Careers

Position Summary

The Operations Manager at Johnny's Selected Seeds is not just about driving activities and managing departments. It's about leading a team of supervisors to minimize costs and improve operational efficiency, safety, quality, and customer experience, all while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Equally important is the role of maintaining positive employee relations while driving significant change. This position will also give you the opportunity to manage multiple departments, including receiving, seed packing, inventory, warehouse, shipping, and Johnny's local customer pickup.

Responsibilities

• Direct and manage department operations through the receipt, storage, seed packing, and fulfillment of all web, phone, and pickup orders to facilitate same-day shipping.
• Play a crucial role in maintaining optimal staffing levels, a critical factor in ensuring that production SLAs & KPI targets are consistently met or exceeded.
• Passion for creating and promoting improvements for a safe, productive, and positive work environment. Demonstrate commitment and dedication to enhancing employee productivity and satisfaction and inspire them to perform at their best.
• Coordinating the daily workflow between departments. This is a key aspect of your managerial role, ensuring smooth operations and efficient use of resources.
• Evaluate department unit capacity, skills, and resource alignment to meet objectives.
• Support and manage employee relations and engagement by communicating, coaching, counseling, training and/or cross-training, while partnering with Director of Operations and/or Human Resources.
• Ability to identify, coach, train, and promote supervisors and team leads for career advancement. This role is not just about managing operations but also about shaping the future of our team, providing you with a platform for personal growth and professional development.
• Provide support for the team to solve day-to-day operational issues and achieve both short-term and long-term goals. This inspires the team to perform at their best and underscores the department manager's role in shaping the future of our operations.
• Lead the realignment and work redesign efforts as necessary to provide operational excellence.
• Maintain a strong partnership with Quality, Purchasing, Planning, Transportation, Maintenance and Information Technology teams to support continuous improvement projects.
• Record, monitor, and communicate daily reporting of KPIs for each department.
• Assist in budget development of the departments under his/her direct report.
• Promote a Change Management approach to prepare, support, and help individuals and teams transition with adopting new processes and technologies.
• Manage the flow of merchandise through the distribution center to maximize space efficiency.
• This position may require occasional off-shift and seasonal weekend support.

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required, preferably in operations management
• Ability to manage multiple projects of varying priorities simultaneously
• Working knowledge of budgets, financial statements, labor planning
• Background with manufacturing methods, process improvement programs, and SOPs
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, Teams)
• Strong leadership, problem-solving, organizational and planning skills
• Prior WMS experience and fluency with timekeeping systems
• A dedicated team player committed to collaborating with all departments

Physical Requirements

• Regular and predictable attendance at the worksite and on the production floor
• Ability to sit in front of a computer for up to 3 hours at a time
• This role may operate forklift and manufacturing equipment occasionally
• Ability to lift and/or carry up to 40lbs occasionally throughout the workday
• Ability to bend, crouch, and kneel occasionally
• Ability to grasp, and use fine motor skills

Benefits

• Customary Health/Dental/Vision Insurance
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan & Profit Sharing
• 401(k)
• Employee Discount
• Maternity/Paternity/Adoption & Foster Care Leave
• Company Paid STD/LTD
• Paid Time Off
• Educational Assistance

JOHNNY’S SELECTED SEEDS was established in 1973 by our Founder, Rob Johnston, Jr. Today we are 100% Employee Owned. Johnny’s mission is Helping families, friends, and communities to feed one another by providing superior seeds, tools, information, and service.

Johnny’s is renowned for our exceptional customer service offering seeds, tools, supplies and information to direct-market growers and avid home gardeners. We source, breed, trial, and sell outstanding selected varieties of vegetables, cut flowers, herbs, and farm seed, as well as thoughtfully designed tools and equipment. We take pride in the wealth of information and depth of experience we offer our customer base, nationwide and globally.

We are a strong, stable company focused on growth while still maintaining our small company feel and staying true to our roots. Beautiful Central Maine, where our research farm, warehouse, and offices are located, is the perfect launching point for an active, four-season lifestyle. Geographically situated halfway between Maine’s mountains and its 4500-mile-long coastline, we’re a short drive away from resorts, parks, and harbors renowned for a rich diversity of recreational and cultural opportunities.

If you are passionate about good, healthy food and would choose to work for a company with fellow co-owners who are passionate about our mission and values, Johnny’s may be the place for you!

Johnny’s Selected Seeds is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against otherwise qualified applicants on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, age, sex, marital status, national origin, disability or handicap, or veteran status.

06/07/2024