Head of Manufacturing and Plant Operations

Who We Are

Welcome to our world of ice cream innovation, where every scoop tells a story of passion, creativity, and quality ingredients. At our Salt & Straw Central Kitchen, we take pride in our commitment to crafting ice cream experiences that go beyond the ordinary. From the blissed-out cows of fifth-generation, family-owned Scott Brothers Dairy to the herbaceous liqueurs from craft distilleries, each ingredient is carefully selected for its unique flavor and origin. Our process is more than just churning; it's an art form. Inspired by local artisans and exotic flavors, we're constantly pushing the boundaries of traditional ice cream-making, blending intriguing ingredients. In our kitchen, every batch is made with care and attention to detail, ensuring that each bite is a harmonious symphony of flavors and textures. Join us in our quest for ice cream perfection, where innovation and imagination collide to create unforgettable experiences.

Our Values

Our values are the foundation of our brand and the guiding light for our team, ensuring that our vision—to create happiness through moments of wonder—is realized in every scoop, every smile, and every shared moment. Our commitment to these principles shapes the culture of our workplace.

Create the Unbelievable: Join our team to turn imaginative ideas into tangible delights that surprise and enchant our guests.

Show Up Generously: Be part of a company where generosity means pouring time, attention, and care into every batch, serving joy and satisfaction in every cone.

Act with Thoughtful Curiosity: Join a culture of curiosity in our kitchen and warehouse, where questions lead to discoveries and innovations.

Share Human Kindness: Join a place where warmth, respect, and genuine care create richer interactions and sweeter moments.

Make It Count: Join our team to create memorable experiences, foster joyful moments, and build lasting connections.

Joining Our Team

You’re the Scoop we have been missing!

Qualities We Cherish

We're looking for individuals who share our passion for excellence, creativity, and a positive attitude. Your unique talents are the secret ingredients we need.

Benefits & Perks

Competitive Wages: Salt & Straw offers competitive market wages coupled with regular annual performance reviews and performance-based merit increases, fostering a culture of recognition, and incentivizing continuous growth.

Everyday Pay: Optional access to earned wages when you need them, ensuring greater flexibility and peace of mind between paychecks.

401(k): Team Members with Salt & Straw have access to 401(k) benefits through Principal. After completing three months of service, eligible Team Members are automatically enrolled AND receive a company match of 50% of the Team Member deferral percentage, up to 1% of salary.

Sick Time: Full time Team Members can expect to accrue approximately 2 weeks of Sick Time per year (accrued at a rate of 1 hour of PTO for every 30 hours worked).

Paid Parental: Team Members who meet eligibility requirements receive 12 weeks of paid parental leave at 70% of their salary or hourly rate (up to a bi-weekly max amount of $3,096.15).

Paid Holidays: The company recognizes 12 holidays annually, during which Team Members receive 8 hours of pay.

Mental Health Support Program: Our mental health support program offers all Team Members and their families free, on-demand access to a licensed mental health professional through a variety of modalities (text, web, in-person, chat, group sessions) 24/7/365 days a year. With advocacy-based care, Team Members are ensured they will receive the help they need when they need it from licensed clinicians. In addition to our online program, Team Members have access to free, on-site counseling one day a week with a licensed professional counselor.

Inclusive Culture: Not only does Salt & Straw offer world class benefits to all Team Members, but individuals are also welcomed into a culture of inclusivity, where they are treated with dignity and respect and feel seen, heard, and cared for.

Educational Assistance Program: Eligible Team Members can apply for a reimbursement of up to $1,800 per calendar year to help offset the cost of tuition, books, or testing for eligible education programs.

Team Member Discount: Unlock exclusive savings with our 30% Team Member discount.

Exclusive Access to New Products and First Look at Flavor Launches: Be the first to indulge in our latest flavors before they hit the shelves with exclusive access granted only to our valued Team Members, allowing you to savor the excitement of new tastes before the public.

Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance: Full-time Team Members are eligible for medical/dental/vision coverage the first of the month following or coinciding with 30 days of their hire date. Salt & Straw offers three medical plans through UnitedHealthcare with premiums under $100 per month plus a vision plan. There are also two dental plans to choose from through MetLife.

UHC Rewards: Once enrolled in a medical plan, Team Members can participate in our wellness program, UnitedHealthcare Rewards and earn up to $1,000 by participating in certain wellness activities.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA): Team Members are eligible to enroll in both Medical and Dependent Care FSA options that let you set aside pre-tax money to pay for certain medical expenses and/or qualified childcare expenses, like daycare.

Health Savings Account (HSA): With a Health Savings Account, those enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan can use pre-tax money to pay for medical expenses and save for retirement.

Commuter Flexible Spending Account: FSA commuter benefits allow Team Members to set aside pre-tax funds from their paychecks to cover eligible commuting expenses, such as public transportation, parking fees, and vanpooling costs, providing a tax-efficient way to save money on their daily commute.

