John Vena Inc., founded in 1919, is a fourth generation, family owned and operated specialty produce distributor. The company operates from the state of the art, Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market on Essington Ave. in Philadelphia, PA.
John Vena Inc. sources fresh produce from around the world and around the corner. Our Production Team custom packs daily for retailers, wholesalers, foodservice distributors and the meal kit industry. Dealing in high-end specialty items including fresh herbs, greenhouse vegetables, and tropical and ethnic fruits and vegetables, our mission is to make the business of food more interesting, more exciting, more fun.
John Vena Inc. is seeking an energetic and self-motivated individual prepared to take on challenging work. The Director of Production is responsible for all packing activities, the efficiency of full time staff and temporary workers and the quality of finished goods. He/She will design and implement processes for all packing tasks and will suggest material, equipment and machinery to be used by all crews. Additionally, the Director is responsible to facilitate product development through packaging material selection and to ensure appropriate supplies of all packing material, maintenance of all tools, and machines and equipment.
- College degree or equivalent required.
- 5-10 years fresh produce or perishable packing management experience required.
- Working knowledge of food safety protocols and audits.
- Responsible for scheduling all packing, cleaning and maintenance activities on all shifts.
- Ensures that all products leaving the packing room are top quality and excellent condition.
- Develops and implements food safety policies and training and ensures staff compliance.
- Ensures the inventory levels of items repacked for everyday sales.
- Manages and maintains labeling compliance according to product safety policy and traceability.
- Designs packing processes, packing lines and determines needed equipment.
- Responsible for the food safety practices of the packing room staff and facilities.
- Investigates various ways to improve packing techniques and packaging material selection.
- Ensures that all packing tools and machines are operating in a safe and clean manner.
- Responsible to keep an accurate inventory of all packaging supplies and to place orders as needed.
- Is responsible for the hiring, firing and performance of his/her team.
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Ability to work independently.
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Proven ability to lead a team.
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Strong basic math skills.
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Strong computer skills, especially in Excel, Word, Outlook required.
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Experience with product labor and production cost management required.
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Excellent communications skills, both verbal and written.
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Ability to speak English and Spanish fluently preferred.
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Must be able to work in a cold environment.
