Position Summary

Responsible for leading the daily operations of the Cook Plant’s Breading, Batter, Par Fry, and Marination department.

Position Responsibilities

Production Operations

• Crider Foods requires all employees to comply with and support all Food Safety and Quality policies, programs and procedures to ensure our products meet and exceed consumers’ expectations.
• Direct and oversee daily operations of the Breading, Batter, Par Fry, and Marination departments.
• Ensure production schedules are met while maintaining the highest standards of food safety, product quality, and operational efficiency.
• Monitor production performance throughout the shift and proactively resolve operational issues before they impact production.
• Review future production requirements and prepare equipment, staffing, and materials to support efficient operations.
• Maintain excellent housekeeping standards throughout the shift by ensuring production areas remain clean, organized, sanitary, and audit-ready at all times.
• Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop first and second shift production team members.
• Train employees on equipment operation, standard operating procedures (SOPs), food safety, quality systems, and safe work practices.
• Develop and mentor Lead Supervisors by providing the tools, knowledge, and support necessary for success.
• Conduct regular employee meetings (minimum twice per month) covering:
• • Food Safety
  • Employee Safety
  • GMP compliance
  • Production improvements
  • Department performance
  • Company performance
  • Individual performance coaching

• Foster a positive work environment built on accountability, teamwork, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.

Food Safety & Quality

Support the company’s commitment to producing safe, wholesome, and high-quality food products by ensuring compliance with all Food Safety and Quality policies, programs, customer requirements, USDA regulations, HACCP, GMPs, and company procedures.

Supervisors are expected to lead by example and always prioritize Food Safety and Quality.

Operational Performance

Every supervisor is responsible for monitoring and improving five key performance areas:

• Safety
• Quality
• Yield
• Labor Cost
• Foreign Material Prevention

Responsibilities include:

• Monitoring production performance throughout each shift.
• Driving continuous improvement initiatives.
• Identifying opportunities to reduce waste and improve efficiencies.
• Maintaining process control to achieve departmental performance goals.

Maintenance Coordination

• Work closely with Cook Plant Maintenance to ensure equipment is operating safely and efficiently, reporting any equipment failures immediately.
• Notify Maintenance Supervision and Production Management of:
• • Any recurring equipment failures
  • Any downtime exceeding 10 minutes
• Assist with troubleshooting and prioritization of repairs to minimize downtime.

Staffing & Labor Management

• Verify employee time records and department labor hours daily.
• Ensure department staffing levels support production requirements.
• Communicate staffing needs promptly with Human Resources.
• Monitor labor costs daily and weekly while maintaining production efficiency.
• Schedule work assignments to maximize productivity while minimizing overtime whenever possible.

Documentation & Compliance

Ensure all required production documentation is accurate, complete, and submitted on time, including:

• Production reports
• Quality documentation
• Food Safety records
• Downtime documentation
• Labor reporting
• Corrective actions
• Training records

Safety Responsibilities

Employee safety is the highest priority. The supervisor is responsible for:

• Always promoting a culture of safety.
• Conducting work safely and enforcing all company safety policies.
• Immediately reporting accidents, injuries, and near-miss incidents.
• Completing required documentation.
• Notifying the Medical Department and direct manager immediately following any incident.
• Investigating incidents and implementing corrective actions to prevent recurrence.

Required Skills and Experience

• Thorough understanding of breading, batter, par fry, marination, and further processing operations.
• Strong knowledge of food manufacturing processes.
• Excellent understanding of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
• Knowledge of HACCP and Food Safety systems.
• Strong leadership and coaching abilities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Ability to troubleshoot production issues and make sound operational decisions.
• Strong commitment to employee development and accountability.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Previous food manufacturing supervisory experience.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and understanding of processing equipment.
• Proven problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Experience managing labor efficiency and production costs.
• Demonstrated ability to delegate responsibilities while maintaining strong follow-up and accountability.
• Continuous improvement mindset with Lean Manufacturing experience preferred.

Positions reporting to this person

• Cook Plant Marination production employees

Physical Demands and Work Environment

· Able to walk and stand, use arms and legs for long periods of time including wrist turning and finger manipulation.

· Employee stands frequently with tasks requiring consistent bending, stooping, kneeling, reaching, climbing stairs, and/or crawling to complete; Lift, carry and push/pull occasionally of up to 50 pounds is required.

· Ability to work in hot, cold, wet, and humid manufacturing environments. Job locations can be consistently 40 degrees or below.

· While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to extreme temperature conditions.

· The noise levels at work are moderate to loud and hearing protection is required.

General Sign-Off: The employee is expected to adhere to all company policies and to act as a role model in the adherence to policies. The company reserves the right to modify, interpret, or apply this job description in any way the company desires. This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties, including essential duties, to be performed by the employee occupying this position. This job description is not an employment contract, implied or otherwise. The employment relationship remains “AT- WILL.” Qualified employees who, because of a physical or mental impairment that significantly limits a major life activity, require a reasonable accommodation to perform the essential functions of this position should notify their Manager or Human Resources.

Food Safety Sign-Off: All team members at Crider Foods must adhere to our food safety requirements and must report food safety problems to management. All attempts should be made to ensure that the written and digital records are documented at the time the activity is performed, legible, clear, concise and suitably authorized (not falsified) by those undertaking monitoring (documented work tasks). This position may be responsible for the inspection and verification of records.

“We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law”.