Job Description
Job Description
ABOUT UDA:
UDA is a local, family-owned, dairy cooperative committed to serve the needs of our members, community, and customers by providing high quality milk and dairy products. As the only milk marketing co-op in the state, UDA oversees the production, processing, and marketing of Arizona’s finest milk products from farm to Retail in 48 hours or less. From sweet cream and butter to non-fat dry milk, UDA provides milk products to manufactures and supermarket chains throughout the Grand Canyon State.
Our motto at UDA is “United in Excellence.” The dairy industry’s success isn’t built on one dairy or brand, it’s built on the community as a whole - this includes our amazing employees. When you join UDA, you’re not just joining a business, you’re joining a family. Since 1960 UDA has been headquartered, operated, and managed in Arizona. We strive to provide our employees with rewarding career opportunities aimed at long-term stability, growth, and advancement. We put our heart and soul into our products and value our team who show up, every day and do the work.
Job Summary/Objective
As a Production Supervisor, this role will lead a high-performing production team in a state-of-the-art dairy manufacturing facility. As Production Supervisor, you'll drive operational excellence by managing and developing a team of production employees while ensuring safety, quality, and efficiency standards. This leadership role offers the opportunity to mentor and coach team members, influence process improvements, and directly impact daily production goals in a dynamic manufacturing environment. You'll serve as a key leader on the production floor, collaborating cross-functionally to solve complex challenges and drive continuous improvement initiatives
Schedule - 6 p.m. - 6 a.m. and a rotating 2-2-3 schedule
Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:
- Lead and motivate a team of production employees through effective scheduling, work assignment, and clear communication
- Coach, mentor, and develop team members, providing ongoing performance feedback and career development opportunities
- Build problem-solving capabilities within your team through hands-on training and guidance
- Lead daily shift meetings and informal communications to drive team awareness, engagement, and performance
- Train, coach, and develop team members for technical and leadership growth
- Administer discipline and resolve employee concerns fairly and consistently in partnership with HR and management
- Ensure accurate timekeeping, attendance, and performance evaluations for all direct reports
- Drive operational excellence by monitoring all dairy production processes (milk unloading, pasteurization, separation, evaporation, drying, membranes, butter making, product loadout, etc.) to ensure that plant production and quality standards are met
- Ensure production targets are met and that the production process flows smoothly, and daily production goals are achieved
- Lead cross-functional collaboration with Maintenance, Quality, and other departments to resolve issues and improve operations
- Champion continuous improvement initiatives to reduce costs and improve efficiency
- Monitor, reduce, and control operational costs (e.g., chemical usage, overtime, downtime)
- At times step in for the Production and Quality supervisors to carry out operations for the shift
- Actively promote safe work behaviors and hold self and others accountable to safety standards; conduct incident investigations and ensure timely reporting
- Ensure compliance with all GMP, HACCP, food safety, and quality policies and procedures
- Maintain an "inspection-ready" facility by enforcing cleanliness and sanitation standards
- Ensure all compliance and safety training is completed for all employees
- Troubleshoot process and equipment issues and coach employees to build problem-solving capability
- Maintain inventory of assigned supplies and perform daily product inventory counts
*Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Qualifications:
General Skills & Abilitiesneeded to complete job successfully:
- Ability to operate equipment.
- Must be able to work 12-hour shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays as required.
- Excellent organizational and time management skills.
- Strong problem-solving skills.
- Ability to lead people to attain results.
- Knowledge of and ability to execute good manufacturing practices.
- Requires ability to read, hear, speak, comprehend and carry out verbal and written instructions including Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
- Ability to maintain a strong commitment to Safety and Safety initiatives.
- Knowledge of manufacturing process flow and importance to process
- Knowledge of continuous improvement models
- Knowledge of and skill with Microsoft Office Suite and company computer systems
- Knowledge of principles and practices of supervision, training, and personnel management
- Able to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing
- Able to work in collaboration effectively and foster good teamwork
- Able to interact positively and work effectively with others (interpersonal skills)
- Able to think and use independent judgment in planning and organizing multiple tasks and information
- Able to demonstrate initiative and follow through on day-to-day responsibilities
Experience: (required)
- A minimum of 3 years' experience in a leadership role
- 5 years' experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably food and/or beverage manufacturing
- Demonstrated leadership aptitude, team lead experience, or supervisory experience
- Computer proficiency with MS Excel, Word, and Outlook.
Experience: (preferred)
- Knowledge of all processing equipment including milk unloading, product load out, pasteurization, separation, evaporation, drying, membranes, butter making, and cheese making processes. Knowledge of food manufacturing processes related to dairy manufacturing.
- Forklift Certification or previous experience