PRODUCTION MANAGER

ABOUT US:

Milk Jawn is an award-winning small-batch, premium ice cream company based in Philly. We use fresh, local PA dairy to make our delicious flavors and almost every ingredient that goes into our ice cream is handmade in our production kitchen. We're obsessed with crafting great ice cream and great experiences—both for our guests and our team.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

We’re looking for a Production Manager to lead our South Philly manufacturing kitchen. This is a crucial leadership position reporting to the CEO/Creative Director, responsible for the strategic planning and oversight of ice cream production, as well as baked goods and mix-ins. The person in this role ensures that we have the ice cream to support our scoop shops, farmers’ markets, and wholesale partners, and that everything that leaves our kitchen meets our high standards.

This role focuses on high-level operations: production scheduling, staffing and culture, inventory and procurement, quality control systems, food safety compliance, and facilities management. You will work alongside an Assistant Production Manager who helps support the day-to-day kitchen operations, allowing you time to focus on continuous improvement and long-term planning.

This is as much a business operations role as it is a hands-on kitchen leadership role. You'll spend significant time working with spreadsheets, our ERP system (Wherefour), and other business tools to manage inventory, analyze production data, control costs, and optimize our processes. The ideal candidate is as comfortable with numbers and technology as they are with kitchen SOPs and equipment, and is excited about using data to drive decisions.

The Production Manager is accountable for ensuring we hit our weekly production goals efficiently and safely. This is a leader who creates a culture of operational excellence within our kitchen—someone who is quick to resolve issues, highly intelligent in creating the best order of operations, and great at developing their team. You'll help build and sustain a supportive and collaborative kitchen environment.

ABOUT YOU:

You are a hands-on, people-first leader. You are excited to keep learning, try new tools, and push our brand forward, at the same time thoughtfully protecting the magic that makes our ice cream and our culture special. You are looking forward to being in this role for a long while, growing with us and rolling up your sleeves to pitch in wherever you are most needed. No two days are ever the same in our small business, and so your flexibility, creative problem-solving skills, and can-do attitude are key. Most of all, when you think about joining our team, you are excited to help us spread joy and happiness throughout our community, one artfully produced scoop and pint at a time.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Production Leadership

  • Lead production activities on the floor; set the pace and standard for the team

  • Directly supervise food preparation and production tasks

  • Track production progress throughout the day; problem-solve issues as they arise to stay on schedule

  • Jump in and assist with production tasks when needed

Production Planning & Scheduling

  • Develop and manage the weekly production schedule to maximize efficiency and meet demand

  • Ensure labor is adequate to fulfill production needs; write staff schedules

  • Coordinate with sales and retail teams to align production with forecasted needs

Staffing, People Management, & Culture

  • Recruit, interview, and hire production staff

  • Train, manage, and support the production team, including the Assistant Production Manager

  • Coach, mentor, and inspire a well-rounded team

  • Conduct performance reviews and provide ongoing feedback

  • Celebrate team wins in all hands and company monthly reports

Inventory, Ordering & Procurement

  • Oversee inventory reconciliation and accurate tracking of mix-ins, bases, pints, and supplies using our ERP system (Wherefour)

  • Manage ordering and procurement to meet production needs; maintain necessary pars based on lead times

  • Monitor and respond to cost fluctuations; track cost of goods

  • Develop and maintain relationships with key suppliers

Quality Control & SOPs

  • Develop, implement, and maintain quality control procedures

  • Work with the Operations Manager to develop and formulate SOPs and SSOPs for processes and equipment

  • Sample and quality-check products; escalate and troubleshoot all quality issues

  • Act as point-of-contact for other departments regarding product issues

  • Ensure all weights and outputs are documented for recipes

Food Safety & Compliance

  • Uphold all health, safety, and sanitation guidelines

  • Facilitate inspections by the Department of Agriculture and Philadelphia Department of Health

  • Coordinate monthly lab testing

  • Ensure all food products are utilized and stored safely and in compliance with FIFO

  • Implement and maintain systems for daily/weekly/monthly cleaning, sanitation, and maintenance

Facilities

  • Ensure the production facility is clean, safe, and sanitary

  • Report and schedule repairs, maintenance needs, and equipment malfunctions

  • Oversee facility improvements and equipment upgrades

Long-Term Planning & Continuous Improvement

  • Analyze performance data and develop strategies to increase productivity

  • Research new methods and/or technologies to improve quality or quantity of products

  • Identify opportunities for efficiency gains and waste reduction

  • Collaborate with the CEO/Creative Director on recipe development and testing

ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES:

  • Perform managerial functions including: scheduling, attendance tracking, performance management, payroll timekeeping, and incident reporting

  • Manage the kitchen to budget goals, including cost of goods sold and scheduling to budgeted payroll percentage

  • Participate in meetings concerning product development, company-wide initiatives, and special projects

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Be willing and able to go above and beyond when the kitchen demands

  • Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required:

  • Minimum of 5 years experience managing multiple employees in a production, manufacturing, or high-volume kitchen environment.

  • Prior food preparation or food manufacturing experience

  • Basic math proficiency: ability to work with conversions, percentages, fractions, and convert units of measure (e.g., ounces to pounds, recipe scaling).

  • Experience with Excel, Google Sheets, ERP systems, or other transactional systems for inventory control and data tracking.

  • Strong analytical skills; comfortable using data to make decisions and solve problems.

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Fluency in English is required.

  • Highly organized and able to manage multiple competing priorities.

  • High attention to detail and commitment to quality

  • Ability to stand eight hours, lift up to 50 pounds, and work in a freezer environment for up to 20 minutes at a time.

  • Must have ServSafe certificate and Philadelphia Food Safety Certification (or obtain within 90 days of hire).

Preferred:

  • Experience with pastry, candy-making, and/or frozen dessert production.

  • Experience with ERP systems such as Wherefour, Katana, or similar production/inventory software.

  • Knowledge of food manufacturing equipment and processes.

  • Experience developing SOPs and quality control systems.

COMPENSATION

Job Type: Full Time

Typical Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Salary: $70K - $80K

Benefits:

  • PTO and paid holidays/holiday pay

  • Health Insurance

  • Vision Insurance

  • Dental Insurance

  • Predictable weekday schedule

  • Employee discount

  • Free ice cream

NEXT STEPS

  1. Submit your resume with a message of introduction by emailing hello@milkjawn.com

  2. We will review submissions daily and schedule a 15-20 minute introductory call.

  3. If selected, we will invite you to come work with our team for a day so that you can get a better understanding of our world and we can take time to get better acquainted with you.

  4. We will invite final candidates for a final, in-person conversation with Milk Jawn's CEO and Operations Manager.

Milk Jawn is growing and we are invested in employees who take ownership over their role and are interested in contributing in a bigger way with us. In your cover letter, please include a few sentences describing how you helped contribute to your previous company’s culture. Please also tell us why you want to join Milk Jawn.

Milk Jawn is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, or sexual orientation.