Senior Manager of Refrigeration

Reser's Fine Foods, Inc.; Topeka (KS); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus eligibility

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc. in Topeka, KS is seeking a Senior Manager, Refrigeration to lead safe, reliable ammonia refrigeration operation across multiple facilities.

You will drive PSM compliance, standards, and capital projects while mentoring technicians and aligning with plant safety, environmental, and quality teams. Ideal candidates have 10+ years in industrial refrigeration, strong leadership, and a track record in multi-site operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Safety, or Industrial Technology; equivalent work experience considered.
• 10+ years of experience with industrial refrigeration systems (ammonia preferred).
• IIAR/RETA certifications or PSM-specific certifications preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead safe, reliable operation of ammonia refrigeration systems across facilities.
• Implement enterprise refrigeration standards, specifications, and best practices.
• Drive reliability through process safety, maintenance programs, and continuous improvement.
• Provide technical guidance for complex refrigeration troubleshooting and RCA.
• Support refrigeration capital projects, upgrades, and modernization efforts.
• Evaluate technologies to improve safety, efficiency, and system performance.
• Monitor performance metrics and identify optimization opportunities.
• Oversee budgets related to refrigeration assets and operations.
• Manage contractors to ensure safety and operational compliance.
• Lead PSM compliance training and incident investigations.
• Conduct refrigeration audits, assessments, and operational reviews.
• Develop and mentor refrigeration technicians and engineers.
• Collaborate with Maintenance, Operations, Engineering, Quality, Safety, and Environmental teams.
• Lead workforce planning and succession planning for refrigeration teams.
• Support hiring, training, and performance management processes.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA PSM, EPA RMP, and IIAR standards.
• Lead PHAs and track action items to completion.
• Ensure Management of Change processes are followed.
• Maintain accurate operating procedures and safety documentation.
• Support regulatory inspections and third-party assessments.
• Monitor PSM KPIs and maintain audit-ready systems.
• Communicate strategic plans and align teams to objectives.
• Foster career growth and timely performance feedback.
• Travel up to ~25% as business needs require.

Skills

Industrial refrigeration

PSM compliance

Root cause analysis

Project management

Leadership

Regulatory compliance

Bilingual English/Spanish

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Safety, Industrial Technology

Tools

IIAR standards

RETA CIRO/CM

PSM certifications

Job description

Reser's Fine Foods - Deer Creek Potato Plant
3728 SE 6th Ave
Topeka, KS 66607, USA

Description

Recipe for Success

Reser’s is the leading provider of fresh refrigerated foods for the supermarket and food service industries. Family owned and operated, Reser’s has been a proud sponsor of good times at picnics, BBQs, and affordable family meals since 1950. Reser’s family of brands include Reser’s American Classics, Main Street Bistro, Don Pancho, and more. Reser’s operates facilities in the US, Mexico and actively supports the communities it serves.

Benefits and Culture

We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package designed to help employees live a healthier life, build rewarding careers and save for the future. Reser’s offers choices whenever possible, because we recognize the diverse and ever-changing needs of our employees. Full-time employee benefits include medical, dental, vision, AD&D, life, 401(k) with discretionary match, wellness programs, paid time off, company paid holidays and a variety of voluntary benefit options.

We strive to be Employer of Choice. As one of our five cornerstones, this means that we go all-out to create an environment that shows we are committed to investing in employee growth and creating a culture of belonging where employees what to build a lasting career.

Visit our website to learn more about our competitive benefit programs – www.resers.com/careers/#benefits

Reser’s Fine Foods – Job Description

Location: Topeka Campus Job Family: Maintenance/Engineering

Reports to: Director- Maintenance Sr. Career Track/Level: M4

Job Summary:

This role provides leadership and technical oversight for industrial refrigeration systems across multiple manufacturing facilities, ensuring safe, reliable, compliant, and cost-effective operation of ammonia refrigeration systems. This role serves as a key leader in refrigeration reliability, Process Safety Management (PSM), regulatory compliance, mechanical integrity, maintenance strategy, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Working closely with plant maintenance, engineering, operations, safety, environmental, and quality teams, the Senior Manager, Refrigeration drives execution of refrigeration standards, supports capital projects, develops technical talent, and ensures alignment with corporate refrigeration and process safety objectives. The position serves as a subject matter expert in refrigeration operations while providing leadership for PSM compliance and risk-reduction efforts.

