FreshRealm

Starting pay for this job is $110,630.

Employee pay will vary based on factors such as qualifications, experience, skill level, competencies, and work location. We will meet minimum wage or minimum of the pay range (whichever is higher) based on city, county and state requirements.

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

FreshRealm

At FreshRealm, we aspire to be the most optimized fresh meals solutions platform in the world. Fresh meals are our focus, and we are passionate about transforming this rapidly growing category, bringing fresh to everyone, every day, everywhere.

FreshRealm develops, sources, commercializes and assembles fresh meals, including meal kits, ready-to-heat and ready-to-cook offerings. We partner with leading direct-to-consumer brands, national grocers, and top convenience, club, and food service companies to deliver the very best meals to their customers. Our customer’s success is our success.

If you are a growth-minded leader who thrives in an entrepreneurial environment at a company transforming an industry, FreshRealm is the perfect fit for you.

Job Overview

The Senior Corporate Development Chef will be integral in the building of culinary relationships with both our customer and supplier base to enable continued growth of the FreshRealm business. They will be responsible for assisting the New Product Development Director in executing and interpreting product briefs, exploring new opportunities and innovations, recipe development to set cost parameters, material sourcing, and preparation and presentation of meal samples in support of culinary/sales efforts and customer relationships. Responsible for training of junior culinary team members and continual process improvements. In addition, this position works with the culinary and development team to manage and maintain critical kitchen operations and coordinate functions within the kitchen facility.

Major Duties and Responsibilities 

• Develop products that meet customer and FreshRealm brand expectations and cost price points based on sales briefs
• Build relationships with customers and assist in road map planning for new product implementation
• Will have a focussed, hardworking and entrepreneurial attitude to business and come from a food background with a passion for NPD
• Selects correct design concepts and fundamental technology used for new products or improvements for existing ones
• Development of ingredient pantry to encompass needs for future development,ensuring new ingredients are beneficial for long term addition to ingredient pantry
• Supplier partnership & development of new ingredients
• Costings and costing summaries
• Development of meals to meet specific dietary requirements
• Supervision and development of junior team members
• Deputize for NPD director when requested
• Coordinate and execute internal and external customer product presentations and cuttings with all supporting documentation including customer facing presentations 
• Cost rationalization and assortment improvement projects
• Strategic NPD / Culinary process improvement projects
• Preliminary organoleptic shelf-life evaluation and data capture required for preliminary costings 
• Manage projects through the critical path stage process working closely with cross functional teams
• Maintain kitchen operations (sanitation, maintenance, & organization)
• Secure and maintain inventory of ingredients used in the development process
• Prepare meal samples in support of sales and customer relationships
• Recipe innovation - design and create recipes within partner guidelines to excite and attract customer focus
• Continuous product improvement projects
• Assist in compilation of SOPs and continuous NPD systems improvements
• Work with cross functional departments during the development process
• Support factory operations in an advisory capacity during product launch
• Maintain all relevant documentation requirements for FreshRealm and customers
• Other duties as required

Qualifications for the Job

Skills and Requirements

• Creative individual with a passion, affinity, and love of food underpinned by a strong commercial acumen
• Thrive in a demanding manufacturing environment and be driven to see your concepts succeed in the marketplace
• Excellent project management skills and a creative driver for the business
• Experience in working with chilled / frozen products is essential ideally in the ready meal sector
• Market and product research, identifying range architecture and opportunities
• Analyzing and staying current with the latest food trends, changes in market and suppliers
• Previous positions with direct accountability for sanitation and inventory. Sanitation training and certification (Food Handlers’ Card minimally required).
• Must understand product development cycle from concept to commercialization including cost parameters and shelf life implications 
• Ability to work in a fast-growing environment is a must as is the ability to work under own initiative, comfortable setting goals, analyzing performance, and course corrections as needed
• Sound culinary skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to collaborate with all levels of the organization and customer base. Must have strong presentation skills.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to work independently or within a team on multiple projects at one time
• Analytical and logical problem-solving abilities
• Sound understanding of ordering, inventory
• Ability to assess / embrace new software solutions that benefit the organization
• Proficient in Google applications
• Ability to travel up to 35% of the time. Must be able to travel independently and as a responsible company representative. 
• Ability to carry out culinary costs
• Support marketing and sales teams as and when required
• Experienced at presenting to retail customers
• Knowledge of upcoming trends and evaluation of competitor products
• Support supply chain in their search for relevant new product ingredients
• Some experience in nutritional software would be preferred but not required
• Basic knowledge of food microbiology

Experience / Education

• Associate degree in a related discipline (preferred)
• 5+ years of food service experience required (high-level restaurant preferred)
• 3 to 5 years of retail recipe development required in chilled/frozen ready meal sector
• Experience in the direct-to-consumer business model for fresh prepared meals and meal kits preferred but not required
• Experience in medical meal development a plus
• Management experience
• Experience with creative, business-driven project management
• Experience working with chilled products is essential
• Experienced at compiling presentations and presenting to customers
• Experience with data and trend reports

What We Offer

• Comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees including medical, dental, vision, pet insurance and legal insurance 
• 401(k) with company match that is immediately vested
• Life and ADD insurance
• Opportunities for career growth with a dynamic company
• Time away from work

Competencies 

Learning Agility - The willingness and ability to learn from experience, and subsequently apply that learning to perform successfully under new or first-time conditions

Drive for Results - Can be counted on to deliver on what is required to advance the company; takes ownership of work from start to 100% finished work, brings others along with focused intensity

Functional Skills - Possesses top level relevant, usable, experience and knowledge with the ability to establish themself as the best performer in the industry, at their role and level

Courage - Prioritizes actions and decisions that move the company forward without hesitation around moments of uncomfortableness; laser focused on the tasks at hand that makes any

conflict that could get in the way of that an afterthought

Thoughtful - In-charge of the room, establishes clear directions in all forms of communication, inclusive, motivates, and in service to others

Business Athlete - Understands and can execute on and expand Fresh Realm’s competitive edge strategies, knowledgeable about current and future industry dynamics, knows the

competition, winner

Work Authorization: Must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident and/or alien authorized to work in the US on an unlimited basis

FreshRealm, LLC does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm recruiters. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole property of FreshRealm, LLC.

Covid-19 protocols are consistent with State Regulations