Harvest Supervisor

Position Summary

The Harvest Supervisor is responsible for leading daily harvest operations to achieve the highest levels of productivity, quality, food safety, and cost efficiency while ensuring compliance with customer specifications and regulatory requirements. This position oversees production employees, promotes a safe work environment, ensures USDA inspection readiness, and maintains efficient production flow while supporting company objectives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The essential duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Supervise daily harvest operations to meet production, quality, yield, and efficiency goals.
• Ensure all production procedures are followed while maintaining customer specifications and food safety standards.
• Monitor production performance and implement corrective actions to improve productivity, quality, and yields.
• Ensure all workstations pass USDA inspections before production begins.
• Maintain compliance with USDA regulations, HACCP, SSOP, SOP, GMP, SQF, and all company food safety programs.
• Conduct pre-operational inspections of the harvest area.
• Coordinate maintenance needs by submitting work orders and ensuring equipment is operating properly.
• Ensure production areas are properly staffed to meet operational requirements.
• Coordinate employee assignments, job rotations, and staffing adjustments to minimize downtime and absenteeism.
• Coach, train, and develop team members to improve performance and maintain operating standards.
• Monitor product quality throughout the harvest process and implement corrective actions as necessary.
• Reduce product waste by maximizing yields and minimizing product sent to inedible.
• Promote employee engagement, retention, and a positive work environment.
• Maintain effective working relationships with production employees, maintenance, USDA inspectors, and other departments.
• Ensure accurate product coding, labeling, and shipment preparation.
• Enforce company safety policies and promote a culture of workplace safety.
• Assist with continuous improvement initiatives that reduce costs and improve operational performance.
• Be knowledgeable in all areas of the Harvest Department and provide supervisory support throughout the department as operational needs require.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly supervises assigned Harvest production employees.
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with company policies and applicable laws.
• Responsibilities include interviewing, training, scheduling, coaching, performance management, disciplinary action, and employee development.

Education and Experience

• Associate degree in Agriculture, Business, Food Science, Manufacturing, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of three (3) years of harvest or meat processing production experience.
• Previous supervisory or leadership experience preferred.
• Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.

Required Competencies

Leadership

• Leads by example while promoting accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Coaches employees to achieve production and quality expectations.

Analytical Skills

• Collects and analyzes production data to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Uses data and experience to make sound operational decisions.

Problem Solving

• Identifies operational issues and implements timely, effective solutions.
• Exercises sound judgment under pressure.

Job Knowledge

• Demonstrates strong understanding of harvest operations, food safety, quality systems, and production processes.
• Keeps current with regulatory and industry requirements.

Teamwork

• Builds positive working relationships across departments.
• Encourages collaboration and supports organizational goals.

Business Acumen

• Understands the financial impact of operational decisions.
• Focuses on maximizing productivity while controlling costs.

Safety

• Promotes a safe work environment by enforcing safety procedures and identifying hazards.
• Ensures employees properly use equipment and follow safety policies.

Qualifications

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

Language Skills

• Ability to read and interpret safety rules, operating instructions, production procedures, and technical documents.
• Ability to write routine reports, production documentation, and correspondence.
• Ability to communicate effectively with employees, supervisors, USDA personnel, and management.

Reasoning Ability

• Ability to solve practical problems involving multiple variables.
• Ability to interpret written, oral, diagram, and schedule-based instructions.
• Ability to make sound decisions in a fast-paced production environment.

Computer Skills

Proficiency with:

• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)
• Production reporting systems
• Timekeeping and scheduling software
• Other company software applications as required

Physical Demands

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to:

• Stand for extended periods.
• Use hands to handle, grasp, and manipulate objects.
• Reach with hands and arms.
• Communicate verbally and hear effectively.
• Occasionally walk, sit, bend, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Possess close, distance, color, peripheral, and depth vision with the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described are representative of those encountered while performing the essential functions of this position.

Employees are frequently exposed to:

• Wet and humid conditions
• Moving mechanical equipment
• Cold and refrigerated production environments
• Occasional exposure to elevated work areas
• Loud noise levels
• Fast-paced manufacturing conditions

Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is required at all times in designated production areas.

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Short Term & Long Term Disability