Who We Are

At Freshpet, our goal is to change the way people nourish their pets forever. We strive to strengthen the bond between people and our pets so that we both live longer, healthier, and happier lives while being kind to the planet. We believe that if we can create fresh, real foods that pets love and help them live healthier lives that their pet parents will also enjoy the many benefits of a rich life shared with a pet.

We started off with a mission to change the way pet parents feed dogs and cats, but we also wanted to be a company that had a thoughtful approach to how we operate. We wanted to do things differently, make great products but be gentle to the planet, good to the people who touch our business, and leave a positive impact with everything we do. We work hard every day to ensure that the original vision is met, starting with making the highest quality foods in our kitchens to running our business with integrity, transparency, and social and environmental responsibility. IT’S AMAZING WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU START COMPLETELY FRESH!

What You Will Do

Provide the employees and facility with leadership and oversight, ensuring delivery of safety, quality, and production goals while continuing to grow the site by commissioning new lines and ramp the facility’s performance.

How You Will Make An Impact

• Drive the facility’s main KPIs – Safety, Quality, Yield, and OEE while developing the supervisors and managers who report to you
• Direct, coach, and train managers and supervisors as well as plan, monitor and schedule work
• Communicate expectations to supervisors and managers who report to you – ensure that they pass on expectations to Team Members
• Manage direct reports’ work schedules including PTO
• Develop and motivate direct reports to improve the efficiency of their current duties and ensure they have clearly identified goals
• Mentor and coach direct reports to increase personnel effectiveness
• Ensure supervisors and managers deliver corrective action to Team Members as required - to include behavior, safety, quality, GMP, sanitation, work standards and time infractions - Partner with Human Resources for direction and guidance, as necessary
• Partner with the team to achieve commissioning, qualification, and verification of new production lines at our greenfield flagship manufacturing facility
• Partner closely with engineering, OEM manufacturers, and controls integrators during the design, construct, and commissioning phases of the line start-up
• Partner with plant engineering, plant operations, plant training/TWI resources, and plant maintenance in the commissioning, qualification, and verification phases of the line start-up
• Ensure new production lines meets or exceeds overall plant Operations Excellence standards at the time of turnover
• Lead Freshpet Performance for Excellence meetings/trainings as required and participate in others as required – ensure the managers and supervisors embrace FPE
• Conduct regular communication through production and safety meetings to keep Team Members informed; encourages Team Member feedback/ideas
• Work with Human Resources to assist with recruitment, screening and interviewing candidates, and documenting the selection
• Assist in team member orientation and training
• Stay current on business, industry, and facility innovations
• Actively promote team spirit by maintaining open communication and utilizing motivational tools
• Performs other duties as required
• Ability to work nights/weekends as needed

What You Will Bring

• BS degree in Business, Supply Chain Operations, Food Science, Engineering or related technical field
• Minimum 8 years of manufacturing experience with at least 5 years of Leadership/Supervisory experience in a manufacturing environment; preferable in a food manufacturing facility, with mechanical and technical process management experience
• Ability to lead, motivate, coach, mentor, evaluate and develop supervisors and managers
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work well across all levels of the organization
• Line/ Manufacturing Plant Start-up experience a plus - CQV or IQ/OQ/PQ
• Familiarity with Continuous Improvement and Lean Manufacturing/TPM techniques, and certification is a plus
• Solid mechanical, electrical, troubleshooting ability
• Experience implementing GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) program through Safe Quality Food (SQF) or British Retail Consortium (BRC) certifications
• Strong understanding of the sanitation process in a food manufacturing facility
• Ability to assess talentand applyperformance management techniques
• Ability to lead and work in a team environment
• Exhibits a passion for raising Team performance and Team development
• Ability to effectively meet deadlines
• Demonstrated problem solving skills
• Working knowledge of FDA regulations, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), sanitation processes/procedures and HACCP
• Strong analytical, written/verbal communication skills
• Knowledge of time and attendance systems
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Applications; especially Excel
• Ability to set goals, objectives and to delegate
• Must be hands-on

What We Offer

At Freshpet, we offer a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package, including medical, dental and vision insurance, basic and optional life insurance, short- and long-term disability protection, flexible spending accounts, and a 401(k) plan with company match, paid parental leave, pet insurance, tuition assistance, a generous PTO plan and so much more!

Our Commitment to a Diverse Workforce:

At Freshpet, we embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in age, sex, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique.

Freshpet aims to foster, cultivate and preserve a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our employees are our most valuable assets. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of not only our culture, but our reputation and company’s achievement as well. Freshpet is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Disclaimers

We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. However, we are not able to sponsor visas.

Freshpet is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. Please, no phone calls or emails. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at Freshpet via-email, the Internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of Freshpet. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Freshpet as a result of the referral or through other means.