Position: Plant Manager / Assistant Plant Manager
Industry: Food Manufacturing
Location: Irvine, CA
Work Hours: M-F 8:00-17:00
Work Style: On-Site
Salary Range: $70-100K/year (exempt position)
Supervisory: YES
Benefits: Health, Dental, Vision, 401K, PTO and more
Position Overview
We are seeking a Plant Manager or Assistant Plant Manager to support a food manufacturing facility undergoing plant expansion. This role is responsible for overseeing daily plant operations, ensuring regulatory compliance, managing on-site staff, and supporting hands-on operational needs.
The ideal candidate has strong experience in food manufacturing operations, supervision, and people management, and is comfortable working directly on the production floor when needed.
The title and level of this position (Plant Manager or Assistant Manager) will be determined based on the candidate’s experience and qualifications.
Key Responsibilities
- Oversee daily plant operations for a food manufacturing facility with approximately 10-20 employees
- Plan, implement, and manage operations in compliance with all applicable regulatory and compliance requirements (food safety, sanitation, labor, etc.)
- Support and participate in facility expansion and structural enhancement projects
- Manage on-site personnel, including hiring, termination, performance management, and coordination with team leads
- Create and manage staff schedules and shifts to ensure operational efficiency
- Provide regular operational reports to senior management
- Monitor production, inventory, and operational metrics using Excel and other reporting tools
- Assist hands-on with production support, equipment operation, and basic machinery troubleshooting as needed
- Ensure smooth communication between management and the production floor
- Respond to operational issues and emergencies, including availability for weekends and holidays when required
Qualifications & Requirements
- Experience in food manufacturing plant operations and on-site management
- Proven supervisory or management experience in a production or factory environment
- Strong knowledge of regulatory and compliance requirements within the food industry
- Hands-on mindset with willingness to support floor operations and equipment troubleshooting
- Strong sense of responsibility and ability to respond to urgent operational needs
- Excellent English communication skills (verbal and written)
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel, with strong ability to manage numerical data such as inventory and production metrics
- Ability to work effectively with frontline staff and leadership teams
Preferred Qualifications
- Bilingual in Spanish or Japanese (preferred but not required)
- Experience supporting facility expansion or operational scale-up projects
Working Style
- Hands-on, proactive, and detail-oriented
- Comfortable working both in an office setting and on the production floor
- Able to manage people, processes, and numbers simultaneously
- This role may involve hands-on production work on the manufacturing floor, including standing for extended periods and occasionally lifting and moving materials.
