Warehouse/Inventory Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Warehouse/Inventory Manager Job DescriptionWe're a fast-growing direct-to-consumer frozen-meal business, and the kitchen has outgrown a founder-built, mostly manual way of operating. We need an operations leader who builds systems. Someone who turns daily meal production and inventory into a predictable, measurable process, communicates proactively, and plans ahead so that what's ordered is what's made and shipped on time. Must be adept at providing consistent visibility to remote executive leadership. Strong hands-on production leadership is required, but the differentiator is systems thinking, planning, and communication, not just line speed. Target start is as soon as we identify the right person (ideally within ~2–3 weeks)Comp & LogisticsTitle: Kitchen Operations ManagerLocation: On-site, Logan, UT (we expect to move to an upgraded facility in Ogden or Salt Lake County within ~6-12 months)Schedule: Full-time, on-site; early mornings (production starts early; ~7-8 am) and occasional Fridays as volume requiresReports to: COO (currently fractional)Partners with: Director of Operations, R&D/Dietitian (menu & recipes), Customer Service, and outside vendors/carriersLeads: Kitchen shift leads, butcher, and production associatesThe RoleYou own the kitchen - and just as importantly, you own the system that makes it run. This hands-on leadership role is responsible for daily meal production at our Logan facility: the people, the plan, the inventory, the food cost, the quality, and the food safety. Your core job is to make sure the right meals get made, staged, and shipped on time, every day - and to build the repeatable processes, inventory discipline, and clear communication that let production scale without chaos. You'll turn a largely manual, in-someone's-head operation into a documented, measurable one.What You'll OwnProduction planning & inventory (the heart of the job)Plan daily and weekly production to actual demand - open orders, sales trends, and modifications - so we never make the wrong mix or run out of what's already been orderedOwn inventory as a real discipline: raw goods, ingredients, packaging, and finished Ready-to-Ship (RTS) frozen meals - with accurate counts, par levels, and reorder triggersStand up and run a dependable inventory/production system (we use Shopify today and are evaluating a dedicated tool such as Fishbowl); make the numbers trustworthy enough to plan and ship from directlyMaintain freezer organization and staging so filling an order is "shop the shelf and ship," not a daily scavenger huntFulfillment & shippingOwn on-time fulfillment against our shipping SLA (currently 5–7 business days; the goal is pay-to-porch in 3 calendar days)Ensure orders ship complete and correct, including allergen-safe orders - no partial shipments slipping out without a plan and tight coordinationOwn shipping and packaging quality end-to-end: right box sizes, clean presentation, correct cold-chain (ice packs / dry ice), and inserts - the unboxing is a brand momentFood cost, labor & throughputManage food cost / COGS to target (goal: under 40-50%) and control wasteTrack and improve labor efficiency (cost per meal, meals per labor hour) and daily throughput as we scale toward higher daily volumeOwn vendor relationships, ordering cadence, and price negotiation on ingredients, proteins, and packagingFacilities, fleet & buildingKeep the facility running: schedule and manage building maintenance and repair vendors (HVAC/AC, refrigeration & walk-in freezer, plumbing, electrical, waste/sanitation, pest control), track tickets to resolution, and keep the space clean, safe, and audit-readyServe as the day-to-day point of contact with the landlord/property manager on building issues, shared-facility items, and repairs - coordinate access and follow through to closureOwn upkeep of the company delivery van/vehicle(s): routine maintenance and service scheduling, registration/insurance current, cleanliness, and reliable availability for deliveries and supply runsRun a preventive-maintenance schedule with the kitchen crew - routine upkeep and checks on major equipment (walk-in/big freezer, refrigeration, ovens, and other kitchen equipment) so small issues get caught before they become failuresAnticipate facility and equipment needs before they cause downtime - the freezer, the AC, and the van going down all stop production or shippingQuality, allergen & food safetyImplement and hold food-safety and sanitation standards (HACCP / ServSafe); keep the facility audit-readyOwn the allergen-safe workflow and accurate labeling - precision here protects customers and the brandHold recipe, portioning, and packaging standards across every shiftPeople leadershipSchedule, hire, train, and lead the kitchen team and shift leads; build a dependable bench (including gig/temp staffing when needed)Set the daily plan and communicate priorities clearly to the floor, then make sure they're executedDelegate to Shift Leads to manage daily operations once systems are in place; enabling your consistent focus on managing COGS, reporting, strategic improvements and "working on the business," not just in the businessSystems, data & communicationProvide reliable start-of-day and end-of-day visibility to remote leadership (production made, orders shipped, outstanding, out-of-SLA, inventory position)Document SOPs so the operation doesn't live in one person's headCommunicate proactively and escalate early - flag problems and constraints before they become customer-facing failures, and coordinate across ops, R&D, and customer serviceWhat Success Looks Like (first 90 days)30 days: Inventory counts (raw + RTS) are accurate and trusted; a clear daily/weekly production plan exists tied to open orders; reliable start/end-of-day reporting is in place60 days: Orders ship complete and on-time against SLA consistently; an inventory/production system is selected and running; food-safety and allergen SOPs are documented90 days: Predictable, sustainable throughput at target food cost and labor efficiency; a trained, stable crew; the kitchen runs on process, not heroicsWho You AreA hands-on production or culinary operations leader from a high-volume kitchen, commissary, meal-prep, or food-manufacturing environmentA systems and process builder - you've turned chaotic or manual operations into documented, measurable onesA proactive planner who anticipates demand and stages ahead so nothing critical runs outA clear, proactive communicator who follows through on written and verbal direction precisely, asks questions, thinks critically and pushes back appropriately, escalates early, and keeps manager and stakeholders in the loopStrong on inventory management and production planning, ideally with real inventory software experienceComfortable owning facilities and light fleet logistics - coordinating repair vendors, working with a landlord, and keeping a delivery vehicle serviced and road-readyCost-conscious and fluent in food cost, labor efficiency, and wasteFood-safety certified (ServSafe / HACCP) or ready to certify quicklyA capable, dependable people leader who stays calm and decisive under pressureNice to HaveExperience in direct-to-consumer / ecommerce food (frozen or fresh) and cold-chain shippingFamiliarity with Shopify and inventory tools (Fishbowl or similar)Familiarity with AI tools like Claude, Gemini or ChatGPT and willingness to learnExperience standing up SOPs or opening/scaling a commercial kitchen / production facilityExperience negotiating scope, price, delivery deadlines with vendors and managing them to contractsAllergen-program or dietary-modification experience preferredWhat You Don't NeedA fine-dining pedigree or culinary degree - consistency, throughput, and systems matter more hereEnterprise-scale experience - we value adaptability and hands-on ownership in a lean, scrappy business