Plant Manager

About the Company

Farm Girl is a Canadian food and beverage brand that develops better-for-you products for retail distribution. With manufacturing demand increasing, the business is strengthening its operating model with an emphasis on efficiency, safety, and team effectiveness across the production facility.

Role Summary

The Plant Manager will take ownership of overall plant operations and play a key role in enabling Production Supervisors to run day-to-day manufacturing activity successfully. This is a practical, floor-focused leadership position in a high-speed, regulated food manufacturing setting.

The role is accountable for operational performance, workforce productivity, and adherence to all relevant Canadian and Ontario requirements, while fostering a culture built on accountability and safe working practices.

Operations Leadership and Execution

The position involves directing daily plant activity, making sure output goals, quality expectations, and shipping timelines are achieved. The Plant Manager will convert production plans into workable schedules in close partnership with Production Supervisors, track core performance metrics such as labour efficiency, downtime, waste, and throughput, and lead improvement efforts that raise productivity and lower operating costs.

Supervisor Leadership and Development

This role is responsible for guiding, coaching, and developing Production Supervisors who oversee frontline execution. The Plant Manager will set clear expectations, establish performance standards, support problem-solving and people leadership, and maintain consistent communication across shifts.

Health, Safety, and Regulatory Compliance

The Plant Manager must ensure compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and all other applicable regulations. The role includes working closely with the HR Manager or safety lead, supporting the Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC), reinforcing safe work habits, and ensuring hazards, incidents, and corrective actions are addressed promptly on the production floor.

Quality and Food Safety

In partnership with QA, the Plant Manager will help maintain product quality, consistency, and traceability while ensuring adherence to GMP, HACCP, and other food safety requirements. The role also includes supporting audits, inspections, and ongoing quality-system improvement.

Workforce and Labour Management

The Plant Manager will oversee staffing plans, labour requirements, and shift structures to align with production demand. Responsibilities include ensuring compliance with the Ontario Employment Standards Act (ESA) for working hours, overtime, and breaks, supporting supervisors with attendance and employee relations matters alongside HR, and helping sustain a respectful and high-performance workplace.

Inventory, Maintenance, and Supply Chain Coordination

This role works cross-functionally with procurement, planning, and logistics to keep materials available and production moving without interruption. The Plant Manager will also monitor equipment performance, coordinate preventive maintenance with maintenance teams, and reduce downtime through proactive planning.

Continuous Improvement and Scale-Up

The position requires identifying and implementing process enhancements, including lean manufacturing practices. The Plant Manager will support new product introductions, assist with production line scale-up, and help build systems that support long-term growth.

Qualifications

Applicants should bring at least 7 years of manufacturing operations experience, ideally in food or consumer packaged goods environments, along with 3 or more years in a leadership position managing supervisors or frontline leaders. Strong knowledge of Canadian manufacturing regulations, including OHSA and ESA, is required. Candidates should also have experience running production in a shift-based, fast-moving environment. Experience with continuous improvement tools such as Lean is expected, and Six Sigma experience is considered an asset.

Preferred Background

Additional strength in food or beverage manufacturing, especially in environments governed by GMP and HACCP, is preferred. Familiarity with JHSC processes and safety-program oversight, as well as experience scaling operations in a growing organization, will be beneficial.

Key Competencies

The ideal candidate is highly visible on the production floor and leads with a hands-on style. Strong coaching ability, sound operational discipline, data-based decision-making, and the ability to manage speed, quality, and safety at the same time are important. A proactive, practical, and solution-focused approach is essential.

Why This Role

This is an opportunity to join a growing Canadian brand at a pivotal stage of manufacturing expansion. The Plant Manager will help shape plant performance, influence team culture, collaborate with cross-functional partners, and build the processes that support future growth.

Additional Information

Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Employment type: full-time, onsite. Compensation was not specified.