Operations & Workforce Specialist

Duties/Responsibilities:

Monitor staffing levels, workforce needs, and labor coverage to support daily production requirements.
Coordinate with Operations and Human Resources to address staffing gaps, workforce planning needs, and labor allocation.
Track and analyze labor utilization, headcount, attendance, productivity, and overtime trends.
Prepare, review, and maintain operational, labor, workforce, productivity, overtime, and waste-tracking reports.
Monitor labor costs, overtime hours, and departmental budget activity; identify variances and support cost-control efforts.
Track, analyze, and report manufacturing waste and yield performance; identify trends and opportunities for waste reduction.
Review, route, and coordinate approvals for operational documentation, records, and reports.
Support payroll, labor planning, workforce forecasting, and operational reporting activities.
Partner with Production, Quality, Finance, HR, and Operations teams to support compliance, reporting accuracy, and business objectives.
Assist with continuous improvement initiatives related to labor efficiency, overtime control, waste reduction, budget performance, and overall operational effectiveness.

Required Skills/Abilities:

Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret labor, operational, budget, overtime, and waste-performance data.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and reporting tools, including the ability to prepare, review, and maintain accurate workforce and operational reports.
Knowledge of workforce planning, labor management, staffing coordination, budget tracking, and manufacturing operations.
Ability to identify trends, variances, and opportunities for improvement related to labor utilization, overtime control, productivity, and waste reduction.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage documentation, approvals, reports, and competing priorities accurately and efficiently.
Effective verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate professionally with Operations, HR, Finance, Quality, and Production teams.
Ability to work independently, follow through on assignments, and support time-sensitive business needs in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Ability to maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgment, and handle sensitive labor, operational, financial, and workforce information appropriately.

Education and Experience:

Associate degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Finance, or a related field preferred; equivalent work experience may be considered.
Minimum of three years of experience in manufacturing operations, workforce planning, labor administration, production reporting, budgeting, or a related role.
Experience preparing, reviewing, and maintaining labor, staffing, overtime, budget, productivity, and operational performance reports.
Experience tracking labor costs, overtime trends, waste, yield, and other manufacturing performance metrics preferred.
Experience with workforce management systems, ERP systems, HRIS platforms, timekeeping systems, or reporting tools preferred.

Working Conditions:

Work is performed in both manufacturing-floor and office environments.
Regular interaction with Operations, Production, Human Resources, Finance, Quality, and administrative personnel is required.
Must be able to access and walk production areas to observe operational activity, staffing coverage, labor utilization, and waste-related processes.
Must follow all company safety, GMP, food safety, and facility policies while working in production areas.
Occasional extended hours, schedule flexibility, or additional support may be required based on business needs, production schedules, reporting deadlines, or operational priorities.