Production Lead - 2nd Shift - Days Off: Mondays & Tuesdays

Founded in 2013, Home Chef is the leading meal solutions company with both a retail and online presence. Available online at homechef.com and in retail at more than 2,100 Kroger grocery stores, Home Chef is committed to inspiring and enabling more people to cook simple, delicious meals, no matter how busy they are.

In 2023, Home Chef introduced a new brand, Tempo ! Tempo features a rotating selection of ready-to-heat meals delivered directly to your door. These meals are better-for-you versions of familiar favorites, designed to save you time and reduce stress while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Our Tempo menu includes options that are protein-packed, fiber-rich, calorie and carb conscious, keto-friendly, and dietitian-approved.

Similar to our recipes, we recognize that variety is the spice of life, and therefore, our employees also bring their uniqueness and color to our fantastic team. We’re eager to work with humble team players and pragmatic next-level thinkers to innovate on Home Chef’s offerings.

This role follows a 2nd shift schedule, working from 4 PM to 12:30 AM , with designated days off on Monday and Tuesday.

A Production Lead is responsible for guiding a line or table of production associates during portioning, meal bagging/kitting, and shipping. They will lead, direct, guide and train assigned production employees.

Detailed Responsibilities

A Production Lead is scheduled to begin their shift prior to the start of production and is responsible for obtaining their production plan and targets for the day from the supervisor and setting up the portioning tables, meal bagging tables, and/or shipping line

Production Targets

Collaborates with the Supervisor to get the production plans and targets for the day

Follows production schedules to ensure order completion during allotted timeframes

Effectively communicates the targets and production expectations to the production associates as well as their performance against the target

Ensures associates are following HC policies/procedures and escalates any concerns to the Production Supervisor

Coordination with Warehouse

Prioritizes and plans for potential product shortages during production and shipping and effectively communicates exact product and quantity needs to the warehouse runners to avoid any unnecessary downtime while waiting on replenishment.

Conducts checks on ingredients for quality, accuracy, and shelf life before starting the line and while the line is running.

SOPs

Has a working knowledge of all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for portioning, meal bagging/kitting, and shipping

Sets up portioning tables, meal bagging tables, and shipping lines according to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Gives consideration to the production targets and the established production plan when setting up portioning tables and based on number of production associates needed to run a line

Shares recommendations for improvements to the SOPs with supervisor

Ensures the table/pods has the labels, packaging, and product needed to get started at the beginning of the shift and start of new activity

Communicates the production targets and expected rates per hour to the production associates

Managing waste

Ensures line does not overproduce portions or meal bags and therefore cause food waste and yield issues (i.e. only producing what is required)

Oversees associates to ensure they are not creating unnecessary waste of food or packaging (i.e. bags, bottles, jars) while portioning and meal bagging and escalates concerns with production quality to FSQA and a supervisor.

Portioning and Meal Bagging/Kitting

The Production Lead is responsible for overseeing all portioning and meal bagging/kitting for their assigned table/pod. This includes:

Utilizing Production Sheets

Identifies and completes all sections listed on the production sheet

Works with FSQA to verify all ingredients on the meal bagging/kitting line and complete the meal bag sign off on the production sheet prior to starting the line

Works with FSQA to ensure meal bag checks are conducted every hour to minimize errors

Packaging and Labels

Retrieves more labels from the label office when needed

Conducts hourly checks to ensure packaging and labels are correct for the ingredients being portioned or meal bagged

Communicates shortages of labeled packaging to supervisor

Portion and Meal Bag Quality

Conducts an hourly check of the portions and meal bags to reduce the potential for errors

SOPs and Targets

Ensures the SOPs for portioning and meal bagging are being followed throughout the shift

Monitors the pace of the portioning and meal bagging line and ensures the team is on track to meet the target. If targets are not being met, the lead makes appropriate adjustments to the line.

Shipping

A Production Lead is responsible for assisting the Production Supervisor when running a shipping line. A Production Lead should have a working knowledge of all shipping lines (similar, hybrid, unique, and pick and pack)

Standard Tools and Forms

Understands the Boxing Call out Sheet and how to use it to set up and verify the line

Knows and follows the SOP for transitioning between similar runs (i.e. similar sign off for CHI, use of red trays to cover all meals not included in run for CA)

Coordination across departments

Works with warehouse to ensure the line has all required product and does not experience downtime as a result of product shortages

SOPs and Production Targets

Makes sure the SOPs for box packing, shipping, and/or Pick & Pack is being followed throughout the entire shift

Manages the pace of the shipping line and makes adjustments as necessary.

Output Tracking and Inventory Management

The Production Lead is responsible for delivering counts to the Supervisor and following Home Chef’s inventory management procedures. Specifically, a Production Lead is responsible for:

Counting output

Collects counts every hour (CHI) or two hours (CA) to deliver to Supervisor

Delivers numbers of meal bags and WIP produced at the end of each workday

Inventory management procedures

Makes sure that the red, grey and green crates all have clear and legible labels

Ensures all old labels have been removed from red trays

Ensures all completed portion and meal bag towers are tagged according to SOP (i.e. plastic wrap w/ meal name, count, and date for CHI and masking tape for CA)

Ensures the meal bag towers are moved to the proper storage location and ordered by date. The older meals should be in the front and the newer meals should be in the back. FIFO (First In First Out) processes should be followed.

Promoting and Upholding Employee Safety and Food Safety Procedures

A Production Lead is responsible for enforcing and executing Home Chef Food Safety Policies on the production floor.

GMP Enforcement and Education

Ensures FSQA is conducting a GMP check on all their associates at the start of the shift and after lunch

Calls out and corrects GMP violations when they occur

Understands the complete scope of GMPs. This includes but is not limited to:

Changing gloves after touching floor mats, leaving the production area, or before portioning a new item

Washing hands at the designated handwashing station

Changing hairnet when returning from the restroom

Employee Safety

Ensure associates are utilizing proper Lifting Techniques when moving and picking up items.

Attends all safety trainings to maintain safety compliance

Escalates any employee safety risks to the Safety Supervisor

Ensures team is accounted for (roll call) and at the designated spot in the event of an evacuation

Pre and Post-Operative Sanitation

Ensures work area (portioning table or meal bagging line) is clean (i.e. tables have been sanitized and floors are free of spills and debris)

Ensures plant cleanliness, 5S compliance and G