Central Kitchen Production Manager - Mississippi Market Natural Foods Co-op

Why Work with Us?

For many people, it's the opportunity to work for an inclusive, local, values driven business that provides healthy, delicious, and sustainable foods to their community; it's also about people - the ability to work with a great team to create amazing customer experiences. Whatever your reason for joining us, know this, working with us makes a difference!

Position Summary:

The Central Kitchen Production Manager is essential to the success of our prepared foods programs. This position assists the Kitchen Manager in the oversight of kitchen operations to ensure the efficient daily workflow of the production of high-quality food items, from scratch, for our three store locations. This role will also support the Manager with day-to-day staff supervision, development, training, and hiring. They will work with the Kitchen Manager to ensure that the kitchen is clean, stocked, and that our products and practices meet all quality, food safety, and general safety requirements.

Specific areas of accountability include customer service, food production, team leadership, operations, quality control, safety, and sanitation.

Location: 740 East 7th Street, Saint Paul, MN 55106

Schedule: 5 daytime shifts per week including one weekend day

Qualifications: 

• High Volume Production: Experience in high-volume scratch cooking, catering, and large-scale production/finishing including oversight of quality and safety
• Food Safety and Hygiene: Knowledge of optimal food safety and hygiene during preparation, manufacturing, processing, storage, distribution, and delivery of food products
• Team Leadership: Team lead or supervisory experience in a food service environment including, hiring, training, coaching, and providing feedback to support team development; ability to be adaptable, flexible with commitment to being a team player especially in challenging times; the ability to actively contribute to and foster a supportive and inclusive work environment
• Purchasing: Experience ordering goods or ingredients, comparing costs and checking the quality to ensure optimal payoff for the organization
• Communication: Proven ability to actively listen and effectively express ideas, goals, policies, changes, and feedback; demonstrated self-awareness including understanding the impact of verbal and non-verbal communication on stakeholders; ability to remain calm, professional, and optimistic during challenging situations; proven ability to resolve conflict and disagreements in a constructive and positive manner
• Customer Service: Proven ability to provide exceptional customer service and experience, utilizing feedback, and suggesting operational improvements to enhance customer satisfaction
• Critical Thinking:Demonstrated ability to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems
• Time Management: Proven ability to organize, prioritize, and manage time efficiently in order to complete daily tasks effectively
• ServSafe Certification: Current ServSafe certification or the ability to become certified within 3 months of hire
• Technical Skills: Basic computer skills including ability to enter data accurately, send email, working knowledge of Office 365; basic math skills including ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Recipe Development: Experience in recipe development
• Multilingual: Communicates in more than one language

Benefits: Our pay and benefits focus on meeting the financial, health, and wellness needs of our staff. They include:

• 20% employee discount
• Competitive paid time off and paid volunteering
• 401(k) matching
• Low-cost health insurance premium options, and FREE access to primary care and mental health counseling for those enrolled in our medical insurance

We offer exceptional perks including:

• Free food "buddies"
• Employee referral bonuses
• Dress code that allows for inclusivity and creativity

Physical and Working Requirements:

The position involves frequent stationary tasks, along with regular movement within the kitchen and storage areas. Frequent positioning is required to access both low and high shelving, equipment, and products. The job also entails the frequent movement of containers weighing up to 50 lbs. Central Kitchen Production Managers constantly prepare and handle food items and may occasionally ascend/descend a ladder to reach high shelving. Kitchen Managers will utilize various equipment including but not limited to knives, mixers, ovens, and pallet jacks.This role requires exchanging accurate information in person, over the phone, and through email and other written communication. Additionally, Central Kitchen Production Managers will occasionally work in a walk-in cooler and be exposed to sanitizer, cleaning products, and loud noises, and may be designated as staff to be contacted in emergency situations.