Milk Jawn · 7 hours ago
Production Manager
Philadelphia, PA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
$70K/yr - $80K/yr
5+ years expMilk Jawn is an award-winning small-batch, premium ice cream company based in Philly, seeking a Production Manager to lead their South Philly manufacturing kitchen. This role involves overseeing ice cream production and ensuring high standards while managing a team and focusing on operational excellence.
Food & Beverages
Hiring Manager
Amy Wilson
Responsibilities
Lead production activities on the floor; set the pace and standard for the team
Directly supervise food preparation and production tasks
Track production progress throughout the day; problem-solve issues as they arise to stay on schedule
Jump in and assist with production tasks when needed
Develop and manage the weekly production schedule to maximize efficiency and meet demand
Ensure labor is adequate to fulfill production needs; write staff schedules
Coordinate with sales and retail teams to align production with forecasted needs
Recruit, interview, and hire production staff
Train, manage, and support the production team, including the Assistant Production Manager
Coach, mentor, and inspire a well-rounded team
Conduct performance reviews and provide ongoing feedback
Celebrate team wins in all hands and company monthly reports
Oversee inventory reconciliation and accurate tracking of mix-ins, bases, pints, and supplies using our ERP system (Wherefour)
Manage ordering and procurement to meet production needs; maintain necessary pars based on lead times
Monitor and respond to cost fluctuations; track cost of goods
Develop and maintain relationships with key suppliers
Develop, implement, and maintain quality control procedures
Work with the Operations Manager to develop and formulate SOPs and SSOPs for processes and equipment
Sample and quality-check products; escalate and troubleshoot all quality issues
Act as point-of-contact for other departments regarding product issues
Ensure all weights and outputs are documented for recipes
Uphold all health, safety, and sanitation guidelines
Facilitate inspections by the Department of Agriculture and Philadelphia Department of Health
Coordinate monthly lab testing
Ensure all food products are utilized and stored safely and in compliance with FIFO
Implement and maintain systems for daily/weekly/monthly cleaning, sanitation, and maintenance
Ensure the production facility is clean, safe, and sanitary
Report and schedule repairs, maintenance needs, and equipment malfunctions
Oversee facility improvements and equipment upgrades
Analyze performance data and develop strategies to increase productivity
Research new methods and/or technologies to improve quality or quantity of products
Identify opportunities for efficiency gains and waste reduction
Collaborate with the CEO/Creative Director on recipe development and testing
Perform managerial functions including: scheduling, attendance tracking, performance management, payroll timekeeping, and incident reporting
Manage the kitchen to budget goals, including cost of goods sold and scheduling to budgeted payroll percentage
Participate in meetings concerning product development, company-wide initiatives, and special projects
Be willing and able to go above and beyond when the kitchen demands
Other duties as assigned
Qualification
Required
Minimum of 5 years experience managing multiple employees in a production, manufacturing, or high-volume kitchen environment
Prior food preparation or food manufacturing experience
Basic math proficiency: ability to work with conversions, percentages, fractions, and convert units of measure (e.g., ounces to pounds, recipe scaling)
Experience with Excel, Google Sheets, ERP systems, or other transactional systems for inventory control and data tracking
Strong analytical skills; comfortable using data to make decisions and solve problems
Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Fluency in English is required
Highly organized and able to manage multiple competing priorities
High attention to detail and commitment to quality
Ability to stand eight hours, lift up to 50 pounds, and work in a freezer environment for up to 20 minutes at a time
Must have ServSafe certificate and Philadelphia Food Safety Certification (or obtain within 90 days of hire)
Preferred
Experience with pastry, candy-making, and/or frozen dessert production
Experience with ERP systems such as Wherefour, Katana, or similar production/inventory software
Knowledge of food manufacturing equipment and processes
Experience developing SOPs and quality control systems
Benefits
PTO and paid holidays/holiday pay
Health Insurance
Vision Insurance
Dental Insurance
Predictable weekday schedule
Employee discount
Free ice cream
Company
Milk Jawn
Milk Jawn is a small batch, premium ice cream jawn based in Philly.
2-10 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageCompany data provided by crunchbase