Job Description:

A mutually rewarding experience.

Work. Realize your ambitions. And realize there’s more to being in business than just making a profit. That’s the Mars philosophy. And the opportunity we offer every one of our Associates. An opportunity to take what you do and make it mean more for you, for those around you and for the planet.  What you get here is challenging, interesting work. You get the tools you need to do a great job and you get to have the best possible people on your side to help you do it. And at the same time as getting to find ways to do business better today than we did it yesterday and driving a great career, you also get to build a more enlightened business and drive sustainability.

Because it’s never just about a single person, a single project or a single brand. It’s about how you can grab everything that’s within your reach here and use it to pursue mutual, long-term gain. It’s about having ideas. And ideals. Being prepared to risk failure because the promise of success means we’ll all be a little better off. It’s that mix of integrity and ambition that makes Mars such a special place to work. And why working here is always about more than just a job.

About Mars, Incorporated 

Mars is a family-owned business with more than a century of history making diverse products and offering services for people and the pets people love. With almost $35 billion in sales, the company is a global business that produces some of the world’s best-loved brands: M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, UNCLE BEN’S®, MARS DRINKS and COCOAVIA®. Mars also provides veterinary health services that include BANFIELD® Pet Hospitals, Blue Pearl®, VCA® and Pet Partners™. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire its more than 100,000 Associates to create value for all its partners and deliver growth they are proud of every day.

Job title:             Plant Director

Location:            Fort Smith, AR (ARK)

Segment:            Mars Petcare

Overview

A Mars Site Manager is the role model for the site. The Site Manager champions the Five Principles by acting as an owner would by nurturing the Mars culture, the site associates, the brands and the assets. S/he orchestrates the site resources to manufacture quality products in safe and sanitary work conditions through highly engaged associates, within cost goals, and in sufficient quantities to meet our customer's demands. This includes maximizing the value from the existing assets and collaborating with Franklin to prepare the site for the future by building new capabilities and delivering new product launches. Strong Mars leadership skills and high learning agility are required to focus on results, change, collaboration, problem solving, talent and engagement. Simply put, a Site Manager at Mars Petcare is the best job in the world!

Mars Pet Nutrition Wet Technology business has witnessed a great trajectory, achieving a double-digit growth over the past decade. Projecting towards next 5 years and building on the huge potential we anticipate a significant expansion of our Wet manufacturing network, with volumes tripling and NSV sustainable double digit growth rate.

Strong Mars leadership skills and high learning agility are required to focus on results, change, collaboration, problem solving, talent and engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Associate Safety & Asset Conservation

• Provide leadership to ensure that the site has a world class safety culture and that all site associates are properly trained and engaged in safety. 

Quality & Food Safety

• Be the champion of quality and food safety. Ensure that all Mars, national, state and local environmental compliance requirements are met or exceeded.

Customer Service

• Creating a customer-focused mindset within the site.

Cost Competitiveness

• Develop and implement site-based strategies and initiatives which support business objectives and strategies including leading network optimization, asset optimization, plant staffing models and application of global best practices and standards.


• Deliver or exceed agreed business performance metrics in the areas of safety, quality, cost, customer service, inventory etc.

Associate Engagement and Developing Talent

• Develop a robust talent pipeline within the site and ensure associates understand how to develop their career within Mars.


• Build a 5 Principles centric Mars culture at the site via high levels of associate engagement, a passion for pets, and a superior experience for our customers.


• Inspire and engage direct reports to role model high performance team behaviors.  Create a positive work environment in the face of change.

Project Management

• Deliver the execution of the site masterplan in terms of assets implementation


• Ensure all interfaces with the business are being pro-actively managed to guarantee no disruption of the service level

Site and Mars reputation management

• As the most senior Mars leader on site, develop strong relationships with local authorities to manage corporate reputation


• Engage with local communities on programs which are supporting the Mars Purpose

Requirements

• Minimum of 7-10 years of broad and varied supply experience including a demonstrated technical understanding of manufacturing.


• Multi-plant, multi-unit and/or multi-discipline experience


• A minimum of an undergraduate degree with a technical/operational focus or the equivalent in experience.


• Working knowledge of other departments (HR, Finance, Commercial, R&D, etc.) and their relationship to Manufacturing.


• A thorough knowledge of good personnel practices and a proven track record in effective human relations.


• Knowledge of applicable governmental regulations


• High level of analytical thinking and communication skills.


• Ability to travel 15-20% domestically up to 1 or 2 overseas travel per year


• Recognition of different perspectives and ability to deal with all level of the organization.

Mars is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.

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