Senior Processing Manager

The construction of fairlife's manufacturing facility in Webster, NY is underway. This state-of-the-art, 750k sq ft, greenfield plant is expected to be operational in late 2025 and will lay the foundation for fairlife's next phase of growth as the leading dairy nutrition provider. While coupling the industry's latest technologies and fairlife's operational excellence to build this world-class facility, fairlife plans to hire 250 new employees and bring in approximately 5 million lbs. of milk a day, with room to grow over the coming years.

job purpose:

The Senior Processing Manager is responsible for overseeing our 24/7 processing operations. This role has a staff including the department's supervisory team as well as our processing operators working within our kitting, batching, receiving, filtration, and pasteurization areas. This leader will be critical in driving results through the implementation of process standards and rigor, while empowering creative thinking and promoting a decentralized command environment. A strong continuous improvement focus on eliminating issues vs fixing them will be important. This is a key role to ensure the flow of dairy across the site is running efficiently while creating a modern and collaborative work culture for our employees.

responsibilities:

• Takes responsibility for the training and development of their full staff.
• Cultivates a culture focused on zero losses through standardization and loss elimination.
• Responsible for leading and managing plant operations within our processing department while overseeing strategic projects, initiatives, and programs.
• Responsible for the results of the processing department. Works to establish and cascade Key Performance Indicators throughout the department.
• Reviews inventories and production plans daily with our dairy planner and scheduling manager, coordinating schedule demands with staff and product movement personnel.
• Sponsors key capital project and commercialization projects relevant to the processing department.
• Reviews all nonconforming products or ingredients with Senior Quality Assurance Manager.
• Monitors processing department throughout shifts and assures employee compliance with GMP's, sanitation, and safety.
• Partners with our Maintenance Manager to ensure all equipment stays in good working condition.
• Builds and manages the department's budget within financial targets.
• Manages team members across a 24/7 operation.
• Performs other duties as necessary.

skills/qualifications required:

• Required:
  
  
  
  • Minimum of 5+ years of aseptic or ESL manufacturing experience: dairy industry preferred.
  • A self-starter who is driven by the thrill of continuous improvement daily.
  
  
  
  
• Preferred:
  
  
  
  • Bachelor's Degree (Engineering, Food Science or Dairy Science preferred) with proven knowledge of process flow and fluid mass balance.
  • Working knowledge of regulatory food requirements. PMO, PCQI, FSMA.
  • Proven experience working directly with FDA/USDA and/or other Federal/State regulatory agencies.
  • Proven experience working in a 24/7 operation with customers both upstream (Producers) and downstream (Packaging and Supply Chain).
  • Continuous Improvement mindset including root cause analysis, strategic planning, Lean, or TPM principals.
  • Ability to meet production schedules with shifting priorities.
  • Understanding the chemistry of cleaning and CIP/COP programs.
  • Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
  • Excellent organizational and multi-tasking skills.
  • Demonstrated success working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
  
  
  
  

food safety requirements:

• Responsible for maintaining critical control points, aseptic requirements and regulatory standards at all times.
• Responsible for implementing corrective actions and necessary changes after nonconformance or product deviations.
• Accountable for 3^rd party Food Safety and GMP audits/results as well as internal Quality and Food Safety programs.
• Perform all duties necessary to meet Company, Customer and/or Government requirements/standards as prioritized by the Company.
• Ability to initiate action to prevent the occurrence of nonconformities relating to Food Safety and the Quality of the product, processes, quality system, or safety system.
• Identify and record any problems relating to Food Safety and the Quality of the ingredients, processes, quality system, or safety system.

position location: on-site Webster, NY

reports to: Director of Operations

travel requirements: 50-75% to start through first 3-6 months of onboarding

exempt/nonexempt: Exempt