_{10th July, 2025}

ofi is a leading global integrated supply chain manager, processor and grower of agricultural products and food ingredients, supplying various products across 16 platforms to over 13,000 customers worldwide.  With a direct presence in more than 65 countries with sourcing and processing in most major producing countries, we have built a global leadership position in many of our businesses. In Australia & New Zealand, we are leaders in the production of multiple products including cocoa, dairy, and almonds.

The Opportunity: 

Reporting to the Head of Almond Processing Operations, this role is based in Carwarp, Victoria and will be responsible for leading the Kernel Processing, Pasteurization, Warehousing and Dispatch Operation team members with a strong focus on safety, operational efficiency, product quality, and cost control.

Our ideal candidate is someone who is ambitious, data and solution-driven, understands the importance of driving a safety-first culture, customer-centric and possesses strong influencing skills. In addition to these qualities, we are looking for someone with the below skills/experience and qualifications.

Experience:                                            

• Experience in Manufacturing and Technical Services operations, Almond processing, proven track record of analytical thinking, and Systematic problem-solving. Not less than five years’ production management experience preferred.

Skills:                                                     

• Strong people management, communication, and collaborative skills, combined with a self-driven approach to problem-solving, root cause analysis, and effective risk recognition, assessment, and control.

Qualifications:                                       

• Engineering certificate or equivalent industrial experience that are required by local regulatory authorities. Engineering degree or strong Production management background preferred.

Key Accountabilities: 

General Operations:
                          
Ensure safe operations of the Kernel Processing, Pasteurization, Warehousing and Dispatch Operations.

• Ensure all operations are conducted in full compliance with Company policies and procedures, with a strong focus on safety, quality, and processing efficiencies.
• Review, report and manage all operational risks across Kernel Processing, Pasteurization, Warehousing, and Dispatch, ensuring robust systems and controls are in place to mitigate potential issues.
• Embed Best Work Practices across all aspects of operations, promoting consistency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Lead with a solution-oriented and data-driven mindset, using performance insights to identify challenges, implement effective solutions, and drive continuous improvement across operations.
• Track, analyse, and report key performance metrics in alignment with business objectives / industry standards. Define and monitor KPIs for Production Supervisors, conducting daily reviews to ensure alignment with operational targets.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Safety, Quality, maintenance, and other departments to identify and mitigate risks. Where permanent solutions require extended timeframes or capital investment, ensure temporary mitigation measures are implemented to maintain safe and compliant operations.
• Liaise effectively with Production Planning, Quality, and Sales teams & other Depts to ensure seamless coordination and efficient operations.
• Prepare and manage the annual operational budget, tracking costs and ensuring delivery within approved financial parameters.
• Lead and support continuous improvement initiatives, contributing to project planning, identify the needs and execution. Evaluate proposed projects within your area by identifying potential cost savings or process improvements and validating opportunities through data analysis and performance metrics.
• Participate in internal, customer, and third-party audits, ensuring compliance and readiness across all operational areas.
• Implement the Manufacturing Excellence – Olam 2.OX framework to drive operational improvements and standardization

Cost Reduction:                                                

• Drive cost leadership by developing accurate, data-driven budgets with clearly documented assumptions and transparent calculations. Ensure all cost inputs are justified and aligned with operational realities to support strategic decision-making.
• Monitor and report actual costs against budgets, analyse variances with supporting data, and collaborate across functions to implement targeted cost optimization initiatives—while upholding quality, safety, and efficiency standards.

Quality and Innovation:                                            

• Champion a customer-focused quality approach by ensuring all almond processing stages meet specifications and exceed expectations. Maintain strong quality control systems, manage non-conforming products per Best Work Practices, and drive improvements based on customer feedback and market needs.
• Identify and investigate the root causes of non-conformities, report findings to senior management, and propose and implement feasible corrective actions. Collaborate with relevant departments to close out pending non-conformities and work closely with the Planning team to ensure 100% OTIF (On Time In Full) delivery performance.
• Drive collaboration with the Quality Manager to investigate quality issues, customer complaints, and non-compliance with specifications, ensuring timely resolution and continuous improvement. Develop a strategic improvement roadmap through collaborative planning, including recommendations for necessary investments to enhance product quality and operational efficiency.
• Continuously monitor and evaluate PM bag quality performance, ensuring alignment with evolving technical standards and industry advancements. Maintain strong relationships with current suppliers while proactively identifying and assessing new prospective suppliers to enhance sourcing strategies.
• Lead and implement all necessary factory-level measures to minimize controllable almond product damage. This includes optimizing processing techniques, ensuring proper training staff on best practices for gentle handling, and enhancing packaging and storage protocols to preserve product integrity throughout production.

Leadership:

• Identify and develop talent within the team by assessing capability gaps, providing targeted training, and preparing individuals for future roles. Build workforce flexibility by cross-training team members to effectively cover additional responsibilities during periods of operational demands.
• Foster open communication between staff and management while actively motivating employees to stay engaged, aligned, and committed to team and organizational goals.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with cross-functional teams such as Stockpad, Quality, Planning, Maintenance, Safety, and IT & Other Dept while actively participating in interdepartmental review meetings and consistently demonstrating professional conduct in all stakeholder interactions.

Additional:

• Travel to orchard sites, corporate offices, supplier and customer locations, area-specific operations, and OEM facilities as required to support business and operational objectives.
• Be available for weekend work as required, depending on weather and site conditions, and remain on-call in the event of major production issues, product recalls, or significant incidents.
• Provide tours of plant as required by management.
• Any other task assigned by management.

You must be confident of passing our pre-employment medical / drug screen as we have a zero-tolerance policy to drugs. 
 

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