What does it take to create 1.7 BILLION cups of coffee a year?
Ask Cascade Coffee!
We are excited to announce that we are hiring an enthusiastic Director of Manufacturing
!
For about 50 years Cascade Coffee has been the premier specialty coffee contract manufacturer in the Pacific Northwest. Specializing in roasting, grinding, flavoring, and packaging coffee, catering to the world’s finest coffee brands worldwide. Cascade works behind the scenes to provide innovation, world-class coffee roasting, and a wide variety of packaging options to highlight their loyal customer’s brands.
Founded in 1977, the company operates from a 175,000 square foot manufacturing and roasting facility, more than 2 million pounds of green coffee storage facility, 50 million pounds annually of coffee roasting capacity as well as multiple roasting lines, flavor mixing systems and 14 automated packaging lines.
Why Cascade?
We offer a unique blend of benefits for you and your family!
SALARY RANGE (EXEMPT): $150,000 - $175,000
REPORTS TO: CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER (COO)
- Healthcare benefits | Multiple coverage levels of medical, dental, and vision plans
- 401k Roth or Pre-Tax options | $1 for $1 match and once eligible to enroll, ZERO vesting period
- Long Term Disability and life insurance | Company provides coverage for all
- Voluntary Life, Disability, Accident & Critical Illness | Various insurance programs are offered to support your needs
- Employee Assistance Program | To support you and your family’s overall wellbeing to achieve your best and most productive self
- Sick and Vacation plans | Cascade understands the vital importance of a quality work/life balance
- Pet insurance | Multiple coverage levels for whatever best suits your furry (or not so furry) friend
- Cascade Cares | Exciting engagement programs each month
- Leadership Training | We invest in and dedicate time to training some of the best leaders in the industry
Position Summary
Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and serving as a key member of the Leadership Team, the Director of Manufacturing will own accountability for Manufacturing (Packaging and Single Serve), Coffee Operations (Roasting, Grinding and Flavoring) and Machine Center Maintenance. The Director will own accountability for day-to-day operations, bottom-line results and the development and implementation of impactful strategic initiatives to improve throughput while reducing overall costs. This individual will be accountable for the implementation and management of our video-based training initiative, along with the training of all floor-based employees. This is a great opportunity for a manufacturing floor focused and highly motivated operations professional.
The position will be focused on Continuous Improvement and LEAN Principles to improve Manufacturing efficiencies while continuing to maintain the highest Safety and Quality standards in the coffee industry.
Most importantly this role will be placed and developed as a Growth Role. The successful candidate will be promotable to Vice President in 18-24 months with ownership of all Operations.
Essential Responsibilities
Leadership and Management:
- Be equally comfortable working directly alongside team members, leadership, and executive teams.
- Develops and implements a strategy to ensure that critical processes run effectively and achieve organizational goals and KPIs.
- Lead by influence in daily operations, ensuring that customer expectations are consistently satisfied, products and services meet the quality specifications, and all resources are fully utilized to provide cost-effective products and service.
- Be a visible Leader, both to the manufacturing floor and to internal customers.
- Communicate in a clear and concise manner, with a focus on facts and problem solving.
- Be comfortable and effective managing a diverse team in a fast-paced, hands-on manufacturing environment.
- Be a strategic and "out-of-the-box" thinker able to challenge current thinking with respect to best practices. It is critical to have the ability to align performance objectives with corporate goals while providing valuable support to optimize growth and profitability.
- Establishes annual goals and objectives, (including stretch targets) in coordination with organizational objectives, and manages performance to ensure attainment.
Planning & Execution
- Continually assess utilization of manufacturing assets to ensure optimization of space, partner, and equipment resources dedicated to the department in support of a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Utilize data monitoring and analytics to evaluate past performance and trends and forecast inventory and distribution requirements.
- Works with the Supply Chain Team to ensure high production schedule attainment, and the highest levels of customer service.
- Manages all aspects of manufacturing equipment, including safety, repairs, preventative maintenance, and vendor communications.
- Develops and continuously improves supplier programs and leads negotiation efforts for major contracts.
- Continuously increases quality awareness, reduces waste, maintains 5S organizational and cleanliness principles, and manages labor costs to develop and maintain a world-class supply chain operation.
