Shipping Lead

Who We Are
A producer-owned pork processor, comprised of 200 dedicated Midwest family farms, focused on providing customers with quality pork products they can trust, in a culture that fosters innovation and opportunity.

Summary
Perform the necessary procedures to be able to cover all of the shipping supervisors and all shipping clerk positions as is needed.   Assists with supervision of production employees to ensure shipping and warehousing guidelines are being met within established timing, quality, and cost standards.  Trains, directs, coaches, and leads the production team in the day-to-day operations to meet production, safety and quality requirements. Drives the communication of production goals and objectives, as well as results in order to effectively motivate the team to maintain a high standard of product quality while maximizing plant efficiencies.  This person will spend time performing duties in all of the different positions in the department depending on the daily need. This person will provide afterhours support for the department.

Education, Licensure and Experience:

• High School Diploma or General Education Degree (GED) preferred and 2 years of related experience and/or training in a Production environment; required.
• Clerical experience preferred.
• Previous food processing experience, supervisory experience, manufacturing knowledge and understanding of yields, plant efficiencies, and operations procedures, preferred.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.       
• Ability to multi-task, work under pressure and meet deadlines required.
• Strong interpersonal and customer service skills required.
• Knowledge of SAP, Internet, Spreadsheet, Word and Order processing, and Inventory software, preferred.
• English proficiency required.
• Bilingual preferred, but not required. 

Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be a minimum of 18 years of age and must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.   

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following (Please note:  This in no way states or implies that these are the only duties you will be required to perform.  The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position.  Other duties may be assigned as deemed necessary and appropriate.):

1. Performs daily walks and visual inspections of the production floor in observation of unsafe acts or conditions; takes immediate corrective action where necessary. 
2. Maintains safety/environmental self-audits & visual checks, champions all safety or ergonomic activities for the department and helps to develop and meet plant safety goals. 
3. Maintain desired company safety plan. Ensure all employees know and understand the Safety plan and the Food Quality plan. 
4. Trains employees to ensure safe operating procedures are followed, including lock-out and tag-out. 
5. Adheres to product/shipping specification requirements throughout the manufacturing process to maintain the desired product quality results. 
6. Maintains accurate inventories in the department and works with employees to assure procedures are being followed to maintain these inventories. 
7. Maintains adequate knowledge of products, equipment, and shipping/warehousing procedures to ensure the ability to direct employees to perform the job properly. 
8. Ensures tasks are completed in accordance with HACCP and USDA regulations, taking corrective action when necessary. 
9. Assures we have enough supplies in the department to keep production moving. This would be items such as dry ice, spacers, etc. 
10. Maintains communication with the various carriers to answer questions relating to status of loads. 
11. Maintain or exceed goals on departmental costs, efficiencies and other goals set by the shipping department.
12. Works with the Superintendents and Lead Supervisors to maintain knowledge of typical problem areas in the department and methods for corrections and improvement. 
13. Suggests changes in workflow processes and use of equipment to increase efficiency of the department and/or production crew to maintain the lowest level of downtime and costs possible. 
14. Traces and analyzes key product result measures for improvement opportunities. 
15. Verify all trucks have left on time to assure on time delivery.
16. Communicate with a variety of people to make sure all details around loads are handled.  This communication can be with carriers, salespeople, internal and external customers.
17. Sends load information for all loads shipping out of the facility.
18. Build loads and book with carrier.
19. Handle all orders and shipping documentation for Marketship and Rendering department including, but not limited to preparing invoices for loads that have shipped, preparing shipping documentation for next day’s loads and printing bills.
20. Handle all orders, both for domestic and international.
21. Work closely with the USDA on export loads to create necessary paperwork as well as stay up to date on regulation changes.
22. Work closely with supervisors in Rendering and the Shipping department.
23. Cover vacations for all Shipping Supervisor and clerk positions.
24. On time reporting for all carriers.  Monitoring inventory bot in house and at Americold to assure rotation of code dates.
25. Invoice all completed trucks for here and cold storage facility.
26. Other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities
Supervises personnel to ensure quality service in accordance with the Personnel Manual and applicable laws.  Responsibilities include but are not limited:  

• Determining staffing requirements necessary to meet the department’s needs. 
• Training employees in performance of duties in compliance with all state and federal standards and laws as well as company requirements. 
• Planning and directing work schedules to assign and coordinate the work of office and salaried employees to promote efficiency of operations and in accordance with budgeted hours, ensuring that all duties are performed – work assignments to assist staff in completing and performing such tasks. 
• Delegating responsibility and accountability to staff as deemed necessary.                                

Language Skills
Must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the language of the majority cultural group in order to communicate effectively and able to hear enough to understand those individuals as well. Ability to read, interpret, and comprehend documents such as graphs/flow sheets, financials, general professional articles and publications, governmental regulations, safety rules, assignment sheets, and procedure manuals. Must be able to write reports, business correspondence, policies and procedures, and other administrative forms as outlined above. 

Must be able to effectively communicate in both individual and group settings. Must be able to present information and respond to questions from individuals and/or groups including residents, employees, managers, and the general public.

Mathematical Skills                 
In order to perform duties, must be able to:

1. Add, subtract, multiply, and divide all units of measure such as whole numbers, fractions, percentages, and fractions.  
2. Compute rate, discounts, ratios, and percent.
3. Make, read, and interpret financials, graphs, rates, ratios, and percentages.

Reasoning Ability
Ability to apply common sense and judgment in solving problems and interpreting and understanding instructions furnished in written or oral form.  Must be able to make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action, yet reason when to involve supervisor.   

Computer Skills 
Basic computer knowledge with the ability to learn software. 

Other Skills and Abilities

1. Display strong organizational skills with ability to prioritize multiple tasks and deal with frequent interruptions. 
2. Basic office skills such as phone skills, voicemail, copying, faxing, typing, and directing visitors. 
3. Ability to function independently given assigned duties. 
4. Able to lead problem solving and troubleshooting efforts associated with high-level process issues. 
5. Ability to motivate, train and coach employees to encourage optimum performance and engagement. 
6. Good planning and priority setting skills. 
7. Ability to work well with others in fast paced, dynamic environment. 
8. Ability to be respectful, approachable and team oriented while building strong working relationships and a positive work environment. 
9. Ability to work in varying production environments (heat and cold). 
10. May be required to work long hours and weekends. 
11. Ability to provide leadership and guidance to employees on the Production Floor.

Physical Demands and Work Environment
The work environment characteristics & physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

The plant environment will include wet or humid conditions (non-weather related), extreme cold and heat (non-weather related), working near moving mechanical parts, exposure to fumes or airborne particles, and chemicals. Noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but can be loud when in the production area. The employee must frequently lift/carry/move up to 25 pounds and occasionally up to 50 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision and ability to adjust focus. Frequently 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.

We offer a competitive benefits package which includes:

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Company matching Retirement Plan
• Paid time off
• Short term and long term disability
• Referral program
• Flexible Spending and Health Savings Plans

Wholestone Farms is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, gender, gender orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.