Department Manager

Why Russell Stover?

At Russell Stover, not only do we love chocolate, but we love our jobs! Every day we go to work exhibiting our values of excellence, innovation, entrepreneurship, responsibility, and collaboration. Working at Russell Stover you'll be part of the leading manufacturer of boxed, seasonal, and sugar-free chocolates. For over 100 years, Russell Stover Chocolates, Whitman's, and Pangburn's have been crafted with the finest ingredients to bring happiness to generations. Today, we produce over 55 million pounds of chocolate annually, and our legacy brands can be found in 13 company-owned stores and over 9,000 wholesale accounts. Join our team and let's continue making chocolate lovers happy!

What you will be doing...

This job posting is not all inclusive and other duties may be assigned.

The Department Manager is responsible for managing all resources related to the production department at the Abilene plant. This includes ensuring products are manufactured in the quantities required by production planning, within designated timeframes, at the most efficient cost without compromising high standards for safety and quality.

Leadership

• Understanding, communicating, and driving results consistent with company goals and strategic plan.
• Hiring, training, motivating and developing supervisory staff as well as hourly production staff to ensure optimal production results and establish solid, internal bench strength within the manufacturing facility.
• Actively coaching, monitoring and reviewing performance of direct reports on a yearly basis. Developing goals with direct reports and follow up to ensure company goals are met.
• Leading the department, applying lean methodologies in all areas to reduce or eliminate NVA (non-value added) tasks and to reduce any form of waste.
• Developing and encouraging effective working relationships within the department and functional support groups to ensure timely communication and proper operational execution.
• Developing and ensuring adherence to all standard procedures (SOP's, COP's).
• Facilitating positive partnerships amongst support departments to enhance business processes and remove roadblocks
• Leading, coaching and promoting kaizen activities across the business in efforts to reduce or eliminate losses
• Proposing/implementing/executing engineering projects/improvements that align with 3-5 years plan/goals
  
  
  
  • Aligning and ensuring capex budget and plan with organizational strategy
  • Assisting with project scope defining and execution
  • Identifying and managing potential risks and liabilities of projects while ensuring daily operation goals
  • Motivating team to participate in projects and meet key deliverables
  
  
  
  

Ensure Safety and Quality Standards

• Ensuring safety programs are current and effectively executed in order to minimize incidents or accidents and company liability.
• Ensuring that manufactured products are produced in compliance with company Quality specifications, policies, government regulations, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP's), Hazard Analysis (HACCP) as well as ISO standards and other Quality Standards.

• Collaborating to ensure internal and external stakeholders understand requirements and expectations.
• Proactively addressing safety issues, owning your area and deploying data driven improvements to minimize risk
• Collaborating with Research and Development to Achieve the Following:
• Providing input for new product development including constraints and engineering installations necessary for existing production lines
• Identifying and driving cross functional efficiency improvement projects
• Understanding critical production machinery/parameters and its effect on quality to make timely decisions
• Adhering to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) guidelines to ensure product quality and uphold food safety standards.
• Learning to Identify and address potential food safety hazards, process deviations, or non-conformities, while maintaining proactive communication with supervisors.
• Documenting food safety and quality procedures, maintaining detailed records of monitoring, verification, and corrective actions.

Fiscal Responsibility

• Driving efficiencies and reducing waste and rework on production lines. Reviewing performance regularly with staff and align maintenance plans based on set goals.
• Responsible for compliance with direct and indirect support labor budgets.
• Participating in the development of the department's annual budget, manage departmental spending, ensuring budgetary compliance within own area of responsibility.
• Remaining within budgetary confines on all internally led engineering projects
• Production scheduling in cooperation with Planning dept.
• Assisting with scheduling and planning of production lines to reduce changeovers and optimize operations
• Ensuring maintenance activities align with production schedules
• Managing and planning production staffing in conjunction with standard rates

Lindt Production Way (LPW)

• Participating in LPW pillars and teams and support continuous improvement initiatives.
• Following the LPW methodology (TPM) to monitor and report production (PCS) and continuously improving processes to reduce waste (breakdowns, labor, overweight, etc.) using LPW/lean tools and processes such as 5S, 5-Why, Kaizen events, etc.
• Supporting and coaching employees in critical, independent thinking and root cause analysis to empower them to challenge, improve and standardize processes. Get each supervisor and staff member to take the initiative to solve problems and make improvements.
• Supporting a hands-on approach (Gemba) to go, observe, and understand problems to best support employees and solutions.
• Building effective and autonomous teams, drive change and promote new ideas to improve processes revolving around production, quality, safety, and maintenance.
• Ensuring that each person's job is aligned to provide value to the customer and long-term health of the company.

Do you have what it takes?

(Basic Requirements)

• Bachelor's degree
• 5+ years food/quality/safety experience in manufacturing environment
• Proven experience in continuous improvement in a manufacturing setting using lean tools (5S, TPM, Six Sigma or similar programs)

Skills & Knowledge:

• Proven knowledge of food quality standards, federal state and local regulations
• Strong understanding of GMP, HACCP, Quality - Standards (ISO, AIB, Siliker).
• Understanding of analytical testing, sensory methods, food microbiology, IPM (integrated pest management)
• Excellent computer skills with working knowledge of MS Office
• Strong interpersonal, managerial and leadership skills required with a strong focus on accountability
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Experience working with individuals at all levels within the organization.

Do you stand above the rest

(Preferred Qualifications)

• MS degree in food science or business preferred
• 5+ years supervisory experience in a chocolate manufacturing environment
• Formal training in sanitation, food, safety, regulatory
• Second language (Spanish) a plus

Experience the Excitement at Russell Stover Plants!

• Safety First: Your well-being is our top priority, and we've got you covered with protective gear. On day one, you'll dive into Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) training, and we'll keep you on your toes with daily safety tips to ensure you're always in the know!
• Surroundings: Get ready to work alongside cutting-edge equipment like automated packing machines, forklifts, electric pallet jacks, and those irresistible chocolate candy banks/steels - it's a dynamic environment where every day brings something new!
• Active & Engaging Work: Whether you're on your feet for extended periods, moving around, climbing ladders, or lifting up to 50 lbs, there's never a dull moment. This is a place where you'll stay on the move!
• Comfortable Climate: In most roles, you will be comfortable year-round with our climate-controlled environment.
• Appealing Smells: The air is filled with sweet aromas of chocolate, and by the time your shift ends, you might just leave smelling like chocolate!
• Dress to Impress (Food Safety Style): A simple yet important dress code ensures safety and hygiene, following Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to keep everything running smoothly.
• Allergens: You will be exposed to a variety of ingredients that may be considered food allergens like nuts, milk, and more.

At Russell Stover Chocolates, we don't just accept difference - we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products, and our community. Russell Stover Chocolates is proud to be an equal-opportunity workplace.

We provide equal employment opportunities to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition, genetic information, military service, veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by law.

Employment by Russell Stover Chocolates is contingent upon I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification, passing the urinalysis drug screen, education verification, and satisfactory reference and background checks.

Make Happy. Work Happy.

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