Smokehouse Production Superintendent: Jewell, Iowa - VetJobs : Job Details

Smokehouse Production Superintendent: Jewell, Iowa

WG Provisions is a family-owned meat company founded in 1979 by Marv Walter, an Iowa State University alumnus and trailblazer in the American meat industry. Headquartered in Ames, Iowa, our company operates two primary divisions: the Smokehouse (fully cooked meats) in Jewell, IA, and the Butchery (roasting pigs) in Sidney, IA. We also market specialty meats, including rabbit, to customers nationwide. Since 1996, WG has been led by President Darren Dies, who has driven innovation with products like Double-Smoked Brisket and The Perfect Pig, as well as advancements in heat post-pasteurization and food safety. Both Marv and Darren share deep roots in Iowa farming, 4-H, and animal sciencevalues that continue to shape our company today. WG Provisions is more than a meat companywe're a team committed to quality, service, and community. From providing meals during natural disasters to donating meat boxes to local nonprofits, we stand by our mission to serve both customers and our neighbors with integrity.

Position Overview

Job Title: Smokehouse Production Superintendent

Reports to: Smokehouse Plant Manager

Location: Smokehouse, Jewell, Iowa

Job-Type: Full-time Hourly

At this Smokehouse location, we produce high quality smoked meats that are sold throughout the United States to restaurants, food service operations, and caterers. Our smokehouse brands are known by our customers for excellent flavor, tenderness, and high-quality meats. The Production Superintendent position is an essential contributor to our success in maintaining this reputation in the industry. The position requires a team player who has a can-do attitude, works effectively with a team, follows through, and gets the job done. This role works in partnership with the Plant Manager, who has responsibility for the overall operations of the Smokehouse facility. The position requires working in an interdisciplinary team with a variety of tasks and challenges. The position requires commitment and continual improvement to Food Safety and Quality programs.

Key Responsibilities

This position is responsible for maintaining high production, quality, and yields while ensuring the safest working environment possible. This position requires an essential understanding and control of the production process, accurate record keeping, and general line maintenance and staffing. The duties and responsibilities of this position shall include but not be limited to the following:

• Responsible for shift staffing and executing the production schedule
• Assign responsibilities to team members, as required to meet planned production schedules.
• Ensure every position is filled before start-up of production line and job rotation to facilitate ergonomics
• Ensure team members are focused on tasks per schedule and working efficiently
• First line of responsibility to resolve active production issues working with Team Leads
• Check daily production orders to ensure fulfillment of customer orders
• Monitor and take action to improve key performance indicators
• Identify issues impacting efficiency and bring process improvement solutions to management
• Complete and ensure accurate and timely reporting of production data
• Ensure accurate shipments, rotation of inventory, and proper coding of products.
• Ensure all workstations have passed USDA inspection
• Keep management informed of the status of production and promptly notify management of issues impacting production
• Investigate production delays and take corrective action as necessary
• Actively promote adherence to plant Quality, Sanitation, GMP, and HACCP standards to achieve a finished product within quality control specifications.
• Ability to perform complex jobs and train others in proper procedures to meet customer expectations.

Quality & Food Safety

• Ensuring all staff follow food safety and quality protocols
• Work with the quality department to ensure product safety and quality
• Actively support all company and facility quality standards
• Lead team to identify potential quality issues and assist with resolution
• Accountability for ensuring quality and production processes are performed per company and customer standards.
• Provide continuous leadership and education on the importance of quality

Team Leadership & Development

• Identify and coordinate staffing needs based on production requirements
• Train and develop production personnel
• Foster a team-oriented culture
• Participate with Production Manager in hiring, coaching evaluation, terminating, and discipline process for team members
• Provide encouragement to team members in order to build the best team possible.
• Provide continual leadership and guidance to team members for the purpose of increasing their effectiveness and establishing good working relationships.
• Work side by side with team members to mentor and provide guidance to the team.
• Coordinate the proper training of team members within the assigned department.
• Promote an environment conducive to teams, teamwork, and line-driven accountability.

Safety

• Actively promote plant safety and environmental programs and procedures that follow plant and regulatory requirements.
• Perform all duties within OSHA and company safety standards: LOTO, wear PPE and maintain safety equipment.
• Maintain a safe, clean, and organized work areas
• Immediately report all accidents and injuries to Production Manager
• Promote safety daily as well as through monthly safety meetings
• Verify all employees are following safety guidelines and if not, take action to ensure safety protocols are followed

Facility & Equipment

• Coordinate with maintenance department and Production Manager to manage equipment and facility
• Oversee staff to ensure facility/equipment is treated and used properly
• Recommend physical changes, improvements, and repairs to maintain or improve the condition of the plant or result in greater productivity, improved safety, etc.
• Ensure all machinery is performing to the highest standard possible and report issues to Production Manager and Maintenance Technician

Leadership

• Establishes relationships with direct reports and within all company departments to effectively cultivate a culture in which proper sanitation, food safety, and quality goals are met
• Aid in administering policies established by the company. These will include but not be restricted to posted Plant Rules and Regulations and Attendance Policies.
• Have a strong understanding of all company operating procedures.
• Conduct themselves in such a manner, and encourage other employees to do the likewise, as will reflect positively on WG Provisions.

Qualifications

Required education, skills, knowledge and abilities:

• Bachelor's Degree in related discipline or equivalent experience
• Minimum of 3 5 years of experience in food manufacturing
• Minimum of 3 years supervisory role in food manufacturing
• HACCP certification required
• Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements for facilities operating under USDA and OSHA.
• Support/drive hazard identification, risk assessments, and risk controls efforts.
• Ability to maintain high expectations for self and others, demonstrating a dedication to achievement of results.
• Ability to evaluate key performance indicators (KPI's) and make improvements
• Experience with ensuring safety in a manufacturing environment
• Ability to work under pressure and to react to situations with a strong sense of urgency.
• Solid problem solving, project management, multi-tasking, and prioritization skills
• Passion for quality in the agriculture, livestock, and meat industry
• Strong verbal and written communication
• Capable of working semi-independently and making on-the-spot decisions.
• Team-oriented
• Problem solver
• Self-motivated and goal oriented
• Be a role model for other employees
• Enjoy working in a small company in a rural community
• Role model of integrity, sound judgement, personal responsibility, team player.
• Someone the team can count on

Physical Capabilities

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform