Plant Manager

PAFCO is a $700MM+ global seafood manufacturing company with 45+ years of success. Our business is built on trust which has allowed for both our company, and our customers, to succeed together. Learn more about the company at www.pafco.net.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Plant Manager is responsible for the full-scope leadership of PAFCO's processing, warehousing, and distribution operations. This role owns productions, food safety and regulatory compliance, labor management, capital asset stewardship, and financial performance of the facility. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in seafood or perishable food manufacturing, a data-driven approach to operational excellence, and the people-management skills to build and sustain a high-performance team in a fast-paced, temperature-controlled environment. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

•  Direct day-to-day seafood processing activities — receiving, thawing, processing, portioning, packaging, and cold storage — ensuring targets

and yield standards are consistently met. 

•  Develop and implement production schedules aligned with customer orders, inventory levels, and seasonal supply variability. 

•  Drive continuous improvement initiatives to eliminate waste, reduce downtime, and optimize line efficiency. 

•  Monitor and report key production KPIs; yield, labor efficiency, downtime, and cost per pound processed. 

•  Oversee refrigerated and frozen warehouse operations, including slotting, receiving, pick/pack, and cycle counting. 

•  Maintain inventory accuracy targets (≥ 99%) through disciplined lot tracking.

•  Partner with procurement and sales on demand planning inputs and slow-moving or aging inventory disposition. 

•  Coordinate outbound shipping operations, including scheduling of refrigerated carriers, route optimization, and on-time delivery performance. 

•  Ensure accurate and timely completion of shipping documentation, Bills of Lading, COOL labeling, and chain-of-custody records. 

•  Maintain and enforce HACCP, SQF (or equivalent GFSI scheme), FSMA, and applicable FDA/USDA regulations across all plant operations. 

•  Lead audits, corrective action processes, and third-party certification renewals; serve as primary contact during regulatory

inspections. 

•  Ensure sanitation programs, allergen controls, and pest management protocols are executed consistently and documented thoroughly. 

•  Manage preventive and corrective maintenance programs for processing equipment, refrigeration systems, conveyors, and facility infrastructure. 

•  Develop and track maintenance KPIs (uptime %, MTTR, PM completion rate) and manage relationships with equipment OEMs and service contractors. 

•  Oversee capital project planning and execution — equipment upgrades, capacity expansions, and energy-efficiency improvements. 

•  Ensure facility compliance with building codes, fire safety, EPA, and OSHA standards. 

•  Own the plant's operating budget; prepare annual budgets and monthly forecasts, deliver variance analysis with actionable corrective

plans. 

•  Identify and execute cost-reduction opportunities across labor, materials, utilities, and maintenance without compromising food safety or

quality. 

•  Collaborate with Finance on cost accounting, standard costing, and inventory valuation accuracy. 

•  Lead, develop, and retain a diverse team of supervisors, leads, and hourly production associates across multiple shifts. 

•  Build a culture of safety, accountability, continuous improvement, and respect; model these values in daily interactions. 

•  Partner with HR on recruiting, onboarding, performance management, progressive discipline, and workforce planning. 

•  Ensure effective training programs are in place for food safety, GMP, equipment operation, and workplace safety.

QUALIFICATIONS:

•  Minimum 7–10 years of progressive operations or plant management experience in a food manufacturing environment; seafood or perishable proteins strongly preferred. 

•  Demonstrated P&L ownership, including budget preparation, variance analysis, and cost reduction delivery. 

•  Proven track record leading multi-shift operations with 50+ hourly employees in a regulated environment. 

•  Experience managing or implementing WMS, ERP, or production scheduling systems. 

•  HACCP certification required; SQF Practitioner or PCQI preferred. 

•  Working knowledge of FDA FSMA requirements, COOL compliance, and OSHA 1910 general industry standards. 

•  Familiarity with refrigeration systems (ammonia or HFC) and cold-chain management practices. 

•  Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint); comfort with data dashboards and operational reporting tools. 

•  Exceptional leadership presence — able to motivate and hold accountable a large, diverse hourly workforce. 

•  Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; comfortable with data and KPI-driven decision-making. 

•  Clear, direct communicator — equally effective on the production floor and in executive presentations. 

•  High integrity; thrives in a fast-paced environment where priorities can shift with market or supply conditions. 

•  Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred

Education 

•  Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Operations Management, Supply Chain, Engineering, or a related field preferred. 

•  Equivalent combination of education and hands-on operational leadership experience will be considered. 

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• Paid vacation leave
• 401k with employee matching

Employment Eligibility

• PAFCO does not offer sponsorship for this position