Food Production Manager
Workstream, Houston, TX, United States
Position Summary:
Craftory is seeking an experienced and hands-on Food Production Manager to lead daily manufacturing operations for our ready-to-eat broths, soups, and protein products. This role oversees the entire production process—from raw material intake to packaging—ensuring operations are efficient, safe, compliant, and consistently yield high-quality food products.
As a critical leader on the floor, the Food Production Manager is responsible for managing staff, maintaining equipment, controlling costs, and driving continuous improvement across all processing and packaging lines. The ideal candidate brings deep knowledge of food manufacturing operations, strong leadership skills, and thrives in a fast-paced, scale-up environment focused on innovation and execution.
Key Responsibilities:
Supervising and Managing Daily Operations Staff
Hire, train, schedule, supervise, and motivate production team members - line workers, operators, and shift supervisors
Ensure an inclusive work environment for all shifts
Ensure safety protocols and labor compliance
Supervise production staff and manage the end-to-end manufacturing process from raw material prep to final packaging (e.g., Tetra Recart).
Production Planning and Scheduling
Develop and implement production schedules to meet output goals
Allocate labor and materials efficiently across lines
Quality Control & Compliance
Enforce food safety, sanitation, and product quality standards
Maintain compliance with food safety (HACCP, FDA, USDA) and quality control standards, coordinating with QA and sanitation teams
Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement
Identify bottlenecks and lead initiatives to reduce waste and increase throughput
Implement Lean Manufacturing principles where applicable
Track production KPIs, minimize downtime, and identify bottlenecks or process improvements.
Equipment Maintenance
Coordinate preventive maintenance and emergency repairs with maintenance team
Minimize production downtime and extend equipment life with proper calibration
Inventory Management
Monitor inventory of raw materials and finished goods
Collaborate with procurement to maintain appropriate stock levels
Budget and Cost Management
Assist in developing and managing the production budget
Track operational costs and implement cost‑saving measures
Cross‑Functional Collaboration
Partner with QA, R&D, procurement, marketing, and logistics to align operations with business goals
Partner with engineering, maintenance, and leadership teams to support new product rollouts with operational readiness
Reporting and Data Analysis
Track and analyze production KPIs and yield performance
Generate daily, weekly, and monthly reports for leadership
Maintain accurate production logs, batch records, and report performance metrics to leadership
Skills and Qualifications:
5+ years of experience in food manufacturing, preferably with USDA or FDA-regulated products
Proven team leadership, production scheduling experience, and conflict resolution skills
Strong understanding of food processing equipment, workflows, and sanitation practices
Knowledge of food safety and quality systems (GMP, HACCP, SQF)
Experience with hot‑fill, retort, or aseptic packaging processes is a plus
Working knowledge of production planning systems, management software, and reporting tools
Budgeting and cost‑control experience
Excellent problem‑solving, time management, organizational, and communication skills
Ability to lead in a bilingual and multicultural work environment
Spanish or Vietnamese language proficiency a plus
Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and stand for extended periods in a manufacturing environment
Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or equivalent experience
Why Join Craftory?
Craftory is reimagining how Asian heritage flavors are shared with the next generation. We produce ready-to-eat broths, soups, and proteins in shelf‑stable Tetra Recart packaging. With product lines like Simmer Craft organic broths and Craft Cuts luncheon meats, we serve consumers seeking ethnic comfort foods and aim to partner with mass retailers.
Well established food manufacturing in Southern Cali. We specialize in Vietnamese meatball, sausage to retail and food service. We have been in the industry for over 38 years.
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Craftory is seeking an experienced and hands-on Food Production Manager to lead daily manufacturing operations for our ready-to-eat broths, soups, and protein products. This role oversees the entire production process—from raw material intake to packaging—ensuring operations are efficient, safe, compliant, and consistently yield high-quality food products.
As a critical leader on the floor, the Food Production Manager is responsible for managing staff, maintaining equipment, controlling costs, and driving continuous improvement across all processing and packaging lines. The ideal candidate brings deep knowledge of food manufacturing operations, strong leadership skills, and thrives in a fast-paced, scale-up environment focused on innovation and execution.
Key Responsibilities:
Supervising and Managing Daily Operations Staff
Hire, train, schedule, supervise, and motivate production team members - line workers, operators, and shift supervisors
Ensure an inclusive work environment for all shifts
Ensure safety protocols and labor compliance
Supervise production staff and manage the end-to-end manufacturing process from raw material prep to final packaging (e.g., Tetra Recart).
Production Planning and Scheduling
Develop and implement production schedules to meet output goals
Allocate labor and materials efficiently across lines
Quality Control & Compliance
Enforce food safety, sanitation, and product quality standards
Maintain compliance with food safety (HACCP, FDA, USDA) and quality control standards, coordinating with QA and sanitation teams
Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement
Identify bottlenecks and lead initiatives to reduce waste and increase throughput
Implement Lean Manufacturing principles where applicable
Track production KPIs, minimize downtime, and identify bottlenecks or process improvements.
Equipment Maintenance
Coordinate preventive maintenance and emergency repairs with maintenance team
Minimize production downtime and extend equipment life with proper calibration
Inventory Management
Monitor inventory of raw materials and finished goods
Collaborate with procurement to maintain appropriate stock levels
Budget and Cost Management
Assist in developing and managing the production budget
Track operational costs and implement cost‑saving measures
Cross‑Functional Collaboration
Partner with QA, R&D, procurement, marketing, and logistics to align operations with business goals
Partner with engineering, maintenance, and leadership teams to support new product rollouts with operational readiness
Reporting and Data Analysis
Track and analyze production KPIs and yield performance
Generate daily, weekly, and monthly reports for leadership
Maintain accurate production logs, batch records, and report performance metrics to leadership
Skills and Qualifications:
5+ years of experience in food manufacturing, preferably with USDA or FDA-regulated products
Proven team leadership, production scheduling experience, and conflict resolution skills
Strong understanding of food processing equipment, workflows, and sanitation practices
Knowledge of food safety and quality systems (GMP, HACCP, SQF)
Experience with hot‑fill, retort, or aseptic packaging processes is a plus
Working knowledge of production planning systems, management software, and reporting tools
Budgeting and cost‑control experience
Excellent problem‑solving, time management, organizational, and communication skills
Ability to lead in a bilingual and multicultural work environment
Spanish or Vietnamese language proficiency a plus
Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and stand for extended periods in a manufacturing environment
Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or equivalent experience
Why Join Craftory?
Craftory is reimagining how Asian heritage flavors are shared with the next generation. We produce ready-to-eat broths, soups, and proteins in shelf‑stable Tetra Recart packaging. With product lines like Simmer Craft organic broths and Craft Cuts luncheon meats, we serve consumers seeking ethnic comfort foods and aim to partner with mass retailers.
Well established food manufacturing in Southern Cali. We specialize in Vietnamese meatball, sausage to retail and food service. We have been in the industry for over 38 years.
#J-18808-Ljbffr