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Job Title
Operations Manager
Company Name
KitchenTown
Industry
Natural Foods/Products
Company Overview
KitchenTown is a global innovation platform that helps develop, commercialize and launch, impact-driven and transformational food products.
Company Description

KitchenTown is a food startup incubator and global innovation platform that helps develop, commercialize and launch, impact-driven food products.  By providing tailored support and the right resources at the right times, KitchenTown seeks to drive positive change in the food system from the ground up. 

At it’s 20,000 square foot campus in the San Francisco Bay Area, food startups and legacy food brands have access to a commercial scale-up facility, product development lab, brand partnerships program and a thriving community of entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers from every facet of the food industry.

Founded in 2014, KitchenTown has had the honor of working with hundreds of innovative startups, many of which have become thought leaders and significant, successful businesses.

Full Job Description

We’re looking for a dynamic problem solver to join our team at KitchenTown! The Operations Manager is a key role that interacts with many people on a daily basis to manage our large shared commissary kitchen. This person is the link between our makers and our space, helping them navigate how to best use KitchenTown to help grow their business. We’re looking for someone who is passionate about food, loves working with people, and is comfortable working in a fast-paced environment. Everyday is different in this role and the ideal candidate is willing to tackle any challenge with creativity, grace and dynamic problem-solving.  

Primary responsibilities:

  • Work with food startups and entrepreneurs to provide guidance on shared facility and equipment use, regulatory licensing, and other needs
  • Day-to-day management of shared commercial kitchen and warehouse, making sure workplace, food safety, sanitation, and COVID protocols are adhered to
  • Handle all manner of problems and breakdowns typical for a food commissary facility
  • Maintain complex maker schedule and coordinate the use of multiple workstations and equipment 
  • Field inquiries from food entrepreneurs, interview for fit, send out quotes and proposals, onboard new clients
  • Manage facility vendors such as pest control, chemicals, consumables, trash/compost/recycling collection, etc.
  • Ensure that established operating procedures are being followed, and create and develop new protocols, systems and operations documents 
  • Quote and manage small co-packing jobs, video shoots and other “one-off” projects and facility rentals 
  • Think strategically about how to make continuous improvements on KitchenTown’s operational systems as our business evolves

Qualifications and experience:

  • Bachelor’s degree in relevant field
  • 3+ years of food manufacturing, kitchen operations, or related experience
  • 2+ years of people management experience
  • Knowledge and understanding of food safety & sanitation, production, equipment maintenance and warehousing
  • Ability to work with people from all different backgrounds and experiences
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Solid computer skills
  • Service oriented, ability to adopt a client-first mentality
  • Ability to be flexible and accommodating while upholding food safety standards and operating procedures 
  • Creative problem solver and team player 
  • Ability to stay cool under pressure
  • Ability to sit, stand, walk, and lift 25 lbs

Our approach:

We bring structure and support to help our founders harness and direct their energy towards improving our food system. We provide infrastructure and expert guidance, and the right tools at the right times. We tap a network of industry resources to help guide the next generation of entrepreneurs.

We help food startups ideate, create, and grow their company in the smartest way possible. The world is changing quickly, and we’re here to help feed it.

This is a full-time, exempt position. Compensation based on experience. We are unable to offer relocation services at this time.   

Location
San Mateo, CA
Job Function
Operations
Job Level
Mid Level (Director & Manager)
Application Deadline
No Deadline Provided
Circle City
Compensation & Benefits
No info provided
How to Apply
Apply Now

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