Commodity Handler Supervisor

Louis Dreyfus Company is a leading merchant and processor of agricultural goods. Our activities span the entire value chain from farm to fork, across a broad range of business lines, we leverage our global reach and extensive asset network to serve our customers and consumers around the world. Structured as a matrix organization of six geographical regions and ten platforms, Louis Dreyfus Company is active in over 100 countries and employs approximately 18,000 people globally.

Overall purpose and Objective of Position

This position is responsible for supervising all aspects of truck/rail receiving process from inbound grading to binning, meal loadout, hulls loadout, meal storage, scale/probe house, bean storage/conservation and all truck/rail activities coordination. Bean receiving at a high capacity of unloading and segregates/assigns inbound bean to storage bins/barns according to grade specifications; and load out of meal/hulls by rail and truck accordingly with customer specifications and commercial/logistic requirements.

This position is also responsible for monitoring operations and supervising all receiving operators, Rail Meal Loadout Operators, Truck Meal Loadout Operator, Rail Operators, and Grader/Scale Operators in their assigned areas, and that the plant operates in a profitable and safe fashion.

Primary Responsibilities/Essential Functions

• Coordinates and supervises rail/truck unloading and loading operations. Coordinates and leads normal operations, startups, shutdowns, industrial cleanings and changeovers at the Commodity Handler and Scale House areas. Coordinates railcar movement in and out of railcars with railroad personnel.
• Encourage team participation in maintaining a clean and organized workspace. Provide an injury-free work environment for employees, staff, contractors, visitors through engagement, JHAs, training programs, good manufacturing practices, LDC standards/policies, and proactive elimination of exposures. Maintain and improve housekeeping in all areas. Implement and maintain 5S practices in the workplace. Conduct regular audits to ensure compliance with 5S standards.
• Promote a safe and healthy work environment. Continually improve safety record by addressing both physical safety issues and employee safety attitudes. Enforce safety protocols and procedures. Conduct regular safety audits and risk assessments.
• Initiate plans and processes aiming for continuous improvement to minimize beans receiving, meal, chemical unloading costs through effective utilization of manpower, equipment, facilities, materials, and capital. Assure attainment of business objectives and productions schedules while ensuring product standards that will exceed our customers’ expectations. 
• Promote a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Establish group and individual accountabilities throughout all the employees at the Commodity Handler and Scale house area for safety leadership, problem solving and cost reduction. Facilitate team meetings to brainstorm and implement improvement ideas. Monitor progress and measure the impact of improvement initiatives.
• Participates in annual business planning and budgeting of the plant. Manage spending against budget and in relation to changes in Bean receiving and load out volume. Continually researches and refines unloading and loading operations to ensure the best possible usage of assets; maintains a good line of communication with Shift Leaders, Operators, managers and all areas of the plant.
• Maintain individual skills keeping up to date with latest production and production management concepts. Ensure team members are skilled in maintenance tasks. Promote a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Train team members on basic maintenance tasks. Ensure regular cleaning, inspection, and lubrication of equipment. Encourage team ownership of equipment maintenance (Autonomous Maintenance).
• Ensure that the product being shipped meets our customers’ standards, policies and practices through the proper implementation and maintenance of all aspects of quality systems such as, HACCP, GMP and Food Safety Program. Implement quality control processes to prevent defects. Conduct root cause analysis for any quality issues.
• Responsible for establishing all shift production schedules for the Commodity Handler and scale house areas to attain volumes objectives properly. Assist with the selection, onboarding activities and training of new employees.
• It is expected that the person in this position will spend up to 50 percent of their time in the work areas engaging employees, overseeing bean receiving and load out areas troubleshooting. The remainder of their time is spent in an office performing administrative and planning functions. Properly utilize resources.  Foster a well-trained and motivated staff.
• Participate in develop and oversee a preventive maintenance schedule within area. Coordinate with maintenance technicians for planned maintenance activities. Ensure minimal disruption to production during maintenance.
• Involve team in the selection and installation of new equipment. Provide feedback on equipment performance and maintenance needs. Ensure new equipment is designed for easy maintenance and operation.
• Responsible to develop and manage CAPEX within areas of responsibility.

