Director, External Manufacturing
Who We Are
The Farmer’s Dog was created to radically improve the $90 billion global pet food industry — starting with a subscription service that sends freshly-made food directly to customers’ doors. Long term, our aim is to simplify every part of pet care, bettering the lives of the animals who make our lives better. Backed by the early investors of Warby Parker, Dollar Shave Club, and Sweetgreen, we've raised over $100M in funding and seek to build a company as healthy as the dogs we feed.
Join The Farmer’s Dog team as we continue to figure out ways of bringing peace of mind to customers, health to their companions, and much-needed change to the way people feed and care for their pets.
#LongLiveDogs
Where You'll Come In
The Director, External Manufacturing will be responsible for leading and advising all aspects of Contract Manufacturing for all TFD Contract Manufactures (CoMan), in full alignment with TFD Manufacturing Strategy. In this role you will provide a consistent and sustainable approach to the selection of CoMan, start-up new products (or renovate existing products) and maintain ongoing CoMan relationships. You'll be accountable for ensuring compliance of CoMan contracts including renovation/innovation, cost management, capacity management, capital projects and ensuring the Contract Manufacturers meet or exceed standards developed and audited by TFD Food Safety, Quality and Regulatory (FSQR), Finance and other functional areas. You will also strategically secure resources and effectively communicate priorities by coordinating efforts between Marketing, R&D, Manufacturing, Procurement and Product Supply departments.
How You'll Make An Impact
Manufacturing Strategy
- Handle the most complicated and meaningful relationships with minimal direction, demonstrating experience and credibility to influence at all levels of both the CoMan and the TFD organization.
- Build a performance vision and develop strategies for Contract Manufacturers that reflect business tactics and strategic needs.
- Assess supplier performance and proactively ensures quality, service, and cost objectives are achieved through coaching and influence management.
- Develop processes, procedures and controls to ensure compliance with the company's contracts (financial standards and yields, quality standards and regulations, production and shipping reporting, operational excellence, capacity requirements, etc.).
- Perform market analysis, using benchmarks (internal/external), supplier segmentation, trends in technology, and cost modeling.
- Mentor internal partners on supplier interactions to drive effective execution.
Product Commercialization
- Accountable for Product Commercialization projects to ensure specifications are established prior to production and all parameters are achieved during the qualification, verification and commercialization steps.
- Project sponsor on key manufacturing projects, e.g., new product introduction, product renovation, rationalization of facilities.
Ongoing Maintenance
- Accountable for CoMan Key Performance Indicators for quality, food safety, customer service and financial reporting.
- Approve and support execution of strategies to improve performance.
Continuous Improvement
- Serve as support for achieving Operational savings at Contract Manufacturer facilities and ensure that savings are tracked according to expectations through validation to implementation.
- Ensure proper resource allocation (internal and external) is provided for successful implementation of continuous improvement initiatives.
Project Management
- Independently manage sophisticated and/or strategically significant projects through execution, ensuring critical success criteria are met.
- Responsible for developing and executing complex negotiation strategies independently.
Leadership
- Manage a staff of External Manufacturing Managers and support organizations.
- Develop staff by providing accurate and reflective individual insights, learning and development resources, and experimental growth opportunities.
- Lead cross functional teams including Procurement, Forecasting, Finance, T&W, Quality and other organizations in delivery of results.
We're Excited About You Because
- 15+ years of food related manufacturing with direct experience in operations, quality assurance, supply chain management, contract negotiations, finance, and manufacturing procedures.
- Experience handling human Frozen Food
- Multiyear plant experience in a direct production leadership role, having developed significant and diverse management experience.
- Significant experience delivering results in Contract Manufacturing leading complex relationships.
- A phenomenal teammate; able to use strong communication, analytical and leadership skills to lead a diverse group forward.
- Strong project management experience, preferably leading product innovation/renovation.
- Proficient computer skills –Office (Excel, Word, Power Point, and Access) and Google Docs (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms)
- Open to required travel; 30% - 50% as needed.
A Few of Our Best Benefits
- Brand new dog-friendly office in Greenwich Village (upon a safe return-to-office!)
- Market-competitive compensation and equity packages
- Comprehensive Healthcare, Dental, and Vision
- 12 week paid parental leave
- Flexible PTO and (when in office) WFH policy
- Discounted fresh food for your pup
- Your pet interrupting video calls (and in person-meetings) is now a feature, not a bug