Co-Manufacturing Manager

Snack Innovations Inc.; Piscataway Township (NJ); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Vision insurance

Job summary

Snack Innovations is seeking a Co-Manufacturing Manager to oversee offsite co-manufacturing and co-packing operations, serving as the key liaison with external partners to ensure safety, quality, service, cost, and operational standards.

The role drives accountability through partnerships, tracks KPIs, supports continuous improvement, and ensures co-packers meet business and customer requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant field.
• 5+ years of leadership experience in food manufacturing, snack production, co-packing, or supply chain operations.
• Experience with third-party manufacturers or contract packaging partners.
• Knowledge of GMPs, HACCP, allergen management, and sanitation programs.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee co-pack manufacturing locations and performance against KPIs.
• Ensure production plans meet customer demand and inventory needs.
• Lead continuous improvement and Lean initiatives.
• Manage relationships with co-pack partners and internal teams.
• Support audits and regulatory compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Food safety knowledge

Analytical skills

Project management

Manufacturing reporting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Operations Management, Food Science, Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or a related field

Tools

ERP systems

MS Office

Job description

Benefits

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Vision insurance

About Snack Innovations

Snack Innovations is a leading manufacturer of better-for-you salty snack food located in Piscataway NJ. We produce a wide range of snack chips, sticks, straws, curls and popcorn.

Job Summary

The Co-Manufacturing Manager is responsible for overseeing the performance and execution of assigned offsite snack food co-manufacturing and co-packing operations. This role serves as the primary liaison between the company and external manufacturing partners, ensuring adherence to safety, food quality, service, cost, and operational standards. The Co-Manufacturing Manager drives accountability through influence and partnership, monitors key performance indicators, supports continuous improvement initiatives, and ensures co-packers consistently meet business and customer requirements.

Co-Pack Operations Oversight

• Serve as the primary company representative for assigned snack food co-pack manufacturing locations.
• Monitor daily, weekly, and monthly operational performance against established KPIs.
• Ensure production plans are executed on time and in full to support customer demand and inventory requirements.
• Review production schedules, capacity utilization, labor efficiency, yield, and waste metrics.
• Partner with co-pack facility leadership to address operational challenges and improve performance.

Food Safety, Quality, and Compliance

• Ensure compliance with all company food safety, quality, regulatory, and customer requirements.
• Monitor adherence to GMPs, HACCP, sanitation, allergen controls, and food safety programs.
• Support internal and external audits, customer visits, and regulatory inspections.
• Review quality performance, consumer complaints, corrective actions, and root cause investigations.
• Ensure product specifications and packaging standards are consistently met.

Relationship Management

• Develop strong partnerships with co-pack facility management and key stakeholders.
• Conduct regular business reviews to assess operational performance and improvement opportunities.
• Drive accountability for service levels, quality standards, production commitments, and contractual expectations.
• Facilitate communication between co-pack partners and internal teams including Operations, Supply Chain, Planning, Procurement, Quality, R&D, and Customer Service.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve productivity, reduce waste, increase yields, and lower operating costs.
• Support implementation of Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Analyze operational and financial performance data to identify trends and performance gaps.
• Lead or support initiatives related to capacity expansion, new product launches, packaging changes, and process improvements.

Supply Chain and Customer Service

• Partner with Planning and Logistics teams to ensure material availability and inventory accuracy.
• Monitor service performance, production attainment, and order fulfillment metrics.
• Assist in resolving supply disruptions, quality issues, and customer concerns.
• Support contingency planning and risk mitigation activities.

Performance Management and Reporting

• Monitor and report performance metrics including:
• Safety
• Food Safety & Quality
• Production Attainment
• Yield and Waste
• Service Level
• Cost Performance
• Inventory Accuracy
• Customer Complaints
• Develop action plans to address performance gaps and drive sustainable improvement.
• Prepare operational reviews and recommendations for company leadership.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Operations Management, Food Science, Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 5+ years of leadership experience in food manufacturing, snack food production, co-packing, or supply chain operations.
• Experience working with third-party manufacturers or contract packaging partners.
• Knowledge of food safety systems including GMPs, HACCP, allergen management, and sanitation programs.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, ERP systems, and manufacturing performance reporting tools.

Preferred

• Experience in snack foods, bakery, confectionery, salty snacks, or other consumer packaged goods manufacturing environments.
• Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma certification.
• Experience with customer audits and retailer quality requirements.
• Knowledge of SQF, BRCGS, or other GFSI-recognized food safety standards.

Key Competencies

• Influencing without direct authority
• Food safety and quality focus
• Relationship management
• Operational excellence
• Data analysis and performance management
• Continuous improvement
• Project leadership
• Strategic thinking
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Effective communication