Essential Position Functions:

1. Lead the safe and reliable operation of industrial ammonia refrigeration systems across assigned facilities.

2. Support implementation of enterprise refrigeration standards, specifications, and best practices.

3. Drive refrigeration system reliability through process safety, operational excellence, accountability, continuous improvement, preventive, predictive, and condition-based maintenance programs.

4. Serve as a technical resource for complex refrigeration troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and corrective action development.

5. Support development and execution of refrigeration capital projects, equipment upgrades, and modernization initiatives.

6. Evaluate refrigeration technologies that improve safety, efficiency, sustainability, and system performance.

7. Monitor refrigeration performance metrics and identify opportunities for optimization and risk reduction.

8. Assist in the development of annual operating and capital budgets related to refrigeration assets.

9. Oversee contractor performance and ensure adherence to company safety and operational requirements.

10. Support emergency response readiness and provide technical leadership during refrigeration-related incidents or investigations.

11. Lead facility refrigeration audits, assessments, and operational reviews.

12. Lead and develop refrigeration technicians, mechanics, engineers, and compliance personnel.

13. Establish clear objectives, priorities, and performance expectations for assigned teams.

14. Provide technical mentoring and career development opportunities to team members.

15. Collaboration among Maintenance, Operations, Engineering, Quality, Safety, and Environmental functions to ensure refrigeration systems support business objectives.

16. Workforce planning, succession planning, and technical competency development efforts.

17. Participate in hiring, training, performance management, and employee development activities consistent with company policies.

18. Ensure compliance with OSHA Process Safety Management (29 CFR 1910.119), EPA Risk Management Program (40 CFR Part 68), IIAR standards, and applicable state regulations.

19. Lead or facilitate Process Hazard Analyses (PHAs), action item tracking, and completion of corrective actions.

20. Ensure Management of Change (MOC) processes are consistently executed and documented.

21. Ensure operating procedures, P&IDs, safety documentation, and compliance records remain accurate and current.

22. Lead internal compliance audits and support regulatory inspections and third-party assessments.

23. Ensure contractor compliance with PSM requirements and site safety procedures.

24. Support PSM training programs for maintenance, refrigeration, operations, and contractor personnel.

25. Monitor PSM key performance indicators and maintain audit-ready compliance systems across assigned facilities.

26. Establishes and communicates strategic plans and clear performance objectives for the team to achieve, ensuring understanding and buy‑in. Ensures team members have the resources, information, and support needed to achieve objectives.

27. Supports the development and career growth of team members by providing opportunities to learn, regular and timely performance feedback, and coaching, ensuring succession planning is in place for the team.

28. Managerial responsibility for staff employment decisions in accordance with company policy.

29. Performs special projects and other related duties, as assigned.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Safety, Industrial Technology related field preferred. Equivalent work experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.
• 10+ years of experience with industrial refrigeration systems, including ammonia‑based systems.
• IIAR certification, RETA CIRO/CM, or PSM‑specific certifications preferred.
• Experience supporting multi‑site operations, preferably in a refrigerated food manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading PSM programs in a manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Ability to travel up to 30% as business needs require..

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Advanced knowledge of industrial ammonia refrigeration systems.
• Strong understanding of OSHA PSM, EPA RMP, and IIAR requirements.
• Expertise in refrigeration maintenance, reliability practices, and mechanical integrity programs.
• Knowledge of refrigeration controls, automation systems, and system optimization.
• Experience with root cause analysis methodologies and reliability‑centered maintenance principles.
• Understanding of capital project execution and refrigeration system lifecycle management.
• Knowledge of emergency response requirements associated with ammonia refrigeration systems.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, project management, and organizational skills.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, P&IDs, technical specifications, and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and cross‑functional collaboration skills. Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

• Work performed in a refrigerated food manufacturing environment.
• Conditions may include exposure to wet or dry areas and temperature ranges from 25°F to 110°F.
• Ability to visit manufacturing facilities, including production and mechanical areas which may require walking, standing, and kneeling.
• Schedule flexibility as required, evening, or weekend work to support operational needs.
• Travel up to an estimated 25% of time.

Exempt only: This position is eligible for a bonus based on company goals/performance.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.