Director of Agricultural Operations at Michigan Sugar

, Michigan, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

17 Sep, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

19 Jun, 26

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Safety Leadership, People Leadership, Operational Planning, Budget Management, Asset Management, Strategic Planning, Continuous Improvement, Problem Solving, Decision Making, Communication, Collaboration, Technical Leadership, Risk Awareness, Workforce Development, Process Efficiency, Environmental Compliance

Industry

Food and Beverage Manufacturing

Description

Safety First. Excellence. Pride. Integrity. Compassion. Trust. Are you ready to plant your career in a place where words like these serve as the foundation for doing business every day? At Michigan Sugar, our purpose is Making Life Sweeter, and our mission is Creating Growth and Opportunity. Michigan Sugar Company has an immediate, full-time opportunity for a Director of Agricultural Operations, which will cover our growing area. JOB SUMMARY The Director of Agricultural Operations reports directly to the Vice president of Agriculture as one of the key senior leaders in the Ag Department. Directly responsible for sugar beet receiving, storage, and handling operations associated with sugar beet harvest of up to 5 million tons annually to ensure all activities are performed safely, efficiently and reliably, and in compliance with applicable environmental regulations. This role is a visible field operations leader who prioritizes safety, and sets expectations, reinforces safe behaviors, and ensures disciplined execution across multiple locations. The Director also leads and develops a staff of 4 to 6 direct reports, site leaders, technical professionals, and skilled trades to build capability, accountability, and engagement. Through strong people leadership, communication and collaboration skills this role ensures effective coordination of beet receiving, storage, and equipment operation while maintaining raw material quality, operational efficiency, and cost control. This role is accountable for the strategic planning and execution of agricultural operations, including the safe handling and storage of over $225 million in raw material and the maintenance and reliability of critical assets supporting those operations at multiple piling stations serving the cooperative. PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES Safety Leadership * Establish and reinforce safety as the highest priority across all agricultural operations, including receiving sites, storage locations, and outstations. * Ensure compliance with all regulatory and company safety requirements for employees, contractors, and visitors. * Actively engage in safety observations, hazard identification, and incident investigations to drive continuous improvement. * Ensure safe operation and maintenance of equipment used in beet receiving, storage, and handling. People Leadership & Workforce Development * 4 to 6 direct salaried reports responsible for up to 800 employees during full scale harvest. * Lead, coach, and develop direct reports and a broad team of skilled trades and technical personnel. * Build leadership capability, accountability, and succession strength within the agricultural operations function. * Establish clear performance expectations and provide regular feedback and development opportunities. * Foster a culture of respect for people, teamwork, and shared ownership of results. Operational Leadership & Execution * Directly responsible operation, maintenance and capital project budgets totaling up to $50MM annually * Lead planning and execution of beet receiving operations, including delivery of over 5 million tons of sugar beets annually. * Ensure efficient, reliable, and high-performing operations across all receiving stations and storage facilities. * Coordinate 3rd party staffing contractor and resources to support peak delivery operations and ensure continuous operation during critical harvest periods. * Align agricultural operations with factory processing needs and overall company objectives. Storage, Quality & Asset Management * Ensure effective storage practices that preserve raw material quality and minimize loss. * Evaluate and implement storage techniques, piling methods, and technologies to improve beet handling and preservation. * Oversee the management and protection of raw material inventory exceeding $250 million in value. * Ensure reliability and maintenance of equipment with significant replacement value to support continuous operations. * Ensure sugar beet piling stations, storage and reloading operations are managed in compliance with applicable environmental regulations. Technology & Continuous Improvement * Evaluate and implement new technologies related to automation, equipment performance, and process efficiency. * Provide leadership in integrating automation, and other applicable technology into operations. * Drive continuous improvement efforts to enhance safety, operational efficiency, workforce effectiveness, and cost performance. * Identify and support initiatives that improve long-term sustainability and competitiveness. Financial & Strategic Planning * Support strategic planning and execution for agricultural operations, including capital project budgeting and planning and long-term asset management. * Evaluate operational costs and opportunities for efficiency improvements while maintaining safety and quality standards. * Ensure resources are allocated effectively to support operational demands and performance goals. Operational Collaboration * Work closely with factory, maintenance, and agricultural leadership to align schedules, priorities, and resource needs. * Communicate performance expectations, results, and operational challenges to senior leadership. * Provide leadership support during peak harvest and processing campaigns and respond to operational issues as needed. POSITION QUALIFICATIONS * Bachelor’s degree in Production Management, Engineering, Agriculture, or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered. * Minimum 10 years of experience leading and developing technical or skilled trades teams in an industrial or agricultural environment. * Strong technical background including equipment, automation, and process systems. * Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop leaders and high-performing teams. * Strong communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. * Ability to manage large-scale operations, assets, and resources effectively. KEY COMPETENCIES * Safety leadership and risk awareness * People leadership and team development * Strategic thinking and operational planning * Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills * Effective communication and collaboration * Demonstrates ethics, integrity, and accountability * Ability to adapt to changing business and technical environments NOTE: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by staff assigned to this position. The above statements are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills that may be required. All staff may be required to perform duties outside their normal responsibilities as needed. Michigan Sugar Company offers competitive market wages for both hourly and salaried employees, opportunity for professional growth and development, and comprehensive benefit packages that may include medical, dental, 401(k) and paid time off. To learn more visit www.michigansugar.com [http://www.michigansugar.com/]. Michigan Sugar Company was founded in 1906 when six smaller sugar companies merged their operations. In 2002, Michigan Sugar Company became a grower-owned cooperative and in 2004, it merged with Monitor Sugar Company to form the company that exists today. Michigan Sugar Company is headquartered in Bay City and has sugar beet processing facilities in Bay City, Caro, Croswell and Sebewaing. Its nearly 900 grower-owners plant and harvest up to 140,000 acres of sugar beets each year in 17 Michigan counties, as well as Ontario, Canada. Those beets are sliced at the factories and turned into about 1.3 billion pounds of sugar annually. That sugar is sold to industrial, commercial, and retail customers under the Pioneer and Big Chief brands. Michigan Sugar Company has approximately 1,000 year-round employees and an additional 1,100 seasonal workers. It is the No. 1 employer in Huron County, the No. 2 employer in Bay and Sanilac counties and the No. 3 employer in Tuscola County. The company’s annual payroll is more than $90 million and its annual local economic impact is about $700 million. Michigan Sugar Company is the third largest of eight sugar beet processing companies in the United States and Michigan is one of 11 states where sugar beets are grown in the country. Michigan Sugar Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer #LI-AS1

Responsibilities

Directly responsible for the safe receiving, storage, and handling of up to 5 million tons of sugar beets annually across multiple locations. Leads a diverse team of technical professionals and skilled trades while managing operational and capital budgets up to $50 million.