Production Manager

The Plant Manager will play a crucial role in overseeing all operational aspects of a natural product extraction and food processing facility. Your responsibilities will encompass managing production, quality control, maintenance, and distribution to ensure compliance with safety regulations and operational efficiency. Your pivotal role in achieving productivity, cost-effectiveness, and continual improvement in plant operations will be instrumental in upholding the highest standards of food safety and product quality. In terms of Production & Operations Management, you will be tasked with supervising daily operations to facilitate smooth and cost-effective production aligned with organizational objectives. It will be essential to strategize, monitor, and enhance production schedules, resource allocation, and material flow. Driving enhancements in plant efficiency, yield, waste reduction, and operational costs will be a core aspect of your responsibilities. Furthermore, ensuring strict adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) across all departments will be critical. As for Quality & Food Safety, you will lead the implementation of various food safety systems, including cGMP, HACCP, FDA, FSSAI, HALAL, KOSHER regulations, certifications, and standards throughout the facility. Upholding internal quality benchmarks and customer specifications for all finished products will be imperative. Establishing robust quality control systems, conducting root cause analysis to address deviations, and personally taking charge of corrective actions in the event of critical non-conformities will also fall within your purview. Additionally, you will be responsible for overseeing regulatory and customer audits and ensuring meticulous documentation for the same. In terms of Budgeting & Cost Control, collaboration with the finance team to develop annual operating budgets will be paramount. Monitoring and managing costs across various domains such as production, labor, maintenance, and utilities to align with budgetary targets will be crucial. Identifying opportunities for cost savings through process optimization and waste minimization will also be a key focus area. When it comes to New Product & Process Development, you will be expected to support the scaling up of new products from R&D and Sales, with a keen eye on ensuring commercial viability. Collaborating with cross-functional teams to trial and implement innovative extraction and processing technologies will be essential for driving continuous growth and innovation within the facility. To qualify for this position, you should hold a Masters or Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemical Technology, Food Technology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, or related disciplines. A minimum of 12 years of industry experience, including at least 5 years in a leadership role within food processing, food ingredient manufacturing, Nutraceuticals, or natural product extraction, is required. Demonstrated expertise in managing plant operations, production teams, and quality systems is essential. Sound knowledge of cGMP, HACCP, FDA, FSSAI, HALAL, KOSHER guidelines, and regulatory frameworks will be advantageous. Preferred experience includes prior involvement in fruits, vegetables, herbs, extraction and purification, or plant-based ingredient processing. Exposure to solvent extraction, spray drying, concentration, milling, conveying, blending, and packaging technologies will be considered beneficial for this role.,