Now Hiring - Meherrin Agricultural & Chemical Co. - Agriculture Product Development & Commercialization Manager in Raleigh, NC

Full description of the position

The Company

Hampton Farms is the leading In-Shell Peanut Company in the US. We also are a leading producer of other types of nuts, trail mixes, seeds and candies, for the retail and commercial markets. You can find our product in most grocery stores, convenience stores, and major league baseball stadiums.

Purpose

Provide support for the development of new ingredients, nut products, and processes to deliver successful manufacturing solutions for growth and innovation efforts. Use project management and interpersonal skills to interface with cross functional parties at all levels of the organization- including relevant functional leads in Sales, R & D, Operations, and Finance- as well as relevant technical and execution resources and/or field operations. Applies scientific principles in research, development, production, packaging, and processing of nut designed foods. Works with Operations, Procurement, Marketing and Sales to launch a new product, line extension, process improvement, productivity, and product modification.

This position is located in Raleigh, NC at our Company’s Innovation Center.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

· Product Development - Lead and interface with a cross functional team through the product development process flow for new items, modified items, process improvements/productivity and line extensions, from approval of a project/product to finished product.

o Oversee and coordinate all aspects of creating new samples - including nut snacks, butters, or ingredient applications - in a benchtop environment for consideration as possible new product launches.

o Demonstrate the willingness and ability to learn new product categories

o In conjunction with cross functional team: design, plan and execute experiments, analyze test results and effectively report results on projects, as assigned.

o Utilize existing product formulations to guide any new products or modifications to gain efficiencies in development and production

o Coordinate the testing of any new products: shelf life, food safety, machinability

o Formula/product commercialization working closely with teams at production plants

· Commercialization-

o Providing production startup support and training

o Coordinate Production trials: Pre-production and first production

o Organize Launch meetings for all new items and process changes

o Conduct post-plant trial product attribute validation to verify that experimental products, made in a manufacturing environment, meet minimal sensory, stability and machinability requirements as defined by the team

o Along with the Food Science team, create Production and Quality Documents; including SOPs and SSOPs

o Support the continuous improvement of the commercialization process through collaboration with key stakeholders and best practice sharing.

o Prepare weekly, monthly, and annual reports, to communication status, next steps and progress updates to ensure communication throughout the organization

o Work with Finance to effectively cost the new product/process.

o Assume a liaison role between Operations and R&D to provide technical support as required for Operational success with new products

o Research and report market trends and industry findings to the Marketing team

Requirements

· Bachelor, Master, or Ph. D degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Chemistry or relevant field and/or equivalent experience. Culinary degree is NOT preferred.

· Minimum 8+ years’ experience in the field of Food/Beverage.

· Strong organizational skills and attention to detail required.

· Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as function effectively and comfortably as a multi-disciplinary team leader where team results are considered more important than individual contributions

· Ability to prioritize and collaborate with multiple groups to effectively manage multiple projects

· Strong interpersonal skills with ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing

· Strong knowledge in ingredient technology and processing

· Strong interest in nut science and its application in product development, product optimization,

o reformulation, shelf life, etc.

· Knowledge of Microsoft Office and other computer software

· Familiar with manufacturing processing and equipment

· Formulation development (natural and artificial ingredients) experience required

Skills

· Strong communications skills – written and verbal

· Planning Organization & Attention to detail

· Customer service & teamwork orientation

· Ability to work with, and across, multiple departments

· Microsoft Office

· Exceptional Interpersonal skills

· Use of Technology - Demonstrates required skills, adapts to new technologies, uses technology to increase productivity.

· Treats everyone with respect and dignity

Work Environment

· Combination of office environment along with duties that will require the incumbent work in a plant environment where physical hazards such as production equipment and forklifts may be present.

Competencies

Analytical - Synthesizes complex or diverse information; collects and researches data; uses intuition and experience to complement data; designs work flows and procedures.

Continuous Learning - Assesses own strengths and weaknesses; seeks feedback to improve performance; pursues training and development opportunities; strives to continuously build knowledge and skills; shares expertise with others.

Job Knowledge - Competent in required job skills and knowledge; exhibits ability to learn and apply new skills; keeps abreast of current developments; requires minimal supervision; displays understanding of how job relates to others; uses resources effectively.

Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skillfully; develops alternative solutions; works well in group problem solving situations; uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.

Project Management- Develops project plans; coordinates projects; communicates changes and progress; completes projects on time and budget; manages project team activities.

Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; manages competing demands; able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.

Dependability - Follows instructions, responds to management direction; takes responsibility for own actions; completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.

Quality - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; looks for ways to improve and promote quality; applies feedback to improve performance; monitors own work to ensure quality.

Communications - Strong written and verbal skills. Applies good questioning and listening skills to ensure understanding of information being shared.

Reasoning Ability - Ability to solve practical problems efficiently using full resources available. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Benefits

· Health Insurance

· Life Insurance

· Disability

· Vision

· Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

· Employee Assistance (EAP)

· Teladoc

· 401K Match Paid Vacation and Personal Days

· Paid Holidays

· Bereavement Leave

· Military Leave

· Jury Duty Leave

Core Values “Equip”

Environment – we will promote a work environment that encourages and nourishes creativity, a passion for excellence, and mutual respect with our customers, vendors and each other. We are responsible to care for God’s creation by treating the natural environment with proper caution and wisdom.

Quality – all our products and services must reflect quality (creativity and care). We must constantly find ways to improve our products and services to meet our customer’s needs and exceed their expectations.

Understanding – we understand that the pressures facing our employees and their families are never ending. Everyone has family outside of their “work family”, and we encourage them to set proper priorities in their lives. We will seek to find ways to promote a family friendly workplace.

Integrity – honesty and truth are absolutes in the way we conduct business with our customers, vendors, and employees. Ultimately, God is the source of truth and our actions should reflect such integrity.

People – our people are the greatest asset, which is not reflected on our balance sheet. They drive the health of our financial results. We are striving to find people who are passionate about our Company, and find their place in the company where they can grow, flourish, and excel.

EOE - Equal Opportunity Employer

For Additional Information Visit: [please apply online] Type: Full-time

Pay: $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Referral program
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Education:

• Bachelor's (Preferred)

Experience:

• Leadership: 8 years (Preferred)
• Food Science: 8 years (Preferred)
• Food management: 8 years (Preferred)

Work Location: One location