- Ensures that all operations are in compliance and support companywide SQF manufacturing principles, that all employees/partners are current on all required Alchemy and Safety training and that all necessary actions to support Cascade Coffee's Sustainability Pledge are in place and followed.
People Development & Team Building
- Foster a culture of collaboration across the entire department, enabling flex-flow of resources to meet in-bound, manufacturing, and shipping requirements.
- Identify and develop potential future leaders and support their professional growth both within the warehouse operation and throughout the organization to maximize partner development and career advancement.
- Lead and coach others in maintaining excellence in GMP, quality control, and safety.
Budgeting And Forecasting
- Collaborate with senior leadership and operational leaders to meet annual budgets, financial projections, strategic forecasts and management reports.
- Monitor financial performance against budgets, identifying key trends, variances, and areas for improvement.
- Work closely with production teams to analyze cost structures and improve profitability through operational efficiency.
Systems & Process Improvement
- Lead and drive improvements in systems and processes, ensuring efficiency, scalability, and accuracy.
- Implement automation and best practices in operations functions to improve workflow, reporting, and financial control.
Performs Other Duties And Tasks As Assigned.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE AND SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
- 15+ years of progressive experience within a Manufacturing environment with an additional 3-5 years of managing a team of 100 or more.
- Bachelor’s degree in business management or another related field is preferred.
- Flexible and able to pivot quickly to resolve challenges in a fast-paced environment.
- Experience with high-speed manufacturing equipment, robotics and PLC experience preferred.
- Demonstrated history of leading a Manufacturing team, with quantitative accomplishments.
- High School diploma required (college degree preferred)
- Exposure to 5s Practices or Lean Manufacturing is highly desired.
- Six Sigma Black or Green Belt is highly desired.
- Strong influence management skills with a continuous improvement mindset.
- High integrity as well as ethics and standards of accuracy and precision; organized
- Demonstrated influencing skills, with proven ability to influence all team members and business decision makers
- A team player who is collaborative as well as receptive to ideas from others and works effectively across functions to identify and resolve critical issues.
- Proven ability to work well under pressure and maintain a positive, enthusiastic attitude.
- A creative, yet pragmatic, problem solver who is hands-on as well as detail oriented.
- Excellent planning, execution, and project management skills.
- Demonstrated ability to roll-up sleeves and work with team members in a hands-on management capacity
- Proficient in Microsoft Suite, especially in Excel (Advanced MC Excel) and PowerPoint .
- Experience working with business systems such as Aptean, Microsoft Dynamics, NetSuite, etc. is a plus.
Physical And Mental Requirements
- Excellent oral and written communications skills required.
- Exceptional analytical and organizational skills needed to plan and implement assignments and to work through consistent interruptions.
- Possess a strategic mindset but hands-on attitude with the ability to address complex problems and propose viable solutions.
Work Enviroment And Equipment
- This job is located within the corporate office, in an indoor environment.
- This position may occasionally support work in the warehouse roasting facility that requires constant standing on concrete floors, exposed to loud equipment noise and subject to coffee dust strong odors.
- Personal protection equipment and other Good Manufacturing Practices are mandatory.
Work Habits
- Requires high degree of discretion regarding access to confidential data and will not disclose or divulge, either directly or indirectly, the confidential information to others unless authorized to do so.
- This job requires a high degree of teamwork and leadership skills.
Key Deliverables Year 1
- The first 30 days will involve observing and learning the business of Cascade Coffee. This will provide a unique opportunity to teach the team and understand Cascade Coffee's manufacturing, maintenance and project management operations.
- Assess current manufacturing and preventative maintenance processes to identify efficiencies and opportunities for continuous improvement.
- Be an integral part of the current facility expansion along with the development of a second facility in the Southeast.
- Implement and drive Best Practices throughout manufacturing to maximize capacity and flexibility within the team.
- Implement and drive a Lean Manufacturing mindset in ensuring correct and timely production and preventative maintenance.
- Develop strategies for maintenance and acquisition of equipment needed to support existing and growth opportunities within operations.
Cascade coffee is committed to creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We celebrate our differences because we believe diversity drives innovation and leads to sustainable success. We recruit, hire and promote our partners based on capability and performance, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
