Director, Bottling Operations

Where Conviviality is at work.  

North American Distillers (NADL) is where we manufacture our award-winning American Whiskeys such as Jefferson’s, Rabbit Hole, TX Whiskey, Skrewball, and Smooth Ambler.  NADL is part of Pernod Ricard, a global premium spirits and wine company. We’re the team behind leading brands such as ABSOLUT® Vodka, Jameson® Irish Whiskey, Malibu®, Kahlúa® Liqueur, and The Glenlivet® Scotch whiskey, as well as many more superior wines and exquisite champagnes! 

Working at NADL is all about igniting conviviality in all that we do. Derived from the French word, convivialité…it means human connection, authenticity, friendly, and jovial. Conviviality is energy and spirit with a splash of je ne sais quoi and is a core philosophy around how we live and work at Pernod Ricard.  

Guided by our 4 core values: (1) grounded in the real; (2) fiercely authentic; (3) passion for challenge; and (4) connected beyond borders; we are team players, dream makers, trailblazers, movers and (cocktail) shakers. We have a passion for living life to the fullest, making new friends every day, and realizing our potential as people and as a business! 

The salary range for this role, based in Fort Smith, is $123,520.00 to $154,400.00 The range will vary if outside of this location.  Base salaries are determined during our interview process, by assessing a candidate’s experience, skills against internal peers and against the scope and responsibilities of the position.

Position Summary

To establish strategic direction and action plans for Bottling. Ensures compliance and excellence in Customer Service, Quality, Cost, Delivery, Product, Safety, Environmental and Employee Health & Safety.  This senior leadership position will be responsible for challenging existing norms,  leading change initiatives and delivering projects on time and within budget.  Focuses on developing organizational and people capabilities in order to maximize business objectives and results, ensure sustainable succession planning and employee engagement. Member of the site Leadership team focused on continuous improvement, cross functional communication and cooperation between functions to maximize site opportunity and profitability.

Major Responsibilities / Accountabilities

• Provide leadership to managers, supervisors and/or professional staff as well as hourly operators.
• Builds high performance work groups focused on customer service and delivering results.  Inspires and motivates employees to achieve performance levels and potential through highly developed coaching skills, communication skills and by ensuring proper development training.
• Develop department culture that fosters teamwork, fast pace, training, effective communication, accountability and high individual performance culture.
• Mentor salaried leadership, through creation of development plans tailored to individual employees, towards continuous improvement.
• Direct supervision of Bottling Supervisors
• Implement world class manufacturing techniques in pursuit of continuous improvement.
• Contributes to the evolution of bottling strategy in response to requirements and market needs in alignment with Group strategy
• Drive production performance to achieve targeted improvements and high level KPI targets.
• Leads the effort to achieve stretch business results by being a champion of Continuous Improvement utilizing Lean Manufacturing tools, specifically pertaining to changeover, first hour efficiency, OEE and cost per case.
• Establish production quality standards, ensure detailed work instructions, quality checks and resources are available to meet standards.
• Ensure compliance with all OHSA standards.  Ensure all aspects of ISO18001, 9001, 2200 and 14001 are delivered on time. 
• Drive improvement in the facility's Operations Excellence progress as defined by Group.
• Solicit and implement cost reduction and waste elimination initiatives from hourly and supervisory workforce.
• Participates in goal setting and accountable for own, limited budget (Bottling) for assets administration and goals. Operations in predetermined limits.
• Enhance and encourage employee involvement in daily production processes by listening, educating and quantifying their ideas for improvement.
• Support new product initiatives as developed.  Ensure all required resources are addressed and obtained to ensure successful product launches.
• Achieve key legislative and technical standards.
• TTB/US Customs Compliance.
• AAP/EEO Complianc