Assistant Packaging Manager – Brewery Operations

Barrel One Collective; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Barrel One Collective in Boston, MA is seeking an Assistant Packaging Manager to lead our packaging operations on site. You will oversee shifts, ensure safety, quality, and production goals, and collaborate with the Packaging Manager to improve procedures and train employees.

The role requires hands-on leadership, strong mechanical aptitude, and the ability to manage multiple packaging lines in a fast-paced brewery environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of packaging or production experience in a brewery or beverage environment.
• Experience leading packaging employees and running a production shift independently.
• Advanced knowledge of beverage-packaging equipment and processes (canning, kegging, filling, packing).
• Ability to troubleshoot common packaging equipment and document issues.

Responsibilities

• Independently lead assigned packaging shifts and oversee daily workflow.
• Assign work, coordinate opening/closing, and direct packaging employees.
• Lead team meetings and communicate production priorities.
• Train and develop packaging staff and provide coaching.
• Interview, onboard, and onboard new packaging team members when needed.
• Ensure production data entry and close production jobs in ERP.
• Provide coverage for production lines and act as on-site liaison after hours.

Skills

Packaging leadership

Beverage packaging

Mechanical aptitude

SOP development

ERP/Maintenance Systems

Forklift operation

Tools

Maintenance Connect

ERP systems

Job description

Position Overview

Join the team responsible for packaging some of New England's most recognized craft beverages. The Assistant Packaging Manager provides hands-on leadership for our Boston brewery's packaging operations, independently overseeing assigned shifts and ensuring that people, equipment, quality, safety, and production goals remain on track.

This position partners closely with the Packaging Manager to improve procedures, train and develop employees, create and maintain standard operating procedures, troubleshoot packaging equipment, and accurately report production activity. The ideal candidate combines strong beverage-packaging expertise and mechanical aptitude with the ability to lead people, solve problems, and maintain high standards in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

What You'll Do

Shift and Team Leadership

• Independently lead assigned packaging shifts and oversee daily workflow when the Packaging Manager is unavailable.
• Assign work, coordinate opening and closing responsibilities, and provide direction to packaging employees.
• Serve as a positive, professional role model and create an accountable, team-oriented work environment.
• Lead packaging team meetings, communicate production priorities, and address employee questions and concerns.
• Train and develop packaging employees throughout onboarding and ongoing employment.
• Provide performance feedback and participate in employee coaching and corrective-action discussions.
• Assist with interviewing, selecting, and onboarding new packaging team members.
• Provide direct production-line coverage when required by staffing or scheduling needs.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for off-shift issues when the Packaging Manager is unavailable.

Packaging Production and Quality

• Direct packaging processes across canning, kegging, racking, filling, and packing operations.
• Consistently meet daily packaging schedules and production goals across all assigned lines.
• Coordinate with warehouse and distribution teams to support efficient product flow between departments.
• Ensure finished products meet Barrel One Collective quality standards and packaging specifications.
• Follow and enforce quality-control hold procedures, documentation, and communication requirements.
• Complete packaging-split calculations in accordance with B1C Packaging Split SOPs.
• Close production jobs in the company's ERP system and ensure timely, accurate production data entry.
• Support packaging-department rollouts for new products, specifications, and production documents.

Equipment, Maintenance, and Troubleshooting

• Operate and demonstrate advanced knowledge of canning-line and keg-line equipment, including fillers, sleevers, twist rinsers, filling units, and packing equipment.
• Troubleshoot common equipment problems, identify root causes, and clearly document machine breakdowns and corrective actions.
• Perform preventive maintenance on canning, kegging, and racking-line equipment.
• Use Maintenance Connect to document, communicate, and follow up on equipment and maintenance needs.
• Work collaboratively with maintenance employees and incorporate their technical feedback.
• Demonstrate complete knowledge of SIP and CIP procedures and sanitation requirements.

Safety, Training, and Continuous Improvement

• Promote a strong safety culture and ensure employees consistently follow company safety standards, policies, and procedures.
• Identify, communicate, and help resolve safety concerns and operational risks.
• Understand, execute, and reinforce lockout/tagout procedures.
• Partner with the Packaging Manager to develop, implement, and improve packaging SOPs.
• Train packaging employees on current and newly implemented SOPs.
• Review packaging SOPs at least twice annually and recommend updates as processes or equipment change.
• Identify opportunities to improve safety, quality, efficiency, reliability, and employee performance.

What You'll Bring

• At least 10 years of packaging or production experience within a brewery, beverage-manufacturing, or closely related environment.
• Previous experience leading packaging employees and independently running a production shift.
• Advanced knowledge of beverage-packaging equipment and processes, including canning, kegging, filling, packing, CIP, and SIP.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot fillers, sleevers, twist rinsers, and related packaging equipment.
• Strong mechanical aptitude, root-cause analysis, and problem-solving skills.
• Working knowledge of quality-control, sanitation, preventive-maintenance, and production-reporting practices.
• Experience creating, implementing, and training employees on SOPs.
• Ability to work collaboratively with maintenance, quality, warehouse, distribution, and production teams.
• Strong leadership, organization, communication, and employee-development skills.
• Ability to remain effective in a fast-paced, physically active production environment.
• Flexibility to work varying shifts, including occasional weekends and holidays, based on production needs.
• Experience working with ERP and computerized maintenance-management systems; Maintenance Connect experience is preferred.
• Valid driver's license.
• Ability to complete company-provided forklift operator and safety training.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to take a meaningful leadership role in a well-established New England craft beverage organization. You'll work directly with experienced production and maintenance teams, help develop packaging employees, improve equipment performance, and influence the procedures that support safe, efficient, and high-quality operations.

Barrel One Collective is an equal opportunity employer. We value different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences and are committed to maintaining an inclusive workplace for all employees.