Operations Manager, Livestock & Upcycling at Wekplace

Job Summary

• We are looking for a self-driven, goal-oriented, practical problem solver, and hardworking Operations manager to lead the operations of the production (livestock) department of our exciting new venture with a strong social and environmental impact.
• The primary role of the Operations Manager is to forecast, plan, execute, and ensure the efficient farming and maintenance of the facility and fixtures at all times as the leader of a multidisciplinary team. In addition, the chosen candidate should have an operational mindset and the ability to conceive, design, and see projects through to completion.
• The role also requires being capable of evolving to advanced analysis, business mindset, negotiations, and working knowledge of general machinery or processing equipment with the ability to acquire resources and service persons for varying works.
• As a dynamic and growing company currently, at a rapid growth stage, our ideal candidate should be comfortable working in an agile environment but assertive enough to command and see to the timely achievement of the department’s targets, doing so with a resilient and strategic plan and spirit.

The manager will be responsible for:

• Drawing up production plans at various scales and budgets - for current and future sites of operation
• Professionally manage and develop good relationships with suppliers, partners, and contractors (regular and ad-hoc)
• Coordinate with the sales team to plan and strategize on future demand and production plans to meet sales targets and strategies.
• Responsible for stabilizing and scaling up production according to timelines and budget.
• Complete ownership for COGS of livestock.
• Explore, develop, and market opportunities for the company’s farm waste.
• Conduct financial, environmental, and operational analyses to predict the impact of changes in the colony, on the COGS, the output, and the social & environmental impact of the farm. 
• Develop an intimate understanding of the biological & operational drivers of minimizing COGS and developing plans for optimization
• Professional leadership and development of direct reports and the production team as a whole.
• Monitoring and diagnosing the performance and health of the farm team and team and putting in measures to ensure the highest performing standards and conditions are maintained.
• Account for and oversee the repairs and maintenance of the equipment and machinery in the facility.
• Manage vendors and suppliers and lead negotiations on behalf of the company in an honest, transparent, and fair manner.
• Ensure the smooth running of the facility every day for all days of the week.
• Lead and strategize production process improvements and efficiency and safety drives of the department internally and externally with a team of consultants or experts.
• Work with engineers, architects, researchers, and artisans to conceptualize industrial-scale farming
• Work with data & research teams to drive the success of the farm for its current and future state.
• Identify and implement ways to optimize labor
• Perform tasks and projects assigned by the CEO of the company.
• The manager will be expected to deliver on these duties with the objectives of cost efficiency, environmental sustainability, technological advancement, and sustained growth.
• The ideal candidate must have flexibility with their work schedule including working on weekends and holidays and be reachable to the team even when off duty for times of emergencies.

Qualifications

• The ideal candidate's experience and proven track record would be weighed above educational background or level (Qualified by experience), however, the following specific qualities are desired.
• At least a first degree in Project management, agriculture, business management, mechanical engineering, or related fields of business management or production management.
• At least 3 years of experience in a related managerial role in a production industry involving live inputs or outputs.
• Previous experience in managing a production system with various levels or types of environments and demands such as a fish farm or agro-processing.
• Strong analytical skills in modeling, simulations, and predictive planning
• Proven Experience in conceptualizing solutions to a problem and implementing successful solutions to identified problems
• Self-driven and motivated independent individual capable of making the right judgment calls
• Proven experience in crisis management in a production system.
• A strong sense of responsibility and accountability for collective actions, decisions, and outcomes of the team.
• Strong communication skills to lead, negotiate and communicate empathically and technically to varying audiences and cultural backgrounds.
• Strong moral and ethical standards to lead above reproach and inspire trust.
• Ability to manipulate data and assimilate information from large data sets as well as build systems to estimate and track relevant key indicators of interest.

Additional Assets (optional but increase the strength of candidacy):

• Six Sigma
• Project Management certification
• Advanced Excel modeling skills
• Deep understanding of mechanical and electrical engineering
• Facilities or building management experience