Vice President of Operations

Nichols Farms is one of the top processors of pistachios in the United States. For more than three decades, Nichols Farms has maintained superior quality and exceptional service in supplying pistachio and almond products to major retail and wholesale clients domestically and internationally. Nichols Farms maintains a state-of-the-art processing facility at their corporate headquarters in Hanford, California, employing over 400 employees. Join the Nichols Farms Team in their objective of continued growth. Nichols Farms possesses a strong employee-oriented environment dedicated to training and growth of team members.

The Nichols Farms Mission and Vision supports a culture of striving for mutual success of our employees, suppliers, and customers through operational excellence and educational development.

POSITION SUMMARY :

The Vice President of Operations is a hands-on position that will provide strategic and tactical leadership and oversight to the operational functions of the organization. The VP of Operations' direct reports will include three Operations Directors, the Director of Quality & Food Safety, and the EH&S Manager. Reporting to the President, the VP of Operations will be an accomplished leader with proven experience in building, managing, and scaling a high-performing operations organization. This enthusiastic leader will work to ensure that the team is working effectively, putting in place the discipline and rigor necessary for high performance, and developing a comprehensive strategy that will facilitate growth and profitability. The VP of Operations is responsible for driving operational excellence, optimizing processes, ensuring efficiency, delivering exceptional results, and directing their staff. This role requires strong leadership, business acumen, and the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams to achieve the organization's goals. This role is expected to develop individuals and teams to solve operational deficiencies and motivate team members to achieve performance targets. Candidates must be a strategic partner with a strong work ethic and an unfaltering determination to excel in a fast-paced environment, and a desire to gain tremendous personal and professional growth. As an executive leader within the organization, the ideal candidate will share a passion for generating the highest returns possible while being a significant contributor to the long-term success of Nichols Pistachio and our people.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

• Develop, implement, and monitor annual goals and objectives for the Operations organization that support the accomplishment of strategic and financial objectives for the company.
• Establish operational standards and metrics for cost control, waste reduction, product quality, food safety, order fulfillment, employee relations, and performance efficiencies.
• Evaluate and optimize operational processes, workflows, and procedures to enhance efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction.
• Implement and utilize systems that reflect accurate and timely data for optimum decision-making and reporting.
• Establish performance metrics, key performance indicators (KPIs), and operational targets - monitor and analyze performance data, identify areas for improvement, and implement strategies to drive performance excellence.
• Implement process improvement initiatives and leverage best practices to drive continuous improvement.
• Create and support an environment rich with quantitative, analysis-based decision-making.

LEADERSHIP

FINANCIAL ACUMEN

COLLABORATION / TEAM DEVELOPMENT

JOB COMPETENCIES :

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE :

Excellent organizational skills, ability to prioritize tasks and meet constant deadlines with strong attention to detail and quality control.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS and WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, walk, stand for periods of time at workstation, climb stairs at high heights. Ability to work and reach with hands and arms. The employee must frequently lift and / or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and / or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision and depth perception. Ability to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) as designated by the company. Primary work environment will be in an office setting. Some work includes being inside the plant manufacturing environment which may include high levels of noise, working outside where the environment includes exposure to hot, cold, and inclement weather.

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

This job description is intended to provide guidelines for job expectations and the employee's ability to perform the position described. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. This document does not represent a contract of employment, and the Company reserves the right to change this job description and / or assign tasks for the employee to perform, as the Company may deem appropriate.

EOE / M / F / D / V