Assistant Operations Manager

The ASR Group® family of companies make up the world’s largest refiner and marketer of cane sugar. The companies produce a full line of grocery, industrial, foodservice and specialty sweetener products. Across North America, ASR Group® companies operate five sugar refineries, located in California, Maryland, Louisiana, Canada and Mexico. In Europe, ASR Group® companies operate sugar refineries in the United Kingdom, Portugal, and, with a joint venture partner, Italy. The companies also farm sugarcane and own sugar mills in Mexico and Belize. The ASR Group® portfolio includes the leading brands Domino®, C&H®, Florida Crystals®, Redpath®, Tate & Lyle®, Lyle's®, Sidul® and Whitworths®.  ASR Group® companies also produce and market Tellus®, a single-use, compostable tableware and foodservice product made from plant fibers, including sugarcane.

OVERVIEW

The Assistant Operations Manager - Packaging Operations is a highly driven manufacturing leader responsible for stabilizing daily execution, strengthening operational discipline, and supporting performance recovery in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment. This role extends beyond traditional supervisory responsibilities and serves as a tactical leader focused on operational stabilization, accountability, and cross-shift consistency. The successful candidate maintains a strong presence on the production floor, drives structured communication, and supports supervisors in real-time decision-making to close performance gaps and reinforce safety, quality, and performance standards across all shifts.

DETAILED ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide visible, hands-on leadership on the production floor to support daily packaging operations and reinforce execution standards.
• Stabilize underperforming or high-downtime operations by identifying gaps, driving corrective actions, and maintaining urgency around issue resolution.
• Strengthen accountability and alignment among front-line supervisors by setting clear expectations, following up on commitments, and reinforcing operational discipline.
• Improve shift-to-shift communication through structured pass-downs, escalation processes, and consistent use of shift communication tools.
• Monitor and improve key performance indicators including OEE, downtime, speed loss, schedule attainment, labor efficiency, and waste reduction.
• Partner with Maintenance, Planning, and Quality to resolve production issues, reduce downtime, and improve execution consistency across the Packaging Department.
• Support supervisors in real-time decision-making related to staffing, line issues, prioritization, and escalation of operational concerns.
• Reinforce operator training, standard work, and process discipline to improve consistency, reliability, and adherence to procedures.
• Drive use of operational systems and tools such as Redzone, escalation processes, standard work documentation, and performance tracking mechanisms.
• Lead with urgency while maintaining compliance with safety, quality, and company standards.
• Balance administrative responsibilities with active floor support, ensuring timely follow-up on action items, reporting, and performance reviews.
• Coach and develop supervisors to strengthen leadership capability, conflict management, communication, and frontline execution.
• Escalate critical issues quickly and communicate clearly with plant leadership regarding risks, recovery plans, and operational priorities.
• Support off-shift and weekend operational needs as required to maintain continuity and performance.

WORK EXPERIENCES

• 3-5 years of progressive experience in manufacturing, packaging, or operations leadership roles preferred.
• Experience leading teams in a food, beverage, consumer products, or similarly automated production environment is highly desirable.
• Proven ability to successfully meet customer and management deadlines
• Highly organized, self-starter that can work with little direct supervision

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree in Operations, Engineering, Business, or a related field preferred, or equivalent manufacturing leadership experience.

ESSENTIAL CAPABILITIES (KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES)

• Strong floor leadership presence with a hands-on approach to daily manufacturing operations.
• Ability to drive accountability while maintaining team engagement and credibility with frontline employees and supervisors.
• Solid understanding of packaging operations, equipment reliability, operator discipline, and line performance drivers.
• Demonstrated ability to stabilize performance in fast-paced, high-pressure, or transitional operating environments.
• Strong analytical and data-driven mindset with experience using KPIs to identify trends, prioritize actions, and improve results.
• Effective prioritization, follow-up, and multitasking skills with the ability to manage both administrative work and floor execution.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence hourly teams, supervisors, and senior leadership.
• Proven coaching skills focused on supervisor development, frontline execution, and reinforcement of standards.
• Ability to remain calm but firm under pressure and make sound decisions in real time.
• Strong conflict management, problem-solving, and escalation judgment.
• Structured, organized, and disciplined approach to execution and follow-through.
• High ownership mentality and adaptability in changing operational environments.
• Experience with operational systems and tools such as Redzone, downtime tracking, escalation workflows, and shift communication processes.
• Commitment to maintaining safety, quality, and process consistency while driving performance improvement.

LOCATION OF ROLE

Buffalo, NY

Salary Range: $70,500 - $130,500

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.