• Coordinate with the technical team and R&D on manufacturing processes and new product development

Leadership and Team Mobilization

• Develop a culture of accountability, performance, and continuous improvement
• Mobilize teams around business objectives
• Act as a coach to supervisors and develop them
• Develop the next generation and talent
• Foster a healthy work environment and effective communication between shifts

Strategic Vision

• Participate in the strategic planning of operations
• Identify opportunities for automation and investment
• Recommend projects that promote company growth and competitiveness

Continuous Improvement and Performance

• Implement and maintain continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, Kaizen, 5S, Six Sigma, waste reduction, downtime reduction) to reduce production costs
• Develop a continuous improvement culture where every employee actively contributes to identifying and solving problems
• Foster a data-driven approach to support operational decisions
• Develop, track, and disseminate plant performance indicators (KPIs) and dashboards
• Analyze yield deviations and implement required corrective measures
• Optimize processes and equipment efficiency
• Establish structures and processes to generate a return on investment

The Plant Director is particularly responsible for tracking and improving the following indicators:

• Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
• Yield rate
• Rejection rate
• Downtime
• Labor efficiency
• Production schedule compliance
• Cost per unit produced

Quality and Compliance

• Develop a quality-focused, food safety, and customer satisfaction culture
• Ensure compliance with applicable quality and traceability standards (HACCP, SQF, ISO, or any other sector-specific standard in effect)
• Ensure the updating and application of standardized operational procedures
• Participate in internal and external audits and follow-up on action plans
• Document and maintain up-to-date production and product development files

Innovation

• Collaborate with R&D for the industrialization of new products
• Participate in industrial trials
• Optimize manufacturing processes

Maintenance and Asset Management

• Supervise preventive and corrective maintenance programs for equipment and facilities
• Plan production shutdowns required for major maintenance work
• Recommend and manage equipment acquisition, upgrade, and installation projects
• Ensure equipment reliability and availability of critical parts
• Plan capital investments (CAPEX)

Major Project Management

• Lead major expansion, modernization, and facility improvement projects within budget, schedule, and performance objectives
• Assemble and coordinate project teams and external partners (engineering, suppliers, contractors)
• Report on project progress, deliverables, and accountability to senior management

Risk and Business Continuity Management

• Identify operational risks that could affect business continuity and implement appropriate mitigation plans
• Develop and maintain business continuity plans
• Manage emergency situations and restore operations
• Document and periodically review risks in collaboration with senior management

Health, Safety, and Environment

• Act as an ambassador for the health and safety culture at work
• Maintain a safe and healthy work environment and comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act
• Ensure the application of prevention rules, site inspections, and accident investigations
• Participate in health and safety committee work and support the employer's prevention initiative
• Ensure compliance with environmental standards and applicable legal requirements for plant activities

Human Resources Management

• Effectively manage staffing, schedules, workforce planning, and labor relations
• Participate in the hiring, onboarding, and integration of new employees
• Mentor, mobilize, and develop supervisors and teams under their responsibility
• Conduct performance evaluations, set objectives, and follow up on disciplinary measures, in collaboration with human resources
• Develop skills and plan for succession

Financial Performance and Budget Management

• Ensure achievement of productivity, conversion costs, yield, and profitability objectives for the plant
• Analyze monthly plant financial results and implement necessary action plans
• Develop, recommend, and administer the plant's annual operating and capital budgets
• Participate in the annual budgeting process and financial forecasts
• Monitor production costs and budget variances
• Identify and implement cost reduction and workforce optimization opportunities
• Measure the return on investment (ROI) of projects
• Implement senior management's directives and requests

Communication

• Facilitate performance meetings
• Present results to senior management
• Ensure effective communication between teams and departments
• Desired Profile and Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in engineering (industrial, mechanical, chemical, or food), operations management, or a relevant field
• Any other combination of education and relevant experience may be considered

Required Experience

• Minimum of ten (10) years of experience in a manufacturing environment, including at least five (5) years in a plant director or production director role
• Experience in a similar industry (a significant asset)
• Demonstrated experience in managing multidisciplinary teams and multiple shifts
• Experience in a quality certification context (ISO, HACCP, SQF, or equivalent)
• Demonstrated experience in managing the financial performance of a business unit (P&L, budgets, forecasts)
• Multisite experience, major project management, and continuous improvement (an asset)

Technical Knowledge and Skills

• Bilingual French and English, both oral and written, essential
• Strong knowledge of production planning and inventory management
• Proficiency in continuous improvement approaches (Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, Six Sigma, 5S)
• Proficiency in manufacturing performance indicators (OEE, rejection rate, downtime, cost per unit produced) and management dashboards
• Skills in financial management (CAPEX / OPEX / ROI), financial statement analysis, and project management
• Knowledge of business continuity and risk management principles
• Proficiency in MS Office suite; knowledge of an ERP/MRP system
• **Leadership and Competency