CEIC Public Transportation Subsidy: Salt & Straw covers half the cost of this transportation benefit! Get $200 Trimet, $99 Biketown, and $30 E-Scooter credits for only $50 per year.

Subsidized Parking Pass: Salt & Straw covers half the cost of a parking permit for either Zone G street parking ($7.50 per pay period) or the Eastside Exchange parking lot ($48.96 per pay period).

Accident Insurance: Accident insurance is an added layer of protection that pays a lump sum for injuries resulting from unexpected qualifying accidents and covers extra, out-of-pocket expenses associated with your injury.

Critical Illness Insurance: This insurance provides financial protection by offering a lump-sum payment if you are diagnosed with a serious illness covered by the policy, helping to alleviate the financial burden during challenging times.

Hospital Indemnity: Hospital indemnity insurance provides financial assistance by offering a fixed cash benefit for each day you're hospitalized due to illness or injury, helping to offset expenses like deductibles, copayments, and other out-of-pocket costs not covered by traditional health insurance.

FIGO Pet Insurance: At Salt & Straw pets are part of the family, which is why we offer affordable pet insurance to help keep your fur-babies happy and healthy.

Paid Voting Time: All active Team Members are encouraged to vote and can request up to two hours of paid time off to vote if requested two days in advance and approved by a manager, with Voting Time Off to be requested via Paycom like Sick Time or PTO.

Position Summary/Objective Of Job

The Head of Manufacturing and Plant Operations will oversee all daily operations at Salt & Straw’s main production facility in Portland, OR. The position will have a deep understanding of advanced manufacturing processes, excellence in manufacturing concepts, and quality control programs, with skills in driving continuous improvement and productivity gains. This position will prioritize safety and quality while coaching, mentoring, and training the manufacturing leadership team and all Team Members for operational excellence. Building strong teams and fostering a collaborative culture is a top priority for this role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, manufacturing, food science, business administration, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 8+ years' experience in plant operations with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role within the food manufacturing industry.
• 5+ years management experience in building, leading, and growing high-performance teams.
• Proven experience of leading successful process improvement initiatives and managing large-scale projects.
• Lean, Six Sigma, or similar certification preferred.
• Experience with Netsuite preferred.
  
  

Knowledge And Critical Skills

• Strong knowledge of food safety regulations, quality control systems, and best practices in manufacturing.
• Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills with the ability to effectively communicate and build rapport with individuals at various levels of the organization.
• Self-directed with organizational and problem-solving skills; ability to prioritize, work effectively and positively under pressure and amidst changing priorities.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills and the ability to bring Legendary Hospitality into all interactions with team, direct reports, and customer and vendor relationships.
• Ability to work with people of all backgrounds and identities.
• Proven leader and peer influencer.
• Desire to coach, mentor, motivate and manage direct reports and Team Members.
• Ability to uphold a high standard of service, efficiency, sanitation, and safety.
• Strong math proficiency; ability to work with conversions, percentages, fractions, and convert units of measure.
• Proficient in operating a wide range of commercial kitchen equipment.
• Analytical and problem-solving mindset.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Proficiency with MS Office.
• Fluency in English.
• Spanish speaking as a second language is preferred.
  
  

Wage Transparency

We are actively embracing pay transparency by disclosing the hiring wage for this role as $170,000-188,000/yr, highlighting its full earning potential within the broader range of $170,000-230,000/yr.

Food Allergy Warning

Please be aware that this position involves working in an environment where common food allergens may be present. These allergens include, but are not limited to, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, eggs, soy, wheat, and seafood. If you have any severe food allergies or sensitivities, we recommend that you consider this before applying.

X-Ray Machine Warning

Please note that this position involves working in an environment where X-ray machines are frequently used. If you have any implanted medical devices, such as pacemakers, defibrillators, or other electronic implants, please consult with your healthcare provider to ensure that working around X-ray machines will not interfere with your device or pose any health risks.

Your safety and well-being are our top priorities. If you have any questions or require additional information, please feel free to contact us.

Equal Opportunity

Salt & Straw offers support for those who need assistance with our online application process to provide an equal employment opportunity to all job seekers, including individuals with disabilities. If you are a U.S. applicant and desire a reasonable accommodation to complete a job application, please contact our Talent team at ta@saltandstraw.com.

Salt & Straw is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer dedicated to maintaining a work environment free of bias, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. We believe diversity and inclusion is an indispensable Company objective and we insist that all Team Members and applicants be treated without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, national origin, genetic information, disability, veteran status, pregnancy, marital status, reproductive health decision-making (including childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), age, or other condition or status protected by law. Salt & Straw will consider giving opportunities to qualified individuals with criminal histories when it aligns with federal, state and local statutes.

Salt & Straw participates in E-Verify. We will provide the Social Security Administration, and if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security, with information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. Please note that we do not use this information to pre-screen job applicants.

We can’t wait to meet you!

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