We are looking for an Operations and Food Safety Manager for our Sigona’s Fruit For Thought division in San Carlos, CA, to help us improve all aspects of production and position us for significant future growth.
The Operations and Food Safety Manager is responsible for managing the Production Manager, Warehouse Manager, Deliveries and Logistics Manager, Snack Pack Supervisors and Traceability Specialist.
Currently, the job calls for 50 to 60 hours per week, including some weekend work, depending on production demands. Our facility opens at 1:30 AM, but the Operations and Food Safety Manager would be expected to usually start between 4:00 AM and 6:00 AM or later, based on work delegation and process changes instituted by the new Operations and Food Safety Manager.
Sigona’s Fruit For Thought is our rapidly growing business division, which offers healthy fruits and snacks delivered to corporate customers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Operating in a recently renovated building in San Carlos, CA, we have a close-knit team working to keep up with an explosive demand for produce, and looking at new product offerings that build on the strong brand and reputation of Sigona’s as a leader in fresh, high-quality produce and other specialty food items.
Sigona’s Fruit For Thought also sources, packs, and brands snack packs of dried fruit. We aim to provide minimally processed snacks sourced from sustainable suppliers with health at the heart of our mission. We envision these snack packs going nation-wide within 2 years.
Our business began as a multi-generational family-owned fresh foods retailer, Sigona’s Farmers Market, offering produce and specialty foods with two locations in the SF Bay Area Peninsula. We have worked over 40 years with a large number of local growers from nearby farming communities such as Salinas, Morgan Hill, Half Moon Bay, Brentwood, and Placerville. With them, we source the very best the earth has to offer – including organic or pesticide-free produce, using age-old methods of keeping crops safe from pests and disease. Sigona’s Fruit For Thought brings all these years of experience and relationships to a new and expanding customer base of corporations looking to provide affordable and healthy snacks to their valued employees.
- Minimum 3 years management experience.
- Bachelor’s Degree required - preferably in a related field such as Business or Operations.
- 2+ years food safety management experience—prefer experience with HACCP and Organic Certification.
- Operational experience in a high-level management position at a company that has grown quickly and had and significant increases in customers and revenues.
- Experience in food production, food processing or related field preferred.
- Attention to detail; self-auditing.
- Passion for providing excellent quality to customers.
- Creative, focused problem-solving skills.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to motivate a large and diverse team.
- Self-starter who can both work independently and collaborate with coworkers.
- Previous experience with fresh produce or dried fruit a plus.
- Fluent with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and Outlook.
- Understanding of inventory management systems.
- Bilingual in Spanish and English preferred; working level of Spanish required.
- A sense of humor and ability not to take oneself too seriously is important.
Measurements of Success:
- Projects completed in a timely, accurate and detailed fashion.
- Ability to analyze problems and engage others in finding solutions and resolving conflicts.
- Increased productivity and reduction of unit labor costs through training, technology and efficiency improvements to support growth rate of approximately 70% year over year.
- Ability to take organization from $4 million to $20 million in revenues within 4 years.
- High employee satisfaction through recognition, training and promotions.
- Appropriate use of corrective action plans and maintaining low turnover rate (below 15%).
- High safety record through training, awareness and best practices.
- Achieving required certifications and passing of audits related to FDA, HACCP, Organic, as well as compliance with all local, state and federal health and labeling regulations.
- Build a “no surprise” culture for reporting problems and make quick adjustments for change, as needed.
- Integration as a respected member of Sigona’s senior management team.
Our benefits package includes paid vacation, company holidays, and medical, dental, and optical benefits.
Please apply with a resume and cover letter as one document.
Operations:
- Work with Order Assembly and Production Manager overseeing a team of 40 packers. Includes hiring, motivating, disciplining, and ensuring that our culture of teamwork, excellence, respect, and goodwill is instilled in all team members.
- Manage dried fruit packing team, including the Lead Supervisor and Shift Supervisors.
- Provide direction, support and supervision for Deliveries and Logistics Manager to ensure all drivers are hired, trained, motivated, and supervised properly.
- Ensure that all operational crew feel enthusiastic about working at Sigona’s and that all employees have the support and coaching needed to succeed and work harmoniously with all other staff.
- Constant communication with production and management staff, including the Director, Office Manager, and Sales and Marketing manager.
- Work with production to increase efficiency in both fresh and dried fruit packing.
- Develop, maintain, and enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Ensure that all incoming and outgoing product is sent and received according to SOPs, including accurate and timely tracking of supplies received and product deliveries.
- Strive to improve all facets of operations including production efficiency, quality, workplace safety, environmental consciousness, reduction of product waste/shrink, food safety, and cleanliness, using training and appropriate metrics to track progress.
- Oversee workplace safety and hold safety/OSHA compliance meetings. Ensure employee “ownership” of safety practices.
- Oversee purchasing of all non-produce and non-dried fruit products.
- Oversee quality control and accuracy of packing.
- Conduct trainings for safety, equipment and chemical handling, forklift and other machinery operations, and food safety.
Food Safety and Certifications (Organic, HACCP, Local and State Health Department) Oversight:
- Food safety procedures and certifications, including Good Manufacturing Practices, HACCP Plan, and Organic Certifications.
- Inventory control procedures.
- Accurate and timely paperwork and computer records for business tracking and audit purposes.
- Facility maintenance such as cleaning procedures, sanitation guidelines, chemical use, and grounds cleanup.
