VP, Manufacturing

Who We Are

At Freshpet, our goal is to change the way people nourish their pets forever. We strive to strengthen the bond between people and our pets so that we both live longer, healthier, and happier lives while being kind to the planet. We believe that if we can create fresh, real foods that pets love and help them live healthier lives that their pet parents will also enjoy the many benefits of a rich life shared with a pet.

We started off with a mission to change the way pet parents feed dogs and cats, but we also wanted to be a company that had a thoughtful approach to how we operate. We wanted to do things differently, make great products but be gentle to the planet, good to the people who touch our business, and leave a positive impact with everything we do. We work hard every day to ensure that the original vision is met, starting with making the highest quality foods in our kitchens to running our business with integrity, transparency, and social and environmental responsibility. IT’S AMAZING WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU START COMPLETELY FRESH!

What You Will Do

As the Vice President of Manufacturing, reporting to the SVP of Manufacturing and Engineering, you will be a contributing member of the Company’s leadership team and will be responsible for the overall manufacturing strategy of the business, as well as developing and delivering the annual operations plan for the facilities under your responsibility, including strong relationship management of Freshpet’s strategic Manufacturing partners. You will also be responsible for driving improvements that lead to results meeting and/or exceeding the short-, mid-, and long-term goals both at the top – revenue – line, as well as at the bottom – profit – line; while staying true to our operating principles of Pets, People and Planet.

How You Will Make an Impact

• Develop and champion a strong health and safety culture including metrics and results
• Promote a culture and build capabilities to manufacture products at the highest quality and food safety standards
• Lead and provide oversight of manufacturing facilities within the Freshpet network
• Ensure executional excellence of project management and communication as the primary liaison with Freshpet’s strategic Manufacturing partners
• Champion and support a culture with a high level of Team Member engagement, where everyone is an owner, and everyone wins together
• Provide executive influence and connection across multiple cross functional stakeholders at different levels of the Organization, from senior leadership to front line, to ensure alignment and timely decision making and execution
• Establish and maintain processes and workflows that enable efficient integration of operations to support the highest levels of customer service and growth
• Ensure operational KPI’s including safety, quality, cost, and productivity are in place, properly measured, and being met, or exceeded, at each facility
• Develop annual and long-term capital planning in support of operational deliverables and business growth
• Work cross functionally with other key leaders to develop policies, procedures, and strategic plans that continue to drive synergies across the Organization
• Provide oversight and support to large capital expansion projects with an overall focus on safety, food safety, product quality, and culture
• Interface with local and regional authorities and agencies to ensure compliance with required standards (safety, regulatory, environmental, etc.)
• Develop the Operations organization, including organizational design, hiring, recruitment, training and retention of employees and succession planning
• Be based at our Ennis, TX location
• Travel 20% - 30% to support out-of-state operations and strategic manufacturing partners
• Spanish language skills preferred but not required

What You Will Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (Engineering, Business, Manufacturing), MS or MBA preferred
• A minimum of 10 years’ experience in the manufacturing field with food or pet food, meat, dairy, industries most desirable
• Relevant experience in contract manufacturing or other supply chain roles (procurement, planning, commercialization, business operations, etc.)
• Developing, influencing, and driving direction and moving strategies forward aligned with overall business goals
• History of hands-on implementation and accountability through systems and processes for workforce safety, food safety, product quality, productivity, Lean/TPM culture implementation, customer satisfaction, and operating margins
• Ability to drive an organization to high levels of safety and performance, as evidenced by a track record of consistent delivery and development of systems and processes to support Team Members, customers, and business needs
• Excellent communication (oral and written) skills, along with the ability to make formal presentations to a wide array of internal and external audiences
• Excellent leadership skills, as evidenced by a track record of hiring, retaining, developing, and motivating top-tier internal Operations talent, as well as influencing external partners
• Data-driven problem-solving approach, with solid financial skills to manage and oversee all financial matters of the manufacturing organization
• A strategic orientation with the ability to apply a solid grasp of business management principles and act opportunistically, in the context of the Company’s structure and business
• Financially solid, with the ability to analyze key financial reports and use them to drive improved performance, daily decisions, as well as long term strategy
• Overall business acumen, negotiation skills, and end-to-end supply chain understanding
• Negotiation skills and development of negotiation strategies
• Results-oriented leader who is self-motivated to achieve and exceed targets and who will empower, motivate, and inspire others similarly. A team leader and team player who holds self and other accountable
• A “roll up your sleeves” strategic doer, with a “get it done” attitude, and strong interpersonal skills that are equally effective in a boardroom, customer meeting, as well as on the manufacturing floor
• A personality and manner that demonstrates confidence, respect for others, sound judgment, and a straightforward tenor to interpersonal relationships. Someone who encourages others to engage
• An unquestioned level of integrity, with high level of flexibility, tenacity, and physical/intellectual energy
• A passion for pets is a plus

What We Offer

At Freshpet, we offer a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package, including medical, dental and vision insurance, basic and optional life insurance, short- and long-term disability protection, flexible spending accounts, and a 401(k) plan with company match, paid parental leave, pet insurance, tuition assistance, a generous PTO plan and so much more!

Our Commitment to a Diverse Workforce:

At Freshpet, we embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in age, sex, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique.

Freshpet aims to foster, cultivate and preserve a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our employees are our most valuable assets. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of not only our culture, but our reputation and company’s achievement as well. Freshpet is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Disclaimers

Freshpet is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. Please, no phone calls or emails. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at Freshpet via-email, the Internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of Freshpet. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Freshpet as a result of the referral or through other means.