Shift Manager (Plant Production)

Position Summary

The Plant Shift Manager is responsible for leading all plant operations during an assigned shift within the poultry processing facility. This role provides cross-functional leadership over production, quality, maintenance, and support teams to ensure safe, efficient, and continuous operations. The Shift Manager is accountable for executing the production plan, resolving operational issues in real time, and ensuring alignment with plant performance objectives during the shift.

Key Responsibilities

Shift Operations Leadership

• Lead all plant operations during the shift to ensure production targets and operational goals are achieved.
• Monitor real-time production performance and adjust resources to maintain efficiency and product flow.
• Coordinate activities across production, QA, maintenance, and sanitation to ensure seamless operations.
• Serve as the primary decision-maker for all shift-related operational issues.

Production Execution & Performance

• Ensure production schedules are executed efficiently and meet volume and yield expectations.
• Monitor line performance, staffing, and throughput to minimize downtime and disruptions.
• Address production challenges and implement immediate corrective actions.
• Drive consistency in execution across all departments during the shift.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Partner with QA, maintenance, and sanitation teams to support production continuity.
• Ensure effective communication between departments to resolve issues quickly.
• Coordinate start-ups, changeovers, and shift transitions.
• Align shift activities with plant priorities and daily operational plans.

Leadership & Team Oversight

• Provide leadership and direction to Production Supervisors and other department leaders on shift.
• Ensure supervisors effectively manage hourly teams and maintain performance expectations.
• Reinforce accountability, communication, and teamwork across all departments.
• Support development and coaching of frontline leadership.

Issue Resolution & Escalation

• Identify and respond to operational issues impacting safety, quality, or production.
• Lead troubleshooting efforts and coordinate resources to resolve issues quickly.
• Escalate significant concerns to the Plant Manager as needed.
• Ensure proper documentation and communication of shift events.

Operational Discipline & Continuous Improvement

• Promote consistent execution of plant processes and operational standards.
• Identify opportunities for improvement in shift performance and efficiency.
• Support implementation of process improvements and operational initiatives.
• Drive accountability for results across all shift operations.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly supervises Production Supervisors across the assigned shift.

Qualifications

Education & Experience:

• High school diploma required; associate’s or bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 3–5 years of experience in poultry or food manufacturing operations.
• Prior leadership experience in a supervisory or management role required.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams in a manufacturing environment.

Skills & Competencies:

• Strong understanding of plant operations and production processes.
• Ability to lead and coordinate multiple departments in real time.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to perform in a fast-paced, high-pressure production environment.
• Leadership and team development skills.

Work Environment

Work is performed in a combination of office and poultry processing environments. The employee splits time between a professional office setting and active production areas. Work in production areas may include exposure to:

• Cold, refrigerated environments (Fresh Processing)
• Warm or hot areas near ovens, fryers, or cooking equipment (Further Processing/Ready-to-Eat)
• Wet and humid conditions with floors that may be wet or slippery
• Moderate to high noise levels requiring hearing protection
• Raw poultry product and strong food-related odors
• Common food allergens used in production, including but not limited to wheat, soy, milk, sesame, and egg

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Frequent standing, walking, bending, or reaching.
• Ability to occasionally lift and carry up to 25 pounds, with or without assistance.
• Ability to regularly walk production floors (extended standing/walking) and climb stairs/platforms to access equipment and process observation points.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role.

Food Safety and Quality Expectations

Gold Creek Foods is committed to producing safe, legal, and high-quality food products. All employees are responsible for complying with all company food safety, quality, and sanitation programs, preventing contamination and protecting product integrity, immediately reporting food safety or quality concerns to leadership, and supporting audit readiness and continuous improvement initiatives.

General Safety Statement

All employees are expected to work safely at all times by following all company safety policies, procedures, and regulations. This includes complying with OSHA, USDA, and other applicable laws, as well as Gold Creek Foods’ internal safety standards. Each team member is responsible for maintaining a safe work environment — reporting hazards and near misses, using required personal protective equipment (PPE) when required, and participating in safety training and programs as directed.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Gold Creek Foods is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If you need assistance or an accommodation to apply for a position, please contact Human Resources at 678-928-6970.

Pay: From $80,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Education:

• High school or equivalent (Required)

Language:

• Spanish (Preferred)

Shift availability:

• Day Shift (Required)
• Night Shift (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Gainesville, GA 30501 (Required)

Work Location: In person