Culinary Product Management Operations Support Chef

Job Summary

The Culinary Product Management Operations Support Chef will support production, FSQ, and other team members with all efforts to ensure product consistency and quality as specified by the brand and/or customer. This includes commercialization, recipe refinement and/or improvements and cost savings, as well as other culinary related tasks in product development. In the event of absence, this position will be filled by trained personnel. In the event of an absence, a position will be filled by trained personnel.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Develop an understanding of key customers’ requirements for product quality, sensory ranges, acceptable ingredients, etc. to help guide production decision making and formula renovations.
• Conduct scale-up meetings (or other communication, as appropriate) to ensure all relevant parties are aware of the new product or renovated product/process details and coordinate all staff members.
• Provide support on the production floor, as needed.
• Ensure scale-up SOPs are complete and documented.  Relay any non-conformances to the team, as outlined in the process.
• Participate in continuous improvement, root-cause analysis, and problem-solving initiatives, as needed.
• Collaborate with Corp Quality and other personnel to understand differences in site practices/processes, raw-material variances, and equipment capabilities and formulate recipes accordingly to ensure consistent product quality. 
• Represent culinary to assist with assessing and responding to customer/consumer complaint data.
• Understand Blount Fine Foods’ manufacturing capabilities and processes in each location.  Provide information to the marketing and sales teams, as appropriate.
• Collaborate with R&D, FSQ/Production, and Sales & Marketing to develop new products and renovate existing products to increase quality, decrease cost, capture trends, etc.
• Provide relevant samples for in-house and customer cuttings. Utilize technology for virtual cuttings, as needed.
• Assist with ingredients and other testing in the R&D kitchen and on the production floor, as needed.
• Partner with operations and purchasing on BOM validations for all new items.
• Provide recommendations for product and raw material specifications.
• Participate in third-party initiatives and presentations, as needed.
• Some travel may be required to attend food shows, expos, facility tours, etc. with advanced notice and approval.

• Other responsibilities w/ similar skill and work conditions as assigned. 

Required Skills/Abilities

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.  Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.  Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as proportions, percentages, volume and properly read scales/balances and perform simple unit conversions.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of variables in situations. The ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Database software; Development software; Manufacturing software; Order processing systems; Spreadsheet software and Word Processing software.
• Strong attention to detail. 
• Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously
• Develop a solid understanding of ingredient applications via the R&D process
• Strong attention to detail. 
• Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously
• Develop a solid understanding of ingredient applications via the R&D process

Education and/or Experience

• Basic understanding of culinary arts required
• Degree from a 4-year college or university (does not have to be a Culinary degree); or 3-5 years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

• This position requires a valid driver’s license, pre-employment and annual screening of Motor Vehicle Record and personal automobile insurance coverage in accordance with the Blount Fine Foods Employee Handbook.

Physical Requirements

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit and taste or smell. The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.