Plant Manager

Sun Gro Horticulture is one of the most prominent North American horticultural companies, employing over 800 staff and serving customers worldwide. Since its humble beginnings in 1929, it has become the leading supplier of soilless growing mixes to North America’s top 100 greenhouse and nursery growers, shipping over 70,000 truckloads of product annually. Sun Gro products are made to exacting standards and conform to high product quality and performance criteria.

Sun Gro Horticulture recognizes that its success is due to the strength of its employees. The primary goal of Sun Gro® is to promote individual employees’ sense of accomplishment and contribution so that employees enjoy their association with Sun Gro Horticulture. The Company invests in its employees so that they are the most knowledgeable in the industry, and undertakes great efforts to nurture loyalty to, and teamwork at Sun Gro.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

• Competitive salary.
• Competitive health and benefit plan.
• Competitive matched retirement savings program.
• The opportunity to join a continuously growing organization with a focus on Diversity and Inclusion.
• The opportunity to work with an industry leader in manufacturing.
  
  

GENERAL SUMMARY:

Responsible for the overall day-to-day management of a production plant to produce products and direct activities to ensure quality products. Oversee the direction of all personnel within the various production departments. Achieve optimum levels of profitability for the site. Involvement includes general plant management, safety, quality, equipment maintenance, cost analysis, production control/scheduling, logistics, labor relations and bog operations.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Provide clear guidance to the workforce regarding the safety and productivity of the plant.
• Develop short- and long-range operating strategies in alignment of company goals.
• Develop and train employees with the knowledge of how they influence the company’s profitability.
• Must be hands on and accessible.
• Assists in developing and formulating long and short-term range planning, policies, programs, and objectives to meet strategic goals.
• Establish and control plant-operating budgets.
• Formulates and recommends manufacturing policies and programs to guide the organization in maintaining and improving its competitive position and the profitability of the operation.
• Directs and coordinates various program essentials including training, safety, housekeeping, cost reductions, worker involvement and security.
• Ensure that production is in accordance with plan, meets quality standards and customer’s expectation.
• Understands sales forecast and can convert it into a production plan to assure exemplary service to customers.
• Ensure cost effective utilization of workforce.
• Works with lead operators and/or supervisors to ensure development of staff.
• Takes necessary corrective action as needed on a timely basis and in accordance with company policy.
• Assures compliance of current federal, state, and local regulations
• Provide for optimum maintenance of plant equipment.
• Recommend and implement approved capital projects and changes in the workplace.
• Provide management of inventories.
• Collaborate with Sales, Supply Chain, and Finance regarding business decisions.
• Member of Business Execution team providing critical role for this team.
• Assures product quality meets or exceeds customer expectations.
• Provide reports; analyze reports and administration work associated with plant.
• Performs miscellaneous duties and projects as assigned and required.
  
  

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Strong customer focus - includes the ability to balance the needs of the customer with the needs of the business as well as fostering a strong customer focus mindset.
• Strong Fact-Based Decision-Making skills – supports decisions with data and uses data to solve problems.
• Ability to Establish Plans – set clear, measurable goals, anticipating roadblocks and adjusts for problems, can accurately assess the length and difficulty of tasks.
• Change Champion – able to communicate changes, remove obstacles and understand who needs to be involved in driving changes.
• Strong execution skills – can provide support without removing responsibility, monitors progress to ensure achievement of goals, coordinates with other work groups.
• Creates an environment that fosters process improvement and challenges the status quo to eliminate non-value-added work.
• Understanding of Supply Chain function and interaction with other departments
• Strong coaching skills – ability to assess talent accurately, make tough calls when needed and work with employees on development to ensure their success as well as continued achievement of organizational goals.
• Able to Provide Direction – sets clear objectives and develops KPIs to monitor work. Clarifies roles and responsibilities and monitors progress and results.
• Motivates Others – Inspires people to excel by creating a work environment that allows people to do their best.
• Fosters Teamwork – values all employee’s contributions, involving team in decisions that affect them and discourages “we” vs. “them” attitude.
• Strong Business Process Orientation ensuring strategic process alignment across functions consistent with corporate strategies and goals.
• Computer skills a must, specific proficiency in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Internet, and email.
  
  

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in management or equivalent business experience. Similar degree and experience may be substituted.
• 7-10 years of plant management.
• Proficiency in Microsoft office suite
  
  

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Walking, standing, and moving for prolonged periods of time.
• Lift up to 50 lbs.
• Position includes utilization of computer systems in the plant and office.
  
  

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Typical of a horticulture plant environment including high volume of dust, traveling over irregular terrain, changeable weather, and temperature conditions. Climbing metal stairs, ability to stretch and view difficult areas, moving within confined spaces etc.
• Noise level from moderate to high.