Plant Grow Harvest (PGH) is a fast-growing, multi-state potato producer known for pairing modern agricultural practices with world-class plant management. As we continue expanding our operational footprint and elevating our standards of efficiency, safety, and product quality, we’re looking for a Director of Plant Operations to lead our Willcox, AZ facility. This is a high-impact role for a leader who thrives in fresh produce environments, knows potato operations inside and out, and wants autonomy to build systems, develop people, and drive measurable results. If you’re energized by turning complexity into flow and teams into high performers, you’ll feel at home here.
What You’ll Do
- Lead all daily operations from raw receiving through final shipment, ensuring safety, quality, and throughput every shift.
- Align labor, equipment, and scheduling to hit plan while managing cost and efficiency.
- Identify bottlenecks and implement countermeasures; drive hour-by-hour performance routines using OEE and downtime analytics.
- Partner cross-functionally with Maintenance and QA/QC to align production plans with uptime, sanitation, and quality standards.
- Build SOPs, training systems, and a visible skills matrix that lift performance across the team.
- Champion a culture of accountability, teamwork, communication, and ownership on the production floor.
- Coordinate with Sales and Logistics to deliver exceptional customer service and fulfillment.
- Use data, KPIs, and visual management tools to drive continuous improvement—hour by hour, day by day.
What You’ll Bring
- 7+ years leading plant operations in potato operations (fresh pack, processing, or post-harvest).
- Proven success in labor planning, cost-to-serve management, and optimizing production flow.
- Experience improving safety, quality, throughput, and efficiency through structured systems.
- Strong background working alongside Maintenance, QA, HR, and Finance teams.
- Comfort with raw receiving, post-harvest handling, and fresh inventory management (FEFO preferred).
- A track record of building strong teams and culture—developing employees while holding a high bar for performance.
Compensation & Benefits
- Base Salary: $140,000–$160,000
- Bonus: Up to 30% tied to plant KPIs
- Health Benefits: Full medical
- PTO: 18 days + 9 paid holidays
- Relocation Assistance: Provided
About PGH
- Multi-state potato company with operations in CA, AZ, KY, NY, FL, and MN
- Committed to operational excellence and modern plant management
- Culture pillars: Safety, Accountability, Growth Mindset, A-Team
Why This Role Is Unique
- Director-level responsibility over a key plant operation
- Significant autonomy to implement systems across labor planning, COGS, production flow, and throughput
- Impact at scale: lead a major facility and support optimization across multiple sites
- Visible leadership role working directly with the President & COO
- Opportunity for rapid career growth from Plant Manager/Sr. Manager to Director-level leadership and beyond
Join Us
If you want to build a best-in-class operation, lead an ambitious team, and turn potential into performance, we’d love to meet you.