Operations Manager

ASR Group is the world’s largest refiner and marketer of cane sugar, with an annual production capacity of more than 6 million tons of sugar. The company produces a full line of grocery, industrial, food service and specialty sweetener products. Across North America, ASR Group owns and operates six sugar refineries, located in Louisiana, New York, California, Maryland, Canada and Mexico. In Europe, the company owns and operates sugar refineries in England and Portugal. ASR Group also owns and operates mills in Mexico and Belize. The company’s brand portfolio includes the leading brands Domino®, C&H®, Redpath®, Tate & Lyle®, Lyle’s® and Sidul®.

OVERVIEW

The function of the Operations Manager is to provide necessary technical leadership and support, to direct, facilitate, and coordinate the performance, development, and improvement of the overall operation, including Packaging and Bulk Dock Operations. This position has the responsibility of establish/maintaining a capable, continuously improving, high quality work force with focus on improving plant equipment reliability, quality, process, and efficiency at the lowest sustainable cost.

DETAILED ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manages and leads a team of supervisors and operations support, across multiple departments, to deliver quality and quantity of production to meet demand.
• Directs and manages the Production resources to meet and exceed all safety, health and environmental regulations.
• Manages contractor relationships
• Partners with support functions (i.e. Supply Chain, Procurement, Sales, etc.) to meet production demands
• Reviews production and operating reports and resolves operational, manufacturing, and maintenance problems to ensure minimum costs and prevent operational delays.
• Develops and/or revises standard operational and working practices
• Compiles, analyzes, stores, and retrieves maintenance and production data.
• Drives Continuous Improvement and Operation Excellence initiatives

WORK EXPERIENCES

• Minimum 5-10 years of experience in a professional technical role required (maintenance, engineering and/or operations), preferably in a federally regulated manufacturing environment
• Minimum of 3-5 years of related management experience, including overseeing supervisors and managing a multi-departmental manufacturing/ production operation.
• Food or beverage production experience strongly preferred.
• Experience designing and driving process improvement in a food (or similar) manufacturing environment strongly preferred

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree (BA or BS) from a 4-year college or university in Engineering, or similar field preferred
• Continuous Improvement or quality certification(s) strongly preferred.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

• Manages team of supervisors and operations support. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints; and resolving problems.

ESSENTIAL CAPABILITIES (KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES)

• Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions; Works well in group problem solving situations; Uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.
• Project Management - Develops project plans; Coordinates projects; Communicates changes and progress; Completes projects on time and budget; Manages project team activities.
• Interpersonal - Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming; Maintains confidentiality; Listens to others without interrupting; Keeps emotions under control; Remains open to others' ideas and tries new things.
• Oral Communication - Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification; Responds well to questions; Demonstrates group presentation skills; Participates in meetings.
• Team Work - Balances team and individual responsibilities; Exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Puts success of team above own interests; Able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; Supports everyone's efforts to succeed; Recognizes accomplishments of other team members.
• Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively; Able to read and interpret written information.
• Change Management - Develops workable implementation plans; Communicates changes effectively; Builds commitment and overcomes resistance; Prepares and supports those affected by change; Monitors transition and evaluates results.
• Delegation - Delegates work assignments; Matches the responsibility to the person; Gives authority to work independently; Sets expectations and monitors delegated activities; Provides recognition for results.
• Leadership - Exhibits confidence in self and others; Inspires and motivates others to perform well; Effectively influences actions and opinions of others; Inspires respect and trust; Accepts feedback from others; Provides vision and inspiration to peers and subordinates; Gives appropriate recognition to others; Displays passion and optimism; Mobilizes others to fulfill the vision.
• Managing People - Includes staff in planning, decision-making, facilitating and process improvement; Takes responsibility for subordinates' activities; Makes him/herself available to staff; Provides regular performance feedback; Develops subordinates' skills and encourages growth; Solicits and applies customer feedback (internal and external); Fosters quality focus in others; Improves processes, products and services; Continually works to improve supervisory skills.
• Quality Management - Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness.
• Business Acumen - Understands business implications of decisions; Displays orientation to profitability; Aligns work with strategic goals.
• Cost Consciousness - Works within approved budget; Develops and implements cost saving measures; Contributes to profits and revenue; Conserves organizational resources.
• Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.
• Judgment - Displays willingness to make decisions; Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions; Includes appropriate people in decision-making process; Makes timely decisions.
• Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently; Plans for additional resources; Sets goals and objectives; Organizes or schedules other people and their tasks; Develops realistic action plans.

LOCATION OF ROLE: Buffalo, NY

SALARY PAY RANGE:

$87,000 - $162,000 plus bonus The pay rate for the successful candidate will depend on the candidate’s qualifications and prior experience.Benefits include healthcare (medical, dental, vision, prescription drugs) available the first of the month following 30 days of employment, 401(k) with match, life insurance, AD&D, short-term disability, vacation, holiday and sick time.

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.