Production Manager — Specialty Foods / Food Packing

Local candidates only

Recruiting for a hands-on Production Manager opportunity with a small, established specialty-food importer, packer, and distributor of Mediterranean specialty foods.  The operation includes approximately 40,000 square feet of warehouse space, 476 active SKUs, and three packing lines: jar line, pouch line, and pail packing line. MAP packaging equipment is also used for olive products.

This is a strong fit for someone who appreciates a smaller company environment, direct floor involvement, a practical management style, and a very standard work schedule.  This is not a large corporate manufacturing role with layers of management.  The right person will be close to the people, close to the production floor, and directly involved in daily execution.  The team totals 25.

Schedule:
Monday–Friday day shift. No nights. Plant operates generally 7:30 AM–4:00 PM.
Occasional Saturdays may be required during the company’s very busy seasons.

Position Summary:
The Production Manager will oversee daily production activity in a high-SKU specialty-food packing operation. Responsibilities include managing production employees, following the production schedule, ensuring finished products are produced on time, supporting food safety and quality standards, improving line efficiency, reducing downtime, and developing practical training, procedures, and performance goals.

This role requires someone who can lead people directly, communicate clearly, stay organized, and keep production moving in a fast-paced, hands-on environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage daily production employees and line activity.
• Follow the production plan and ensure finished products are produced on time.
• Ensure production teams have the staffing, materials, tools, instructions, and equipment needed.
• Communicate with management regarding production status, staffing, downtime, materials, quality concerns, and daily priorities.
• Work closely with QC/QA to ensure food safety, GMP, SQF, sanitation, and quality procedures are followed.
• Help implement new production and food safety procedures.
• Coordinate with maintenance to reduce equipment downtime.
• Confirm raw materials and packaging are available before production.
• Ensure production paperwork is accurate, complete, and submitted on time.
• Develop and improve employee training programs, packing procedures, and production procedures.
• Establish practical KPIs and performance goals for production employees.
• Support continuous improvement in output, labor efficiency, downtime reduction, waste control, documentation accuracy, and product quality.

·       Products:​ Olives​, Capers​, Peppers​, Giardiniera​, Cherries​. 

·       Packaging types:​ Glass jars 3.5oz to 32oz – sold in cases and plastic wrap trays​, PET jars from 32oz to 1 gallon​, Pouches (VFFS and linear pouch machine)​, Pails 2​ gallon – 5 gallon​. 

·       Machines used:​ Tumble fillers​, Combination weigh scales​, Piston fillers​, Metal detectors, Cappers​, Labelers (both pressure sensitive and glue labelers) for cases and jars,​Tamper evident band sealers​, Tray forming, tray wrapping machines​, Chopping machines​.

Qualifications:

• Spanish-speaking ability required.
• Food production, food packing, or related food manufacturing experience.  Experience with specialty foods, refrigerated foods, shelf-stable foods, jarred foods, pouch packing, pail packing, sauces, condiments, produce, seafood, RTE foods, or brined / pickled products.
• Hands-on production leadership experience.
• Ability to manage, motivate, train, and hold employees accountable.
• Strong organization, communication, problem-solving, and time-management skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-SKU production environment.Computer skills including Excel and ERP/MRP systems.
• Experience supporting SQF, GMP, HACCP, sanitation, food safety, and QA documentation.
• Experience developing KPIs, training programs, production procedures, or standard work.

Compensation / Benefits

• Base salary: $85,000–$100,000.
• Annual performance bonuses based on performance, annual reviews and overall company success.  Estimated bonus range is 5-10% of annual salary.
• Profit sharing / retirement plan.  Plan designed to contribute 5-10% of yearly compensation of eligible employees to retirement plan. Currently it amounts to 7.5% of annual compensation.  After each year of enrollment, employee becomes 20% vested. Eligible to enter plan January 1st 2027 and the plan contribution would be based on your entire 2027 compensation.  After each year of enrollment, employee becomes 20% vested. Fully vested after 5 years.  Rollovers allowed and fully vested immediately.
• Health Insurance:   Tufts Advantage HMO 3000. Orleans Packing Company currently pays 80% of individual health insurance coverage.
• Vacation 15 days per year.
• Paid holidays. New Year’s Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day & Friday after Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
• Dental and vision plans available.
• Professional development assistance.