Regional Operational Excellence Specialist – Live Operations

At Pilgrim’s, Safety Is A Condition, which means the safety of our team members comes first, always.

General Summary

Primary Operational Excellence partner for Live Operations (Breeder, Hatchery, Broiler/Farm, Live Haul), driving continuous improvement in bird performance, welfare, and live cost;

Lead efforts to establish and standardize labor and process standards across live operations;

Develop, train, and coach Coordinators of Operational Excellence (COE) and Live Operations teams to identify and close performance gaps.

***this position can be located at any of Pilgrim's facilities and will be determined upon selection!

Responsibilities

• Establish and implement labor standards and process standardization across Live Operations where gaps exist;
• Drive compliance and adoption of Pilgrim’s Live Operations playbooks across all complexes;
• Partner closely with the Live Technical Services team to align performance drivers, best practices, and field execution;
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across farms, hatcheries, and live haul operations focused on:
• Bird performance
• Animal welfare and compliance
• Live cost and efficiency
• Support gap identification, root cause analysis, and sustainable corrective actions using Lean and Pilgrim’s Management Method tools;
• Serve as a liaison between Live Operations and Plant teams to improve upstream drivers impacting yield and plant performance;
• Coach and support COEs and field leadership in execution of OE tools, management routines, and performance tracking;
• Conduct site visits, audits, and training across live complexes;
• Participate in corporate reviews, executive updates, and cross-functional OE initiatives;
• Travel up to 70%.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Animal Science, Agriculture, or related field;
• 5–8 years of experience in poultry, agriculture, or manufacturing (Live Operations preferred);
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills;
• Experience with Excel and performance data analysis;
• Proven ability to coach, train, and influence teams in field environments;
• Six Sigma or continuous improvement experience preferred;
• Resilient, adaptable, and hands-on.

Why Work for Pilgrim’s? 

• Benefits: Vision, Medical, and Dental coverage begin after 60 days of employment; 
• Paid Time Off: sick leave, vacation, and 6 company observed holidays; 
• 401(k): company match begins after the first year of service and follows the company vesting schedule;  
• Base Salary range of $112,894.20 +/- based on experience
• Incentive Pay: This position is eligible to participate in the Company’s annual bonus plan; the amount of bonus varies and is subject to the standard terms and conditions of the incentive program; and
• Career Development: Our company is dedicated to supporting professional growth by offering continuous learning opportunities and a focus on career growth through various learning and development programs; 
• Better Futures 

The Company is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our team members and visitors. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct drug, alcohol, and background checks for all new team members post-offer and prior to the start of employment. The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires that verification of employment eligibility be documented for all new employees by the end of the third day of work.  

About us: Pilgrim’s is a leading global food company with more than 62,000 team members worldwide. The company processes, prepares, packages, and delivers fresh, frozen, and value-added food products for customers in more than 100 countries. Pilgrim’s operates protein processing plants and prepared foods facilities in 14 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, the U.K, the Republic of Ireland and continental Europe. 

Our mission: To be the best in all that we do, completely focused on our business, ensuring the best products and services to our customers, a relationship of trust with our suppliers, profitability for our shareholders and the opportunity of a better future for all of our team members.  

Our core values are:  Availability, Determination, Discipline, Humility, Ownership, Simplicity, Sincerity  

EOE, including disability/vets

Unsolicited Assistance: JBS and its companies do not accept unsolicited assistance from any recruitment vendors for any of our open jobs. All resumes or candidate profiles submitted by recruitment vendors or headhunters to any employee at JBS and its companies or via the applicant tracking system, in any form without a valid written request and search agreement previously approved by HR, will be solely owned by JBS and its companies. No fees will be paid should the candidate be hired by JBS and its companies because of an unsolicited referral.