Chicago Meat Authority (CMA) is proud to have celebrated 33 years in the food industry. Located in Chicago’s historic Stockyards, CMA is a forward thinking processor of value added beef, pork, and poultry items with a strong focus on selling the Healthcare, Hotel, and Institutional Markets (HRI), meat purveyors, and Multi-unit regional and national chains up to and including big box stores. In addition, CMA specializes in custom cuts for further processors including but not limited to grinding operations, deli manufacturers, and the prepared entrée market.

CMA is seeking a Production Lead that is highly motivated and detail-oriented. This individual will play a key role in ensuring that our products meet, or exceed, company, customer, and regulatory expectations. This person will be an active participant of a team that believes in providing our customers with a product of the highest quality and safety. 

What You Get To Do

• Monitor safety performance; taking appropriate action to ensure safe work practices.
• Stewardship of CMA assets and culture, and ensure respect for profitability.
• Ensure that all staff are aware and understand they are responsible for reporting food safety and quality issues to those that can initiate action.
• Proactively present issues with proposed solutions.
• Adhere to all CMA policies and procedures to protect team members and company property including tools, equipment, raw materials and finished products.
• Responsible for organizing and executing work through their team members including: reviewing daily schedule, assist with setup (equipment necessary, meat, packing materials), provide direction to employees of product specifications, print labels for specific product and complete campaign hours.
• Identify talent for promotion.
• Responsible for ensuring all employees on their team to comply with SOPs, GMPs, SQF, and all other company policies.
• Train team members. Works with manager to develop talent. Daily checks of productivity per team member.
• Responsible for acclimation of all new team members to the team. (Ensures “buddy system” for new hires).
• Responsible for overall pace setting to ensure on-time completion.
• Facilitates improvements while adhering to safety standards; promoting a culture of safety.
• Proactively work with QA Technicians to ensure specifications are being met.
• Any and all other duties as assigned.

What We Want From You

• Knowledge in Food Safety and Quality Management, SQF standards, GMPs and Employee Safety Policies.
• 1-3 years of related work experience.
• Lead experience preferred.
• Strong English, math, writing and reporting abilities.
• Basic computer skills – Word, Excel, SharePoint.
• Must be able to work extended hours, holidays and weekends, if needed.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and push up to 70 pounds.
• Ability to crouch and bend.
• Required to work overtime (including weekends).
• Follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
• Follow all safety regulations and support others in working safely.
• Meat processing and/or refrigerated manufacturing experience preferred.
• Required to wear all personal protective equipment.
• Ability to work with cold materials in a cold environment.
• High school diploma.

What We Value

• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Ability to positively function within an atmosphere of collaboration and accountability.
• Ability to perform effectively within uncertain situations; problem solving skills.
• Experience in a goal-oriented environment.
• Training in managerial techniques.
• Food manufacturing experience; preferably meat.

We Are Winning When

We follow and are guided by our mission and we demonstrate our values every day!

"To be the preferred supplier of our customers, the preferred customer of our strategic suppliers, and a model employer in our industry."

Chicago Meat Authority, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.