Production Supervisor (Cooperage)

Build your career at Sazerac! With almost 400 years of rich history, Sazerac Company has thrived as an independent, American family-owned company with operations in the United States and around the world. Since the 2000s, Sazerac has averaged double digit growth every year! Sazerac Company produces and markets the most award-winning bourbons and whiskeys in the world, including Buffalo Trace, Pappy Van Winkle, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, and Sazerac Rye. Additionally, Sazerac owns many popular brands across a range of spirits, including Fireball, Southern Comfort, Seagram’s V.O., Myers’s, Goldschläger, Parrot Bay, 99 Brand, and Platinum Vodka.

We’re proud of our award-winning culture and distilleries. Our Louisville office has been named one of the “Best Places to Work in Kentucky” four times, and our Buffalo Trace Distillery has earned the title of “world’s most award-winning distillery” through the dedication of our craftsmen for well over 200 years. Whether you’re a recent graduate or an experienced professional, Sazerac provides extraordinary opportunities for growth with competitive salaries and benefits in an exciting, entrepreneurial industry.

The Cooperage Supervisor is responsible for the day to day supervision of the jointing, shipping, barrel assembly, steel cutting and charring departments. Duties include supervision of hourly Team Members assigned to the cooperage, supporting personnel, preparation of production documentation required by government regulations, and monitoring the cooperage for quality and production specifications

• Oversees operations of a cooperage shift to effectively and efficiently ensure completion of production schedules within safety, quality, budgetary and regulatory guidelines. Provides technical assistance to operators and line Team Members. Coordinates necessary maintenance actions to maintain production quality and efficiency. Works with Cooperage Manager and maintenance team to implement operational and mechanical improvements. Evaluates production efficiency and cost; plans, organizes, directs, monitors and evaluates production on assigned lines; directs improvements and corrective action plans. Establishes work schedules

• Monitors and enforces all OSHA and Company safety regulations and policies. Provides leadership to the safety program for the Cooperage through development and execution of safe practices and operating procedures to minimize the occurrence and severity of workplace accidents. Assists in the investigation of EH&S incidents to determine and address root cause. Understand and comply with safety requirements of position; keep safety top of mind at all times and prevent co-workers from working unsafely. Report all safety concerns and all accidents and near misses immediately. Participate in safety inspections and audits.

• Trains and supervises assigned cooperage Team Members to improve skills and performance of all Team Members in the barrel shop. Motivates and manages Team Members to product quality products within quality and efficiency guidelines. Evaluates Team Member performance and skill level to determine skill improvement needs and develops improvement plans to address. Creates and develops a personal development plan with Cooperage Manager to improve a skill/competency that will develop personal skills and improve performance. Improve at least one skill each year as agreed with supervisor. Deliver on performance against outcomes.

• Continuously improve the quality of processes, products, services and the culture in which we work. Ensure adherence to all Personal Safety, Food Safety, Quality and Environmental Policies and Practices. Analyzes and resolves problems relating to product quality in a timely manner to avoid need for rework.

• Provides input to evaluate equipment capabilities and capital expenditure requirements. Works with the management team to implement new initiatives. Coordinate work with other departments to maintain product quality and production efficiency. Ensure that defect free products are scheduled, produced and shipped, in full and on time to meet customer demand.

• Meets and exceeds customer expectations through supervision of the cooperage to deliver product on time within budget and to meet quality specifications. Resolves production related problems.

• Recommend ideas to reduce costs. Ensure production efficiency within cost standards. Tracks efficiencies, quality and production data to improve yields and throughput without sacrificing quality. Analyzes and resolves problems related to efficiency, processes, material, scrap and waste

• Provides leadership to cooperage teams in a manner consistent with the culture of the company. Ensures Team Members are treated fairly and with respect. Creates a team environment where all Team Members are encouraged to make a difference in meeting and exceeding customer expectations. Participates in efforts to address issues identified through the Best Place To Work Survey and other surveys. Behave as described by our core values of Integrity & Trust, Ethics and Values, Building Team Spirit, Fairness, Caring, Results, Managing and Measuring, Action Oriented, Priority Setting & Total Quality Management.

• Ensures all cooperage operations meet regulatory requirements including OSHA, EPA and TTB regulations. Takes immediate corrective action when needed to stay in compliance. Perform job in a responsible manner and in compliance with Company procedures and applicable rules and regulations.

• Monitors and supervises housekeeping within the cooperage.

• Minimum of a high school diploma or GED

• Minimum of 2 years relevant experience in a fast paced environment

• Ability to communicate with all levels of an org

• Excellent oral & written communication skills

• Ability to operate Industrial equipment as required.

• Strong planning and organizational skills

• Undergraduate Degree

• 2 years Supervisory experience

• 2 years Experience in the logging, sawmill or lumber industry

Salary range - $66,000 - $99,000

*Placement within the salary range is calculated based upon years of directly relatable experience for the position.

You should be proficient in:

• Leadership / People Management

Salary info:

$66648 - $99972 / hr