Production Superintendent (Beef)

The Production Superintendent - Harvest Operations is responsible for leading, directing, and optimizing all activities on the beef harvesting floor. This role ensures efficient production, regulatory compliance, worker safety, animal welfare, and product quality. The Superintendent oversees daily operations, drives continuous improvement, manages a diverse workforce, and partners with cross-functional teams to achieve plant goals related to yields, throughput, cost management, and customer specifications.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Oversee all beef harvesting and slaughter floor operations, ensuring consistent execution of standard operating procedures (SOPs).

• Manage daily production goals including line speed, staffing levels, product yields, and downtime mitigation.

• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and implement corrective actions to ensure targets are met or exceeded.

Compliance & Food Safety

• Ensure strict adherence to USDA regulations, HACCP programs, SSOPs, GMPs, and company food safety policies.

• Partner with QA/Food Safety teams to address non-conformances, perform root-cause analysis, and maintain audit readiness.

• Support humane handling practices and ensure compliance with all animal welfare standards.

People Leadership

• Supervise and develop frontline supervisors, trainers, and hourly team members across the harvest department.

• Conduct coaching, performance evaluations, and disciplinary actions as required.

• Promote a culture of teamwork, accountability, and high performance.

Safety & Animal Welfare

• Ensure all safety protocols are followed; champion a proactive safety culture.

• Collaborate with Safety and HR teams to reduce incidents, manage training, and conduct investigations.

• Oversee humane livestock handling, stunning, and slaughter procedures in accordance with regulatory and ethical standards.

Continuous Improvement & Process Optimization

• Identify opportunities to improve yields, reduce waste, and lower operating costs.

• Lead and participate in projects involving Lean manufacturing, process improvement, and equipment optimization.

• Engage with maintenance teams to reduce downtime and support preventive maintenance planning.

Communication & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with fabrication, maintenance, livestock, sanitation, QA, and scheduling departments to maintain smooth plant operations.

• Communicate production status, challenges, and successes to leadership.

• Support training and implementation of new technologies, equipment, and processes.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Animal Science, Meat Science, Agriculture, Operations Management, or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.

• 5+ years of beef processing experience, with at least 3 years in a supervisory/leadership role.

• Strong proficiency in beef harvesting operations, including slaughter, hide removal, evisceration, food safety checkpoints, and humane handling.

Technical Skills

• Deep knowledge of USDA regulations, HACCP, GMPs, SSOPs, and animal welfare requirements.

• Understanding of meat industry safety standards and hazard controls.

• Experience with production scheduling, labor planning, and KPIs such as yield optimization.

• Proficient with production reporting systems; ability to interpret data and drive decision-making.

Leadership & Soft Skills

• Strong leadership and team-building skills with the ability to motivate and guide a diverse workforce.

• Excellent communication, conflict resolution, and decision-making skills.

• Ability to manage high-pressure, fast-paced environments.

• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to implement sustainable solutions.

Physical & Work Environment Requirements

• Ability to work in cold/hot, fast-paced, and physically demanding environments.

• Standing, walking, or moving for extended periods.

• Flexibility to work extended hours, weekends, or shifts as needed.