Innovation and Development Chef
Charlie's Produce
Seattle, WA
JOB DETAILS
JOB TYPE
Full-time, Employee
SKILLS
Analysis Skills, Communication Skills, Competitive Analysis/Strategy, Computer Software, Computer Systems, Cook Dishes, Cross-Functional, Customer Support/Service, Demand Forecasting/Planning, Detail Oriented, Employee Assistance Plan, Food Production, Food Safety, Food Services, Gross Margin, Homeland Security, Interpersonal Skills, Manufacturing, Manufacturing/Industrial Processes, Marketing, Marketing Plan, Marketing/Sales Collateral, Microsoft SharePoint, Organizational Skills, Performance Analysis, Performance Management, Problem Solving Skills, Product Costing, Product Development, Product Planning, Product Programs, Project/Program Management, Promotional Products, Promotional Programs, Recipe Development, Reporting Skills, Retail, Revenue Growth, Sales, Sales Management, Sales Support, ServSafe Certification, Social Security Administration, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), Supply Chain, Team Player, Time Management, Trend Analysis, Tuition Fees, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Vendor/Supplier Planning, Willing to Travel
LOCATION
Seattle, WA
POSTED
30+ days ago
CP Fresh is a Charlie's Produce Company - Who We Are
Charlie's Produce is the largest privately owned produce wholesaler on the West Coast, and we are growing. The secret to our success in this industry is PEOPLE! We strive to hire the best and we reward them with a working environment that fosters loyalty, stability, innovation, and growth. Charlie's was founded in quality, and we are proud that it is still our focus.
CP Fresh brings the same quality to processed foods that Charlie's brings to produce! Our state of the art processing plant provides fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, an expanded salad line, and a USDA-certified hot kitchen. We partner with local vendors to offer our customers fresh, high- quality, made-to-order products.
With a team of dedicated people who are passionate about food, supply chain, and their community- we are looking for like minded individuals to help further our goal to enhance our communities through quality produce and prepared foods.
What We offer:
An amazing company culture!
Medical/Dental/Vision on the first of the month following hire.
ESOP (Profit Sharing) and 401(k).
Paid vacations, paid holidays.
Coverage under State Sick Leave.
100% Prepaid College Tuition for employees and their dependents.
Employee assistance program (EAP).
Additional Compensation Details:
$105-115K annually
Potential 90-day performance-based raise
Yearly review with possibility of increase based on performance and tenure
Job Description
Job Summary:
Develop and implement new prep-foods and fresh processed produce product programs for produce, food service, and retail deli sales team within Seattle, Portland, Spokane, and Boise divisions. The product programs will include product development, sourcing from third party suppliers, achievement of gross margin targets, promotion and Ad plans, marketing materials, packaging, and private label programs. The director will also coordinate sales of fresh produce ingredients to third party suppliers from Charlie's Produce.
Collaborate with the sales team of each division to support sales growth, new account development, new initiatives, and provide performance reports to division presidents, general managers, and sales managers. The director will work closely with the general manager of CP Fresh and third-party suppliers to coordinate forecast demand, recipe development and product innovations required from collaborating with each division. Quarterly travel to each division will be expected to visit with key customers, review retail execution, competitive assessment and coordinate efforts with the sales team.
Duties Include but are not limited to:
Comfortably and confidently manage several workstreams simultaneously
Provide culinary expertise in assigned projects, demonstrated by exceptional culinary concept creation and product development
Play an active role in all stages of product development, from ideation to manufacturing
Meticulously record all tests and pertinent analytical information
Monitor and research food trends, manufacturing processes, and culinary innovations on an ongoing basis to continue to bring new ideas to the team
Ensure that project scope guard rails are maintained throughout the development process, and product formulas are shared with and approved by the commercialization team
Calculate ingredient costing such that products are developed within cost targets
Lead and participate in product tastings and plant trials of new products
Assist in the production of product samples for internal and external stakeholders
Manage individual project timelines and deliverables, and support wider project direction and deadlines
Ensure the work area is orderly, organized and clean for efficient use for testing, following CP Fresh's SOP for proper kitchen operations
Sales support: customer visits, facilities tours, product information, etc.
Develops sales and marketing materials for new items/programs and supports promotional planning with product information, position, and points of differentiation
Qualifications
Desired Minimum Qualifications:
3-6 years of experience product development after completion of a culinary or related degree/certificate program, or a combination of education and relevant culinary product development experience
Demonstrated knowledge and adherence to stringent food safety standards, including an up-to-date Food Handlers card/certification (ServSafe)
A refined palate, with excellent understanding of different cooking methods and world cuisines
Demonstrated collaborative skills and ability to work well within a cross-functional team, including aligning to core values within a mission-driven company culture
Demonstrated high level of creativity and personal initiative
Knowledgeable of the impact of basic functional ingredients and processes on product texture
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Self-motivated with meticulous attention to detail; exceptional organizational and project-management skills
Ability to work in a fast paced, deadline-driven environment, while balancing changing priorities
Solid analytical skills with the ability to develop creative solutions to solve problems
Demonstrated ability to work independently on assigned work and projects with general supervision
Proficiency in the use of computer systems and software (EX: MS 365-Teams, SharePoint, AX)
Licensing and Certification Requirement:
Food handlers certification
Additional Information
This is a safety-sensitive position.
This employer participates in E-Verify and 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.
We do not provide H1-B sponsorships at this time.
Please note that the pay range provided is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be dependent on factors, including but not limited to, the individual's qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as physical work location within the state.
For additional protected privacy information please visit:Privacy Policy | Charlie's Produce (charliesproduce.com)
Charlie's Produce is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Visit our Employment Page for more details or to view our privacy center: https://www.charliesproduce.com/careers/
Recruiters - DO NOT CONTACT!
This employer participates in E-Verify and 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.
Charlie's Produce is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
About the Company
C
Charlie's Produce
Charlie’s Produce is a locally owned produce company. We have been delivering high quality produce to our valued customers since the late 70’s. We currently have 6 distribution centers on the West Coast: Seattle, Spokane, Portland, Los Angeles, Anchorage and Dutch Harbor Alaska.
We are an employee owned company, so each member of our Team is invested in the quality, reputation and success of the business. We support our employees in a variety of ways, not the least of which is offering medical/dental/vision, 401(k), vacation, holiday pay, 100% fully paid tuition and more…….
As a company we pride ourselves on being local, independent, unique and quality driven; which is also exactly what we look for in our employees. If you fit this bill, check out our employment page at www.charliesproduce.com
Charlie’s Produce, the biggest little company you’ll ever work for!
COMPANY SIZE
1,500 to 1,999 employeesINDUSTRY
Food and Beverage Production
FOUNDED
1978
WEBSITE
http://www.charliesproduce.com/