Meat Plant Manager (Bilingual)

Position Summary

The Meat Plant Manager is responsible for directing SMD operations Talpa Supermercados meat processing plant ensuring compliance with USDA food safety and quality standards production efficiency and the performance of a team of approximately 15 people. This role leads production coordination demand-driven scheduling and continuous process improvement to ensure the timely supply of finished product to all store locations.

Key Responsibilities

Production & Plant Operations

Direct daily plant operations: receiving breaking/cutting packing labeling and finished-product dispatch

Establish and oversee daily and weekly production schedules

Optimize labor equipment and product yield to meet volume and cost targets

Ensure preventive and corrective equipment maintenance and plant operational readiness

Demand Planning & Scheduling

Translate store demand forecasts into executable production plans

Coordinate with the Meat Buyer to align raw-material availability with the production plan

Adjust scheduling for seasonality promotions and demand variability to minimize shortages and waste

Quality Food Safety & USDA Compliance

Ensure compliance with all USDA standards and regulations applicable to the facility

Implement and maintain HACCP SSOP and sanitation programs

Serve as the primary liaison with the on-site USDA inspector and manage audits findings and corrective actions

Maintain traceability cold-chain temperature control and required food safety records

Team Leadership & Development

Lead train and evaluate a team of approximately 14 people across production packing and sanitation

Set performance goals manage shifts and ensure operational coverage

Foster a culture of safety food safety and accountability; ensure OSHA compliance and safe work practices

Cost Efficiency & Continuous Improvement

Control plant operating costs: labor yield waste/shrink and supplies

Identify and implement continuous-improvement initiatives for process and productivity

Report key metrics on production yield shrink and compliance to leadership

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work closely with:

Meat Buyer (raw-material flow and product specifications)

Warehouse Coordinator (finished-product handoff and distribution to stores)

Procurement and Store Operations (meat category fill-rate and service level)

Support new store openings and category expansion initiatives

Reporting & Performance Tracking

Track and report key metrics including:

Production output vs. plan

Yield and shrink/waste reduction

USDA / food safety audit results

Labor cost and productivity per unit

Provide insights and recommendations to leadership

Qualifications

Required

57 years of experience in meat processing or food manufacturing operations management

Proven experience operating a USDA-inspected facility

Working knowledge of USDA HACCP SSOP OSHA and food safety regulations

Experience leading production teams of 10 or more people

Strong analytical and cost-management acumen (Excel / ERP systems preferred)

Bilingual (English/Spanish) REQUIRED the team and community operate primarily in Spanish

Preferred

HACCP certification

Bachelors degree in Food Science Industrial Engineering Animal Science Operations Management or a related field (equivalent experience considered)

Experience in supermarket retail high-volume or Hispanic/ethnic meat operations

Internal note: Recommended Performance Metrics

Production output vs. plan

Yield improvement and shrink/waste reduction

USDA / food safety compliance (audit results zero non-conformances)

Labor cost and productivity per unit

On-time supply of finished product to stores (meat category fill rate)

Team safety (OSHA incident rate)