PAUL J. SHAFER
**** ** ********* **., ******, KS 66614 C: 785-***-**** acum5s@r.postjobfree.com
Executive Profile
Collaborative executive leadership and program management preceded by 20 years of managerial and technical
experience in the human and pet food industry, including research and development, production and packaging
operations, consulting, materials management, fiscal processes, cost control, and food safety.
Skill Highlights
Sr. Executive Staff Collaboration Staff Assessment, Selection, and Training
Organizational Systems Development Business Process Reengineering
Budget and Fiscal Administration Operations and Team Management
Strategic and Systematic Thinking Analytical and Problem Solving
Core Career Accomplishments
Initiated formation of a hand-selected team of leaders and assisted in delivering "Collaborative Leadership"
training in advance of succession planning.
Regional reorganization - combined two regions into one, merging staff, policies, procedures, and budgets.
Initiated regular meetings with other region directors to collaborate on best practices.
Proven team leader with experience in both union and high commitment work system environments.
● Successfully led the Contact Manufacturing business within Hill’s Pet Nutrition for six years. Met all production,
quality, inventory, cost, and new product launch objectives.
● Plant Controller immediately following start-up of HCWS plant at Hill’s Pet Nutrition. Completed plant systems
implementation, cost control, budget development, and appropriate capital project accounting.
Professional Experience
Assistant Director of Strategic Operations 2011 to Current
Kansas Dept. for Children and Families
Sr. Executive leadership team member. Establishes and implements strategic plans and programs within the region.
Direct support and back-up to the Regional Director.
Operational responsibility for 12 Service Centers supporting 500 staff, state vehicles, IT systems, and $28MM budget.
Strategic direction for facility size, moves, closures, lease negotiations, and landlord interface.
Facility and staff safety and security. Initiated project to install card key access on all exterior building doors. Developed
building lockdown protocol which was adopted by entire agency. Manage Inclement Weather Policy to ensure appropriate delay or closure of facilities. Information technology support, improvement and trouble shooting for the region.
Program quality assurance and improvement.
Independent Contractor 2009 to 2011
Contract services to the Pet Food Industry. Represented client company’s interests by providing on-site production
and shipping coverage at contract manufacturing facilities. Verbal communication with client regarding schedule attainment,
downtime, production issues, quality issues, inventory, and new diet test results. Submitted written summaries of formulation verification, process conditions, analytical results, and photo of package code date following each diet run. Audit/inspect documents for start-up, process checks, and quality sampling. Discuss issues, schedules, and observations with facility management while maintaining good rapport on behalf of client. Observed and documented loading and sealing of oversea containers.
Independent Contractor (cont.)
Conducted process audit at contract manufacturing facility to identify source of product variation resulting in customer complaints. Reported findings and discussed corrective action plans with client and contract facility management.
Worked with client to conduct food safety, GMP, and HACCP inspections of pet food ingredient and packaging supplier facilities.
Small Business 2001 to 2009
Retail businesses - Owner and General Manager. Delivered superior customer service and built effective relationships. Managed all aspects of purchasing, inventory, sales, human resources, and finance.
Product Sourcing Manager & Plant Controller 1991 to 2001
Hill's Pet Nutrition
Managed Contract Manufacturing business with Hill's. Six staff and ten contracted facilities. Responsible for
production scheduling, inventory management, quality, cost, problem resolution, new product and package testing,
start-up coordination. Delivered $200M in savings with fewer facilities. Coordinated the start-up of high volume samples
packaging at a new facility.
Manufacturing cost analysis and implementation of activity based cost to product allocation.
Plant controller at new high-commitment work system plant. Developed post-startup product yield and operating budget.
Led effort to submit application and subsequent win of the 1993 Indiana US Senate Productivity Award. Completed implementation of production and inventory control system following new plant start-up.
Team Leader, Sr. Consultant, Plant Administration Manager 1981 to 1991
Procter & Gamble, Ernst & Young, Frito-Lay
Process and product development, Better Process Control School - U. of Arkansas.
Food Plant Packaging Team Leader in a High Commitment Work System environment. Responsible for hard
number results: production, quality, cost, safety, sanitation, and maintenance.
Special Projects Manager. Developed first PC based production tracking and reporting process. Started up sample
packaging line for food service business.
Consulting work - Information Systems Planning. Certification - American Production and Inventory Control Society.
Plant Administration Manager responsible for payroll, purchasing, cost, materials receiving, and performance analysis.
Education
Bachelor of Science: Chemical Engineering
Purdue University W. Lafayette, IN
Engineering Cooperative Program, General Foods Corp. Pet Foods Div., Kankakee, IL
References furnished upon request