Production Specialist

Overview

Company Summary
At Häns Kissle, we strive to deliver the simple goodness of home in every bite. Founded in 1984, Häns Kissle began as the regional commissary for a small, high-end grocery chain in New England, MA, crafting fresh, upscale prepared foods and deli salads. Today we have two manufacturing facilities in Massachusetts and North Carolina.

Position Summary
The Production Specialist provides day-to-day coverage for Supervisors across Salad Mixing, Salad Fillers (GMC), Salad Packaging, and Prepared departments. When not covering a supervisor’s day off or vacancy, the role partners closely with the Prepared Department Supervisor to drive performance, safety, quality, and continuous improvement. This position mirrors many responsibilities of a department Supervisor and is designed as a development role with a clear pathway to a full-time Supervisor assignment.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who can adapt quickly, standardize best practices across lines, and build strong teams.

• Coverage & Department Leadership:
  Provide full department leadership during Supervisor absences in Salad Mixing, Salad Fillers (GMC), Salad Packaging, and Prepared.
• Assist in daily huddles, set shift goals, assign labor, and manage breaks/rotations.
• Maintain standard work, SOPs, and visual controls; ensure consistent execution across all covered departments.

• Enforce GMPs, HACCP, allergen control, and sanitation standards; support SQF and internal audit readiness.
• Drive a safety-first culture: conduct start-up safety checks, lead near-miss reporting, and complete incident investigations per OSHA expectations.

• Oversee CCP checks, lot traceability, label accuracy, and shelf-life management.
• Partner with QA to disposition holds, implement corrective actions, and prevent recurrence.

• Manage schedule adherence, changeovers, and start-up/shut-down procedures to minimize downtime.
• Monitor yield, waste, throughput, and OEE; escalate issues and execute short-term countermeasures.

• Coach and direct operators, leads, and floaters; reinforce accountability and recognition.
• Train on SOPs, safety, and quality checks; certify cross-training to increase flexibility.
• Support attendance, performance feedback, and basic employee relations in alignment with HR policies.

• Verify material availability (ingredients, film, labels, packaging); prevent line stoppages through proactive staging.
• Ensure accurate transactions in ERP/MES (e.g., lot scans, yields, labor) and maintain clean, complete shift documentation.

• Identify bottlenecks and wastes; lead 5S, standard work updates, and kaizen events.
• Assist in trials, new product launches, and process changes, capture learnings into SOPs.

• 3+ years in food manufacturing or high-throughput CPG operations; fresh/ready-to-eat salads or prepared foods preferred experience.
• Prior experience as a Lead, Line Captain, or Assistant Supervisor; proven ability to run a line/department.
• Strong knowledge of GMPs, HACCP, allergen control, sanitation, and basic microbiological risk awareness.
• Familiarity with SQF programs and audit expectations is a plus.
• Proficient with production documentation, ERP/MES, and standard office tools (Excel/Teams/Outlook).
• Ability to read/interpret SOPs, specs, and production schedules, solid math for yields and counts.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus.

• Leadership & Communication:
  Clear direction, active listening, and constructive feedback.
• Bias for Action:
  Quick issue identification and decisive problem-solving.
• Ownership:
  High standards for safety, quality, and housekeeping (5S).
• Team Building:
  Develops talent through coaching and cross-training.
• Adaptability:
  Comfortable rotating across departments.
• Data-Driven:
  Uses KPIs to prioritize and improve.

• Ability to stand/walk for extended periods; lift 50 lbs. periodically.
• Work in cold-room environments typical for salad and prepared operations.
• PPE use required, adherence to hygiene and allergen separation…