Process Development Manager

Kettle Cuisine, LLC.; Lynn (MA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Kettle Cuisine, LLC. in Lynn, MA is seeking a Process Development Manager to lead the manufacturing transition of new recipes into production, own local product launches, and ensure quality throughout the lifecycle.

You will manage the local process team, develop manufacturing methods with cross-functional partners in Operations, Culinary, QA and Procurement, and drive continuous improvement across packaging, scale-up and SOPs.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5-8 years in process management in the food manufacturing industry.
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in Food Science or related field.
• Must be familiar with a variety of food technologies, practices and procedures.
• Strong business and financial acumen.

Responsibilities

• New Product Development and local process team management.
• Develops manufacturing processes by studying product requirements; researching, designing, modifying, and testing manufacturing methods and equipment.
• Collaborate with Culinary Team on all new recipes for local factory to ensure capabilities and product expectations are presented properly to our customers.
• Highlight risks from a manufacturing and quality aspect to be brought to entire cross functional team.
• Responsible for full approval of recipes from Culinary Team to move forward to factory trials.
• Manufacturing formula management, delegating R&D recipes transition to factory ready manufacturing recipes with Senior Technologist.
• Recipe Scale up, Written Procedures for all Manual Kettles in multiple languages, & Recipe Management creation for all kettle types.
• Direct Process Team for all work on Pre-Production Trials, Launches to ensure recipe scale up is successful.
• Assures product and process quality by designing testing methods; testing finished- product and process capabilities; establishing standards; confirming manufacturing processes.
• Monitor product yields of new launches & trials to further assess risks of new and up coming projects.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies.

Skills

Process management

Leadership

Food manufacturing

Financial acumen

Customer-centric

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science or related field

Job description

At the heart of our company is a deep passion for creating fresh, healthy, and artisan-quality food that brings people together. We honor the craft of artisan cooking, using scratch-made stocks, hand-chopped herbs, and only the highest-quality ingredients, complemented by cutting-edge technology. This allows us to deliver consistently safe, exceptional products on a large scale.

But it’s not just about the food. Our culture is built on principles that shape how we grow, both as individuals and as a team. One of our core values, Honoring Development, guides us to actively seek out, celebrate, and nurture one another’s talents, strengths, and interests. By fostering each other’s growth, we strengthen our relationships and capabilities, driving both personal and professional success.

We also believe in Honoring Each Other. We surround ourselves with passionate people who share our love for great food. Through mutual respect and collaboration, we create an environment where employees are empowered to thrive, building trusting, and rewarding relationships with our clients, partners, and one another.

If you’re looking for a place where your skills, passion, and ideas can flourish, we invite you to explore the opportunities available within our dynamic and supportive team.

The Process Development Manager is responsible for MANUFACTURING LEADERSHIP of the transition of new recipes into production, owning new product launches in production and providing support to ensure consistent product quality through the products lifecycle, working collaboratively with members of the Process Development, Operations, Culinary, QA and Procurement teams. The site Process Development Technologist will be a direct report

Role and Responsibilities

New Product Development

Management & development of local process team

Develops manufacturing processes by studying product requirements; researching, designing, modifying, and testing manufacturing methods and equipment

Collaborate with Culinary Team on all new recipes for local factory to ensure capabilities and product expectations are presented properly to our customers

Highlight risks from a manufacturing and quality aspect to be brought to entire cross functional team

Responsible for full approval of recipes from Culinary Team to move forward to factory trials

Manufacturing formula management, delegating R&D recipes transition to factory ready manufacturing recipes with Senior Technologist

Recipe Scale up, Written Procedures for all Manual Kettles in multiple languages, & Recipe Management creation for all kettle types

Direct Process Team for all work on Pre-Production Trials, Launches to ensure recipe scale up is successful

Assures product and process quality by designing testing methods; testing finished- product and process capabilities; establishing standards; confirming manufacturing processes.

Monitor product yields of new launches & trials to further assess risks of new and up coming projects

Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies.

Change Management

Assist Culinary in evaluation of alternate or substitute ingredients

Support the cross functional team with proposed product changes through trials and updating systems as needed

Make recommendations for equipment improvements or investments

Optimization

Support process team in all Product & Process Optimization projects

Work with cross functional teams to ensure all projects are approved by each department.

Work with sales, process, & QA teams to investigate customer complaints & provide feedback for the customer.

Organize testing, done by team, on the products as needed and provide solutions for recurring issues.

Create Gold standard photo standards

As A Leader Within the Kettle Cuisine Team You Are Expected To:

Model and support Kettle’s Core Values and safety culture

Manage performance of all team members

Build a strong, committed, and collaborative team

Develop individual team members & their careers

Conduct annual reviews and PDPs for all direct team members

Create a culture of accountability & performance

Drive a focus on quality and continuous improvement

Plan work, track results and resolve variances

Qualifications and Experience

Minimum of 5-8 years in process management in the food manufacturing industry

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in Food Science or related field

Must be familiar with a variety of food technologies, practices and procedures.

Strong business and financial acumen

Required Attributes

Customer-Centric thinker

Strong leadership & management skills

Pay Range for Process Development Manager

The Process Development Manager base pay range $100,000 - 115,000 USD/annually. The listed salary range represents Kettle Cuisine’s good faith estimate for this position and represents the minimum and maximum for new hire salaries for the Lynn, MA location only. Ranges will be reviewed on a regular basis. An employee’s rate of pay within the range is determined by their qualifications, relevant experience, and demonstrated performance over time. In addition to those factors, we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider internal equity of our current team members as a part of any final offer. Hiring at the maximum of the range would not be typical to allow for future and continued salary growth. The Process Development Manager position is eligible for our comprehensive benefits package. Kettle Cuisine and all its legal entities comply with all federal, state, and local minimum wage laws.

This position is also eligible for a target bonus of 15%.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Kettle Cuisine complies with all aspects of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and state disability laws. This means we will not discriminate against qualified individuals with a disability in any phase of the employment relationship including application for employment, hiring, promotions and/or advancement opportunities, termination, compensation, training and any other conditions or privileges of employment.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Kettle Cuisine is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All employment decisions at Kettle Cuisine are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.

Kettle Cuisine will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.

Core Values

Kettle Cuisine takes the utmost pride in its people, products and reputation. Each employee is expected to understand and live our Core Values every day.