Hawaiian Host Group · 1 month ago
Agricultural Operations / Plant Manager
Captain Cook, HI
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$115K/yr - $140K/yr
10+ years expHawaiian Host Group is a leading Hawai‘i-based consumer goods company known for its macadamia nuts and artisan chocolates. The Plant Manager will oversee daily processing and plant operations, ensuring product quality, food safety, and operational efficiency while leading a diverse team and promoting a positive workplace culture.
Food and BeverageFood ProcessingManufacturing
Responsibilities
Oversee all stages of the macadamia nut processing flow: WIS receiving, drying, cracking, optical sorting, pasteurizing, roasting, manual sorting, and sizing
Leading all Production, Sanitation, Maintenance, Warehousing, and Scheduling functions and managers at the site and working closely with the site Orchard Manager and site FSQA Manager while reporting to the site GM
Direct and manage all plant activities and goals, including but not limited to, execution of safety and quality programs (FDA, FSMA, HACCP, etc.), regulatory compliance, personnel development, training, production planning, scheduling, cost control, inventory control and FIFO management, and facilities and equipment repair and maintenance
Promote a safe, positive and inclusive workplace culture consistent with Hawaiian Host Group values of being United, Persevering, encouraging Bold ideas for improvement and Taking Initiative
Experience in running a Maintenance Department, including use of a CMMS and leveraging best practices to drive highly reliable preventive maintenance and summer and weekend overhaul work
Experience in continuous improvement, including Lean Manufacturing, line bottleneck constraint analysis and improvement, leading with daily metrics with employee engagement, and project management skills for process change deployment
Ensure alignment of plans and processes with strategic initiatives aimed at reducing processing costs through optimal utilization of resources. Collaborate with other departments to achieve business goals while surpassing customer expectations
Coordinate plant operations with department managers to achieve processing objectives efficiently and within budget
Develop, implement, and monitor the plant budget, while increasing production and controlling spending
Implement cost-effective systems and processes of control over capital, operating expenditures, manpower, wages, and salaries
Enhance workforce utilization through optimized operations and processes, ensuring adequate staffing levels, retention, and motivating, training, and equipping staff effectively
Strong floor presence up to 50% of time spent engaging with employees and monitoring overall plant performance, maintaining production and quality standards
Monitor overall plant performance, maintaining production and quality standards
Maintain plant facilities and equipment to ensure smooth and safe operations, replacing or adjusting equipment as needed
Continuously improve safety records by addressing physical safety issues and fostering positive safety attitudes, aiming for zero incidents annually
Demonstrate effective leadership qualities to lead and manage a diverse team, identifying developmental opportunities and creating individual development plans
Hire, lead, motivate and retain the team to achieve goals and exceed customer expectations
Lead and develop a team of supervisors, leads, maintenance technicians, operators, and staff across a two-shift operation
Prepare monthly reports for the business, including productivity metrics and budget costs, partnering with finance and accounting
Fulfill any additional duties or projects assigned, demonstrating flexibility and a proactive approach to meeting organizational needs
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, or related field; or equivalent experience
Minimum of ten (10) years of experience in production, manufacturing, and operations management within the food processing / manufacturing / ag industries
Minimum of five to seven (7) years of general management experience, preferably in a plant/production manufacturing environment
Understanding of product quality standards, regulatory compliance, and preventive maintenance programs, and continuous improvement
Possession of a valid driver's license and access to a vehicle
Strong managerial skills encompass effective communication, delegation, and motivation
Must have strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities
Capacity to work with and relate to employees at all levels of the organization
Basic knowledge of engineering and technical principles
Proficiency in equipment and machinery repair and maintenance, including operation of tools such as hand trucks, pallet jacks, and various power tools
Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills
Competency in computer systems and software applications
Preferred
Agricultural Plant Processing Management (Macadamia Nut Processing highly preferred)
Optical Sorter Technology
Optimizing Manual Sorting
Labor Scheduling/Efficiency
Strong Maintenance/Engineering Experience (driving low downtime/high efficiency/high yield)
Experience in running a Maintenance Department, including use of a CMMS and leveraging best practices to drive highly reliable preventive maintenance and summer and weekend overhaul work
Experience in continuous improvement, including Lean Manufacturing, line bottleneck constraint analysis and improvement, leading with daily metrics with employee engagement, and project management skills for process change deployment
Company
Hawaiian Host Group
Hawaiian Host Group (HHG) is a leading Hawai‘i-based consumer goods company with a portfolio of brands that includes Hawaiian Host, Mauna Loa, MacFarms, and Kapua Orchards.
501-1000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Edward Schultz
President & CEO
Recent News
2025-07-25
2025-07-25
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