Contract Manufacturing Manager

Ghirardelli Chocolate; Harrisburg (Dauphin County); Remote; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the premium chocolate industry is seeking a remote Contract Manufacturing Manager. This role involves overseeing co-manufacturing initiatives and ensuring supplier compliance with Ghirardelli's quality standards, supporting a product portfolio that drives significant sales. Candidates should have experience in managing multifaceted projects and collaborating across various departments to optimize production processes.

Qualifications

• Management of multiple manufacturing locations across North America.
• Coordination with project teams of 4-6 people.
• Requirement to translate manufacturing requirements into project documents.

Responsibilities

• Drive co-manufacturing initiatives and production processes.
• Lead communication with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Manage supplier compliance with Ghirardelli specifications.

Skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Supplier communication

Process documentation

Job description

Description

WHO WE ARE

At Ghirardelli, we’re on a mission to become a one billion dollar brand and beyond. We want to be every consumer’s first choice of premium chocolate, and we believe we can do that through our products and the way we do business, which are all inspired by our brand commitment to Making Life A Bite Better. We are a company committed to both personal and professional growth and believe that each employee contributes directly to Ghirardelli's growth and success.

The Contract Manufacturing Manager is responsible for driving various co-manufacturer initiatives and production processes, including new item launches from conception through commercialization, leading cross-functional teams to define and execute co-manufacturing projects, and establishing process documents and communications for improved supplier performance.

The Co-Manufacturing Manager acts as the key liaison between external suppliers and internal stakeholders, including Planning, Project Management, Procurement, Quality, Finance, Marketing, and R&D. This role, along with the Co-Manufacturing team, ensures supplier compliance with all Ghirardelli policies and procedures, including meeting production schedules and ensuring products meet Ghirardelli specifications and quality standards.

This is a remote role that requires travel.

Qualifications

This role will be the primary liaison for 5-8 manufacturing locations across North America and support a product portfolio generating over $200 million in annual sales.

You will indirectly manage a small project team of 4-6 people and coordinate with other Contract Manufacturing Managers.

This role will also work closely with the Sr. Manager of Contract Manufacturing and Analysts to ensure the manufacturing production plan aligns with Ghirardelli’s requirements and specifications.

• Work with cross-functional partners to identify manufacturing options for existing and new products. Recommend optimal production solutions for the business needs.
• Determine project timelines, tasks, and requirements for co-manufacturer production.
• Lead communication with suppliers and internal stakeholders, including documenting open issues and team decisions.
• Hold stakeholders accountable for meeting deadlines.
• Support internal master data requirements and validations for co-manufactured items in Devex and SAP systems.
• Translate requirements into project documents for stakeholder and supplier communication.
• Coordinate production trials and scale-up to full production.
• Manage supplier implementation of Ghirardelli process documents, specifications, and quality requirements, updating as needed.
• Perform other projects and tasks as assigned.