The posting
The Kitchen Lead is responsible for leading and coordinating production activities within the assigned processing area to ensure safe, efficient, and consistent production of high-quality products. This role oversees employees and activities throughout the production process, including ingredient preparation, scaling and mixing, depositing and forming, slab forming, enrobing, cooling, cutting, and slitting before finished product is transferred to Packaging. The Kitchen Lead provides day-to-day leadership on assigned production line and serves as a backup to the Production Supervisor. This role works closely with Production, Maintenance, Warehouse, Sanitation, Quality, and other support teams to maintain safety, food safety, quality, line efficiency, and production standards.
SUPPORTING OUR NEW PRODUCTION LINE!!!
Essential Functions & Key Responsibilities
- Lead and direct employees within the assigned processing area, coordinating daily activities, breaks, and relief coverage as needed.
- Manage production activities to ensure compliance with established formulas, specifications, procedures, and quality standards.
- Review labor schedules and ensure trained employees are assigned to appropriate job functions with the tools and resources necessary to perform their work.
- Monitor and enforce all plant safety, GMP, food safety, and quality requirements, taking corrective action and escalating concerns when necessary.
- Ensure compliance with BRC, HACCP, GMP, FDA, USDA, allergen, and Gluten Program requirements as applicable.
- Partner with Production Supervisors and management to ensure employees complete all required training.
- Coach, train, and motivate employees while promoting teamwork, accountability, safety, quality, and operational excellence.
- Communicate regularly with the Production Supervisor regarding production performance, employee concerns, equipment issues, and potential operational problems.
- Coordinate with other Leads and processing employees to ensure effective shift handoffs and communication of outstanding issues between shifts.
- Monitor employee attendance using established systems and escalate attendance concerns to the Production Supervisor.
- Ensure production paperwork, data recording, and required documentation are completed accurately, legibly, and submitted on time.
- Partner with Maintenance, Warehouse, Quality, Sanitation, and other support functions to coordinate production activities, scheduled downtime, changeovers, and startups.
- Monitor equipment and production line conditions, make minor adjustments when appropriate, assist Maintenance with repairs, and submit work orders or maintenance requests as needed.
- Drive continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to improve line efficiency, solve production problems, and leverage plant resources.
- Partner with the team to develop, improve, and audit standard work, procedures, and One Point Lessons (OPLs) to ensure consistent execution.
- Support labor scheduling, production supplies, quality control, maintenance coordination, sanitation, improvement projects, employee training, and line efficiency within the assigned area.
- Report safety incidents within the assigned area and actively promote safe behaviors throughout the workforce.
- Serve as backup to the Production Supervisor as needed.
- Support production operations across an assigned shift, which may include 8–12 hour shifts and 5–7 days per week based on business needs.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Previous experience in food manufacturing preferred, with a demonstrated record of strong performance and the ability to lead and supervise employees.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills required; bilingual skills are a plus.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to accurately manage production information and documentation.
- Ability to lead, motivate, coach, and develop employees in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Ability to resolve workplace issues and promote teamwork among employees.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize responsibilities, manage deadlines, and handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills with the ability to remain calm and make clear decisions under pressure.
- Broad technical knowledge and understanding of production scheduling, equipment, and process control.
- Comfortable working with production data, figures, and information technology.
- Flexible, self-confident, self-reliant, and decisive approach to leadership.
- Ability to work occasional weekends, extended shifts, and additional hours as required by production needs.
- Ability to stand for extended periods and perform repetitive motions.
- Ability to frequently bend, stoop, squat, push, and pull while performing job responsibilities.
- Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
- Ability to work effectively in an environment requiring regular interaction and partnership with Production, Maintenance, Warehouse, Quality, Sanitation, and other support teams.
Tandem Foods is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
