Blender Lead

About Us: 

Finlays Solutions is a leading partner to the B2B beverage manufacturing industry, recognized for its deep expertise, strong industry relationships, and commitment to innovation. The company plays a central role in supporting beverage brands, flavor houses, private label partners, and manufacturers through high-quality products, technical capabilities, and collaborative problem-solving. With a strong presence in the ready-to-drink beverage market, Finlays Solutions focuses on identifying emerging opportunities, expanding into new market spaces, and delivering solutions that meet evolving customer and consumer needs.  

 
Finlays Solutions operates with a strong commitment to its mission, values, ethics, and long‑term goals, ensuring that every initiative reflects the company’s dedication to integrity, partnership, and sustainable success. 

Job Summary: 

The Lead Blender is responsible for training, guiding, and supporting all Blenders. This role oversees the blending of products in accordance with individual work order specifications, while ensuring compliance with all safety protocols and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs). The Lead Blender plays a key role in maintaining a safe, efficient, and positive work environment, with a focus on achieving daily production goals while upholding the highest standards of safety, quality, and accuracy.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Uphold, teach, and enforce all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) related to production operations. 

• Promote and enforce all safety and quality policies and procedures. 

• Ensure compliance with all Blending Department policies and procedures. 

• Train and guide employees on processing, changeovers, clean-up, and sanitation procedures per SOPs. 

• Develop and train blending operators in all aspects of their roles. 

• Coordinate and facilitate onboarding and training for new blending team members. 

• Create, implement, and maintain an effective training program and schedule for blending operators. 

• Conduct hands-on training for new blenders using blend instructions, SOPs, SSOPs, and other relevant documentation. 

• Clean or verify the cleanliness of equipment before startup and during product changeovers. 

• Ensure all batches are blended accurately according to Blend Instructions and Batch Formulas. 

• Train staff on operating all manual, semi-automatic, and automatic systems based on product requirements. 

• Prepare or verify processor recipes to meet product specifications. 

• Record all critical processing parameters, including time, temperature, pressure, and volume. 

• Collaborate with the QA department to complete tanker and batch analysis, batch adjustments, ATP testing, and allergen swabbing. 

• Work with the Maintenance team to maintain blending equipment and the wastewater system. 

• Monitor daily production schedules, perform clean-in-place (CIP) procedures as needed, and manage tanker offloading. 

• Ensure all recording charts are operational and capturing data accurately. 

• Review all blending documentation daily for accuracy and completeness. 

• Confirm all ingredients are sealed, tamper-taped, weighed, cleaned, properly stacked on pallets, and wrapped post-production. 

• Update the CIP board to track cleaning schedules and ensure equipment not in use is cleaned appropriately. 

• Evaluate blending team performance and provide updates to Supervisors and the Batching Manager. 

• Complete and document all cleaning tasks as required by the Master Sanitation Schedule or as assigned. 

• Adhere to Continuum’s Good Documentation Practices (GDP) across all paperwork. 

• Maintain a valid forklift certification and operate forklifts when necessary. 

• Comply with all plant policies, including safety procedures, GMPs, SOPs, SSOPs, SQF, and HACCP requirements. 

• Perform all standard duties of a Blender, when required. 

• Carry out additional duties as assigned by the Supervisor or Manager. 

Education and Skills 

• High school diploma or GED 

• 2 years work experience in a manufacturing environment preferred 

• Read, write, speak, and comprehend English 

• Comprehend basic math: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, weights and measures, and efficient use of a calculator 

• Basic computer and data entry skills 

• Possess mechanical aptitude with the ability to assemble, troubleshoot and perform minor repairs on manufacturing equipment. 

• Ability to communicate both written and orally within the organization 

• Ability to give positive suggestions to improve operations in the work center 

• Team Oriented - being helpful, respectful, approachable, building strong working relationships and a positive work environment, is responsible, honest, loyal, interacts with others tactfully, resolves conflicts appropriately, and adapting to change  

• Ability to manage time efficiently 

• Ability to work well under changing demands 

• Follow verbal and written instructions 

• Must have good work ethics, be highly motivated, and be a hands-on problem solver 

• Ability to detect, recognize, and judge discrepancies 

• Requires accuracy, reliability, and attention to quality 

• Successfully complete all training materials with passing scores. 

Physical Demands 

• Vision, hearing, and speaking to meet performance standards 

• Ability to stand and/or walk for long periods, push, pull, lift, climb, bend, stoop, squat, and use manual dexterity to work with the following: production equipment, scales, pallet jacks, drum dollies, mops, brooms, portable stairs, hoses, forklifts, etc. 

• Ability to safely lift up to 50 pounds on a frequent basis daily and move heavier weights using proper equipment or team lifting techniques 

Work Environment 

• Requires ability to work in an environment that may contain fumes, dust, odors, moderate level noise, and temperature and ventilation variations while wearing any appropriate safety and/or protective clean room apparel required (e.g.: safety glasses, gloves, hair net, face mask or respirator, and uniforms) 

Quality Statement:  

• Our Quality and Food Safety Management strategy is anchored by our food safety and quality culture and a two-pronged approach to “be the best” as we produce “only the best”. Every employee has a role to play in this strategy as outlined by the following: 

• Follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP’s), allergen control, food defense, HACCP, SQF, and regulatory requirements so that we make consistently safe, quality products. 

• Ensure the presence of visitors, contractors, and customers are documented on each visit in and out of the facility to maintain good manufacturing practices, allergen controls, food defense/food security and HACCP controls. 

• Report all food safety and quality issues to management immediately. 

• Partner with colleagues across all functions to share knowledge, skills, and information regarding quality and food safety. 

• Adhere to all health and safety work practices. 

• Exhibit an understanding of quality and food safety standards and be able to speak about the Finlays quality and food safety system and your role in it. 

• Handle customer complaints in a timely and professional manner so that the customer is put first, always. 

• Participate fully in Finlays programs that drive continuous improvement methodologies. 

Any employee in doubt as to the role they play in the Finlays quality and food safety management system must reach out to the site Quality Manager or VP of Quality. 

Equal Opportunity Statement: 

Finlays Solutions is an equal employment opportunity employer seeking diversity in qualified applicants for employment. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, gender, gender identity, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, perceived disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other protected status, as defined by applicable law. Finlays employs individuals that are 18 years of age or older. 

*This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship