THE ROLE
Gotham Greens is seeking a passionate, driven, and hardworking Plant Manager for our Chicago Greenhouse Facilities. This person will be a key team member, contributing to our exciting vision for the Chicago region. Gotham Greens is creating new ways to farm, produce local food, revitalize communities and innovate for a sustainable future. As we grow our company and our footprint. This is a hands-on visible position requiring direct oversight of labor-management, production process, packaging, receiving, and distribution. This role reports to the Director of Operations.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
- Manages day-to-day operations of plant performance, product and packing quality, inventory control, cost, maintain budgets and KPI targets, productivity, distribution, maintenance, food, and employee safety.
- Ensures ongoing facility compliance with company quality, sanitation, and Food Safety standards.
- Implements and maintains standardized procedures and protocols for staff training and management, inventory distribution and logistics, sanitation, overall safety of the facility and its personnel, and compliance to the Food Safety Plan.
- Oversees Assistant Plant Manager, Greenhouse Supervisor, Pack House Supervisor, Maintenance Supervisor, and Production Assistants.
- Collaborates with the Growing team to operate a productive and cost-effective Greenhouse facility, organizes shift schedules with the Growing team, and coordinates purchasing.
- Partners with the Facilities team to identify structural and maintenance-related areas of concern arranges repairs and negotiates related costs. Ensures resolutions occur timely.
- Evaluates current procedures and practices for accomplishing department objectives; develops and implements improved procedures and practices.
- Gives work direction, resolves problems, and sets deadlines to ensure timely completion of daily tasks
- Monitors and analyzes costs, prepare and/or maintain budgets, and has direct oversight of the Greenhouse P&L.
- Maintains and reviews quality reports/statistics to ensure consistent, quality finished goods.
- Communicates with Sales and Marketing to support continued company growth.
- Promotes a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality.
- Mentors and develops staff using a supportive and collaborative approach; assign accountabilities; sets objectives; establish priorities; develops succession plans and monitors and evaluates results.
- Complies with established State and Federal Regulations, Environmental, OSHA, and Safety programs.
WHO YOU ARE
- 8+ years of relevant related experience in plant operations or manufacturing with proven success.
- Advanced degree in a related field.
- Strong mentoring, coaching experience to a team with diverse levels of expertise.
- Entrepreneurial team player who can multitask and roll up their sleeves.
- Superior management skills; ability to influence and engage direct and indirect reports and peers.
- Successful leadership in early stage startups or other rapid growth environments.
- Experience working with ERP systems, material handling suppliers, trucking and logistics, and contract negations.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and negotiating abilities.
- Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal skills, high attention to detail; highly organized, and passionate commitment to the company vision.
- Appreciation to principles of sustainable agriculture and food and experience in specialty food, agriculture, natural and organic CPG a plus.
- Strong knowledge of MS Office.
- Adjusts to changing conditions and willingness to works off-shift, holidays, and weekends as needed. Understands and complies with company policies.
- Bilingual preferable, but not required.
WHO WE ARE
Gotham Greens is an indoor farming company and a fresh food brand on a mission to transform the way we approach our food system, putting people and the planet at the forefront. Gotham Greens produces and delivers long-lasting and delicious leafy greens, herbs, salad dressings, dips, and cooking sauces all year round to retail, restaurant, and foodservice customers.
A Certified B Corporation™, Gotham Greens sustainably grows high-quality produce using up to 90% less water and 97% less land than conventional farming through its national network of climate-controlled, high-tech greenhouses across America, including locations in New York, Illinois, Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia, Colorado, and California.
Since its launch in 2011, Gotham Greens has grown from a single urban rooftop greenhouse in Brooklyn, N.Y., to one of the largest hydroponic leafy green producers in North America. For more information, visit gothamgreens.com.
