A growing food manufacturing operation within a temperature-controlled production environment is seeking an experienced Production Manager to lead day-to-day production activities, supervise production teams, and stabilize manufacturing operations during a period of growth and operational realignment.

This role is ideal for a hands-on leader with strong food manufacturing experience who can bring structure, accountability, and consistency to production while working closely with Quality, Warehouse, and Maintenance teams. The Production Manager will play a key role in aligning production output with demand, improving efficiency, and developing supervisors.

Key Responsibilities:

Production Planning & Execution:

Plan, schedule, and oversee daily and weekly production activities based on demand forecasts and inventory levels

Ensure production targets are met while maintaining quality, safety, and efficiency standards

Monitor production flow to prevent overproduction, bottlenecks, or downtime

Team Leadership & Supervision:

Directly manage Production Supervisors and production staff across shifts

Establish clear expectations, standard work practices, and accountability

Coach and develop supervisors to ensure consistent leadership and execution

Process & Operational Improvement:

Enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) and production workflows

Identify inefficiencies and implement process improvements

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to resolve production issues

Cross-Functional Coordination:

Partner closely with Quality Assurance to ensure compliance with food safety and regulatory standards

Coordinate with Warehouse and Logistics to align production with storage capacity and distribution needs

Work with Maintenance to minimize downtime and support preventive maintenance efforts

Food Safety & SQF Responsibilities:

Actively support and maintain compliance within an SQF-certified food manufacturing environment, working closely with Quality and Operations teams.

Participate directly in SQF audit preparation, execution, and follow-up, including documentation review, corrective actions, and production-floor readiness.

Ensure production teams consistently follow SQF, GMP, HACCP, sanitation, allergen control, and food safety procedures.

Partner with Quality to identify gaps, implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs), and reinforce food safety culture across shifts.

Train, coach, and hold production supervisors and operators accountable for food safety and SQF-related practices.

Serve as a key operational contact during internal and external audits, supporting auditors with real-time production insights and documentation as needed.

Ensure compliance with food safety standards, GMPs, and workplace safety regulations

Promote a culture of safety, quality, and continuous improvement

Reporting & Communication:

Track and report key production metrics including output, labor efficiency, downtime, and waste

Communicate production status, challenges, and improvement opportunities to leadership

Qualifications & Experience:

Minimum 5+ years of experience in food manufacturing, with at least 2 years in a production management role

Proven experience managing production supervisors and hourly teams

Strong understanding of food safety, quality standards, and manufacturing best practices

Experience working in a fast-paced manufacturing environment

Strong organizational, leadership, and problem-solving skills

Ability to balance hands-on involvement with managerial oversight

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience in frozen, refrigerated, or high-volume food production environments

Familiarity with production planning, inventory coordination, and demand alignment

Proven experience working in an SQF-certified food manufacturing facility.

Demonstrated hands-on involvement in SQF audits, including preparation, corrective actions, and ongoing compliance from a production leadership perspective.

Strong working knowledge of SQF Code, HACCP principles, GMPs, sanitation programs, and allergen controls.

Ability to translate food safety and SQF requirements into practical, executable production-floor processes.

Experience partnering closely with Quality teams while maintaining ownership of production performance.

Preferred:

SQF Practitioner certification or prior designation as a site SQF lead (preferred but not required).

Experience in frozen or cold-chain food manufacturing environments.

Experience supporting operational growth or process stabilization initiatives Why This Role: This position offers the opportunity to:

Take ownership of production operations during a critical growth phase

Make a measurable impact on efficiency, structure, and team development

Grow into expanded operational leadership as the organization continues to scale