What are the responsibilities and job description for the Operations Technical Leader position at King's Hawaiian?
Joining King’s Hawaiian makes you part of our `ohana (family). We are a family-owned business for over seventy years, respecting our roots while thinking about our future as we continue to grow and care for our customers and the communities we serve. Our `ohana members build an environment of inclusivity as they freely collaborate, pursue learning through curiosity, and explore innovation as critical thinkers. Beyond that, we are also passionate about supporting the long-term health and well-being of our employees and their families. If you’re excited to rise with our team, come and join our `ohana!
The Georgia Operations Technical Leader is a senior leadership role responsible for providing cultural leadership, strategic direction, and technical accountability to the Engineering, Maintenance, Continuous Improvement, Technical Learning, and Food Safety departments. Reporting to the Senior Plant Director, this role ensures these technical support functions provide best-in-class service, continuous improvement, and operational support to both the Oakwood and Alpha factories.
The Georgia Operations Technical Leader partners closely with the Sr. Plant Director and Assistant Plant Managers to drive plant performance, operational excellence, and a culture of reliability and efficiency. This role oversees the development and execution of technical strategies that enhance plant reliability, minimize downtime, and ensure compliance with food safety and regulatory standards
Essential Job Duties And Responsibilities
The employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, taste, or smell. Must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 - 25 pounds, and occasionally more than 50 pounds with assistance from co-workers and/or mechanic devices. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts. Occasional exposure to wet and/or humid conditions. The employee will be handling items that may be very hot. The noise level is usually moderate. Must be available to work overtime, nights, weekends, and Holidays.
King's Hawaiian is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for our ohana.
The Georgia Operations Technical Leader is a senior leadership role responsible for providing cultural leadership, strategic direction, and technical accountability to the Engineering, Maintenance, Continuous Improvement, Technical Learning, and Food Safety departments. Reporting to the Senior Plant Director, this role ensures these technical support functions provide best-in-class service, continuous improvement, and operational support to both the Oakwood and Alpha factories.
The Georgia Operations Technical Leader partners closely with the Sr. Plant Director and Assistant Plant Managers to drive plant performance, operational excellence, and a culture of reliability and efficiency. This role oversees the development and execution of technical strategies that enhance plant reliability, minimize downtime, and ensure compliance with food safety and regulatory standards
Essential Job Duties And Responsibilities
- Strategic Leadership & Cultural Impact
- Provide strategic vision, oversight, and cultural leadership to the Engineering, Maintenance, Continuous Improvement, Technical Learning, and Food Safety teams.
- Establish and foster a culture of accountability, problem-solving, and continuous improvement across technical functions.
- Promote alignment between technical support departments and plant operations to drive best-in-class service and efficiency.
- Engineering Department
- Provide assistance and strategic help to the Engineering Leader to ensure the development and execution of a robust capital plan that includes effective communication, decision-making, and operational readiness.
- Oversee capital projects, ensuring strategic alignment with long-term plant goals.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration of new technologies and systems.
- Maintenance Department
- Provide assistance and strategic help to the Maintenance Manager to ensure there is a robust plan to build a world-class maintenance organization.
- Ensure execution of this plan and that the maintenance organization is customer-focused and balanced across short- and long-term priorities.
- Ensure the maintenance organization is set up to keep equipment and facilities maintained to world-class standards.
- Drive asset reliability strategies, preventive maintenance programs, and engineering solutions that improve plant performance.
- Continuous Improvement Department
- Lead the Continuous Improvement Manager and ensure a strategic plan and execution that addresses business losses, achieves company goals, and builds capability across Georgia Operations.
- Help the CI Manager create a department of highly capable manufacturing professionals that can execute projects across operations.
- Drive plant-wide continuous improvement initiatives, ensuring alignment with operational goals.
- Technical Learning & Development
- Oversee the development and execution of technical training programs that enhance workforce skills and capabilities.
- Identify and implement best practices across both plant locations.
- Food Safety Department
- Partner with the Food Safety Manager to drive improvement in the execution of sanitation effectiveness, time, and resources required.
- Develop a vision for the food safety department that adds increasing value to GA Operations.
- Ensure strict adherence to food safety and regulatory requirements (FDA, OSHA, etc.).
- Partner with Quality and Food Safety teams to maintain compliance, drive improvements, and lead audits.
- Establish a culture of food safety excellence through training, accountability, and best practice implementation.
- Collaboration & Business Planning
- Support business planning efforts, including capital planning, staffing strategies, and operational goal setting.
- Partner with plant leadership to develop and implement structured plant cadences that align technical goals with overall operational objectives.
- Engage with corporate and regional leadership to align technical strategy with broader business objectives.
- Talent Development & Team Leadership
- Develop and mentor technical department leaders, fostering professional growth and leadership capabilities.
- Ensure a high-performance culture within technical teams through coaching, feedback, and leadership development initiatives.
- Model and promote company values, fostering a collaborative and results-driven work environment.
- Bachelor’s degree (preferably in engineering, business, operations management, or similar field) or equivalent experience required
- 8 years’ experience in manufacturing, preferably food and/or CPG.
- 5-7 years’ of management experience leading cross-functional teams.
- Strong understanding of operations management including modern quality management tools and the ability to drive continuous process improvement through the use of Lean, TPM and Six Sigma tools.
- Must be an effective and creative problem solver, critical thinker and have a strategic thought process.
- Effective communication skills – both written and verbal. Comfortable at all levels of the organization.
- High levels of analytical and financial skills, ability to use data to identify and prioritize improvement opportunities and accurately assess financial impact.
- Strong innovative external focus with proven ability to affect sustainable change.
- Strong influence management and communication skills, ability to gain organizational buy-in.
- Must be effective working in a volatile and complex environment and work with a sense of urgency that drives effective results.
- Ability to develop a deep knowledge of Company’s manufacturing process and products.
- Knowledge and understanding of regulatory requirements including FDA, OSHA, etc.
- Works well in a team environment and ability to lead a team-based approach to decision making.
- Strong proficiency in computer use including Microsoft Suite applications and internal software applications.
- Working knowledge of SAP S/4HANA
- Proficient knowledge of Continuous Improvements, Total Productive Maintenance, particularly Autonomous Maintenance
- Developing knowledge of SAP Digital Manufacturing Cloud
- Proficient with RedZone Productivity Suite or similar software
- Proficient with Excel and/or Tableau for dashboard building
- Strong verbal and written communication skills – ability to communicate effectively at all levels of an organization
The employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, taste, or smell. Must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 - 25 pounds, and occasionally more than 50 pounds with assistance from co-workers and/or mechanic devices. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts. Occasional exposure to wet and/or humid conditions. The employee will be handling items that may be very hot. The noise level is usually moderate. Must be available to work overtime, nights, weekends, and Holidays.
King's Hawaiian is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for our ohana.