Working Conditions

• Continuous 24/7 plant operation with 12-hour rotational shifts, as well as off-shift call-in requirements when needed.  Extensions of             regular working hours are occasionally necessary to complete time-sensitive projects, attend training or to respond to emergencies. Frequent visits to industrial operations areas are necessary with exposure to variety of temperatures and prevailing weather conditions.  Regular exposure to chemicals, industrial cleaning agents, gases, vapors, dust, odors, and flammable liquids.  Occasional exposure to areas with wet floors and high volume of noise.  Heavy lifting of manufacturing materials and products could be required.  Position will require some stair/ladder climbing. Work is sometimes above ground level.

Education/Professional Certifications/Licenses

The following are the basic qualifications:

• Must be High School graduate or 2–4-year technical degree in Chemical, Mechanical or Process Engineering preferred.
• Driver’s License

Experience

The following are the basic qualifications:

• A minimum 2-year management and supervisory experience in grain elevator, oilseeds processing or food production facility.
• Knowledge of the railroad operations from a vocational Institute, apprenticeship on the job training or similar work activities.
• Grain inspection/grading, “Compuweight” or similar Commodities Data Collection and Processing Systems knowledge and bulk solids conveyors maintenance knowledge preferred.

Employee Supervision

• The position may supervise all team at the Commodity Handler (receiving, load out) and Scale/Probe House areas.
• Has the authority to recommend hiring, firing, & discipline of employees as well as supervise, manage and assign direct work.
• Approve time and monitor attendance within the tracking system. 
• Approve PTO in Workday for technicians and coordinate shift coverage. 
• Maintain good order and discipline according to LDC code of conduct and all LDC policies. 

Safety, Health & Environmental Responsibilities

• Is an active member of the facility SHE Program. Maintains good working knowledge of SHE policies, rules and procedures applicable to the area of responsibility and ensures all applicable requirements are adhered to. 
• Assures that Commodity Handler, rail and Scale house employees work safely and follow established safety procedures.
• Assures that established environmental procedures are followed and recordkeeping requirements and met other duties as assigned by the Facility Manager.
• Constantly monitors all rail and truck unloading operations to ensure safety and efficiency of operations.
• Periodically inspects the elevator equipment, conveyors, railroad tracks and general sanitary conditions of areas associated with railcar and truck unloading; assigns personnel to perform sanitary/housekeeping functions as needed.

Quality & Product Safety Responsibilities 

• Maintains good working knowledge of Quality and Product Safety policies, rules and procedures applicable to area of responsibility and ensures all applicable requirements are adhered to. Ensures employees are provided required training for area assigned, and jobs and tasks prior to assigning work. Ensures area of responsibility is maintained in orderly and product safe manner. Ensure unsafe product working conditions are remedied as soon as practicable.  

What We Offer

We provide a dynamic and stimulating international environment, which will stretch and develop your abilities and channel your skills and expertise with outstanding career development opportunities in one of the largest and most solid private companies in the world.

- Comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental and vision care coverage, flexible spending account plans, employee assistance program, life insurance and disability coverage
- 401k with Company Match
- Family Friendly Benefits including childbirth and parental leave, fertility and family building benefits
- Paid Time Off (PTO) and Paid Holidays
- Flexible work available (not applicable to all roles)

Diversity & Inclusion

LDC is driven by a set of shared values and high ethical standards, with diversity and inclusion being part of our DNA. LDC is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity, equity and inclusion.

LDC encourages diversity, supports local communities and environmental initiatives. We encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

Equal employment opportunity (EEO)

Louis Dreyfus Company provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Sustainability

Sustainable value is at the heart of our purpose as a company.

We are passionate about creating fair and sustainable value, both for our business and for other value chain stakeholders: our people, our business partners, the communities we touch and the environment around us