About Us: 

The Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) – established in 1916 – is a dairy farmer-owned and operated milk marketing cooperative and dairy processor. As the 10th largest dairy cooperative in the U.S., MMPA serves dairy farmers throughout Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana, employing approximately 625 people in four states. In addition to a cheese plant in Indiana called the Middlebury Cheese Company, and a dairy product plant in Ohio called Superior Dairy, MMPA operates two SQF Level 3 dairy ingredient plants in Michigan. Products made at MMPA’s plants include fluid milk, cheese, ultra-filtered milk, ice cream, butter, nonfat dry milk, cream, and condensed skim milk.

 Why you’ll love working here:

• Competitive salary
• Health and wellness benefits with medical coverage through Blue Cross Blue Shield, including mental health benefits
• Disability insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement including 401k with employer contributions
• Personal and professional growth opportunities
• Employee appreciation events and recognition awards
• Employee wellness initiatives
• Employee feedback and suggestion forums 

 POSITION SUMMARY: 

Responsible for supervising a team of production employees. This position plans and assigns work, implements policies and procedures, and recommends improvements in production methods, equipment, operating procedures, and working conditions.

 RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Plan and organize available resources (employees, materials, time, equipment) to best meet shift production, quality, and safety goals. Monitors and adapts plans throughout the shift as needed. 
• Develop, coach, and counsel employees to ensure a motivated and competent workforce on the shift. 
• Work cooperatively with other production supervisors to ensure effective shift-to-shift transitions and to minimize disruption due to unplanned absences. This includes conducting a pre-shift briefing with the supervisors to be relieved, completing shift notes for the current shift, and briefing the incoming supervisor when done for the shift. 
• Keeps other Departments within the organization informed of the status of work items. 
• Continually develops a stronger understanding of the operation of our milk balancing plant to include equipment operations, workflow, and labor contract features. This includes developing hands-on familiarity with operating processing equipment and the ability to update the production plan. 
• Evaluate and maintain the effective application of the SQF plan to ensure product quality. 
• Evaluate and maintain the effective application of the MMPA Safety System to ensure worker and workplace safety. 
• Evaluate and maintain the effective application of the FSMA plan to ensure manufactured products are safe from contamination. 
• Maintain the plant’s manufacturing equipment in sanitary condition (ensure employees clean and sanitize tanks and pipe routings, hook up and load / unload raw/finished material delivery tankers, and clean work areas according to plant SSOPs to assure the quality of the manufactured product. 
• Inspect facility (production, warehouse, grounds) to assure adherence to safety and operating policies and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) using Company policies and procedures. 
• Coordinate changes in production staffing and/or processes to ensure communication of proper manufacturing. 
• Ensure regulatory compliance is achieved daily. 
• Evaluate leadership, direction, and coaching skills to achieve work objectives and improve performance skills. 
• Take action to improve one’s own knowledge and skills. 
• Coordinate work efforts of others to ensure completion of work against expectations. 
• Ensure priorities are handled effectively by modifying plans and actions in your own area of accountability. 
• Provide feedback to others to enhance their job performance. 
• Ensure consistency and compliance of policies, procedures, and standards to ensure consistent guidance and direction. 
• Communicate with peers and superiors to exchange feedback on product/service issues and to solve problems. 
• Identify ways to reduce costs and increase profit. 
• Enhance and sustain the performance of others; plan and support the contributions of individuals and the development of their skills and abilities so they can fulfill current or future job role responsibilities more effectively. 
• Provide Feedback; objectively observe, analyze, and share the perception of other people’s performance to reinforce or redirect behavior to improve performance results. Provide feedback that is timely, specific, behavioral, balanced, and constructive. 
• Plan and organize; establish a course of action for self and others that ensure work is completed efficiently considering the strategies and goals of the plant. 
• Practice uniformity: leverage the capabilities, insights, and ideas of all individuals hold self and others accountable for developing and maintaining an environment that enables full participation and development of all backgrounds, cultures, styles, and views; create opportunities and a competitive advantage. 
• Coach, support and enforce plant work rules constantly. 

 EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE: 

• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university; or five plus years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. 
• 3 years minimum of supervisory experience. 

Functional Competencies needed: 

• Strong organizational and communication skills 
• Solid analytical skills 
• Strong planning and organization 
• Demonstrated initiative and desire to learn about the dairy industry 
• Self-Directing 
• Independent thinker 
• Aptitude for gaining knowledge 
• Ability to foster knowledge exchange within and with other departments 
• Collaborative communication approach 
• Requires a resourceful and direct management style, must ask questions, and seek resolution. 
• Utilize sound judgment 
• Ability to disseminate knowledge to other employees for the good of the coop 
• Working knowledge of Excel and Word along with an ability to quickly pick up computer-based logistics, sales, and inventory systems. 

Managerial Competencies and Personal Skills/Attributes needed: 

• Committed to achieving our mission through the leadership and guidance of a team. 
• Challenged individuals with open and new ideas. 
• Drive change with a positive attitude 
• Leads by example 
• Interact with all levels and show empathy 
• Develop an authentic relationship 
• Shows value for different opinions, shows flexibility to different opinions 
• Shows interest in learning and sharing with others. 
• Learns and interacts positively with the environment 
• Willing to act in a changing environment. 
• Analytical and problem-solution-oriented mindset 
• Shows a passion for growth and development within a team. 

 Other Requirements: 

The job requires individuals to monitor all aspects of the operation, often requiring inspection of hard-to-reach areas where the candidate may have to climb, balance, kneel, crouch, and crawl. Pipe connections sometimes require the individual to reach above the shoulders. On occasion, an individual may be required to lift and/or move 50-pound components or finished products manually or with a powered industrial lift (PIT). Communication and listening skills are a must.

This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive list of responsibilities that are required of the role. Responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice. 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each responsibility satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the responsibilities.

 This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive list of responsibilities that are required of the role. Responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice.

 MMPA provides the opportunity for meaningful work that makes a difference in the dairy industry and in our communities. The diverse talents and perspectives of our employees help us to meet the needs of our member farms and the customers we serve.

 MMPA is an equal opportunity employer.