Shepherds Ice Cream

Are you organised and logistically minded with a passion for food? As we look ahead to next summer we are searching for someone to run our ice cream manufacturing. We are a small core team and are in need of someone to keep us organised and the ice cream flowing, initially using our systems but over time improving on these and creating their own. Day to day responsibilities include: ice cream making and ingredient preparation, cleaning and maintenance of machinery, stock management and rotation and day to day line management of the ice cream maker through the summer months. Shepherds Ice Cream is a small family business, making and selling quality sheep’s milk ice cream since 1987. Selling primarily at UK festivals, through Shepherds Parlour in Hay-on-Wye and our shop in Abergavenny we sell directly to our customers and value this relationship and their feedback. The Ideal Candidate We are looking for a motivated and organised individual to make and manage the production of our nationally recognised artisan sheeps milk ice cream. The ideal candidate will have an eye for detail and enjoy logistical challenges as well as experience in food production. Ideally they will be confident in a food manufacturing environment, working efficiently and with attention to hygiene and kitchen cleanliness. As a small family business, we are looking for someone that will fit into our team and embrace the opportunity to work closely with us. This is a management roll and though there will be on the job training, we are looking for someone who can take responsibility and use their initiative - any applicant will need to show experience of this at interview. From April to September work is full time, Sunday to Thursday though we will endeavour to provide at lease three full Saturday/Sunday weekends during this time. During the winter work will be weekday only and 2 days per week. As a seasonal business we are unable to provide full time work all year around but can be flexible for the right candidate and will discuss wage further at interview. Key Responsibilities Planning and overseeing the weekly and daily manufacturing plans through: Daily check-ins and weekly meeting to make and update plans based on changes in orders, weather, ingredient availability, school holidays, staffing etc Maintaining stock levels to those required across all lines Creating the daily plan in a way that is usable for all members of staff Maintaining and updating stock records Overseeing and maintaining overall responsibility for cleanliness and safety of manufacturing area:· Monitoring daily cleaning Ensuring completion of weekly cleaning Ensuring completion of biweekly and monthly cleaning tasks as well as yearly maintenance Ensuring freezers are stocked neatly and storage areas are kept tidy Ensuring manufacturing area and machinary is cleaned to a high standard and taking responsibility for test results. Manufacturing ice cream and maintaining quality of products through: Daily making, deciding on workflow and making plan that uses resources and time efficiently. Maintaining standards across all product lines Machinery maintenance and care Managing yearly maintenance Making sure machinery is always assembled correctly Caring for all kit Our ideal candidate will be able to show the following: Desirable Skills and Experience Experience in food production or small scale manufacturing is ideal however not essential for the right candidate. A demonstrable knowledge of food hygiene Essential Skill and Experience A high standard of cleanliness. Must be self motivated and have demonstrable experience of taking responsibility for own work - this is a management role and any candidate must be willing and keen to go beyond the basic following of orders. A logistical brain and takes pleasure in creating order - we make ice cream using batch processing and a day’s making consists of many small processes therefore any candidate will need to be able to think logistically and plan their day in a way that works efficiently and coherently. A keen eye for detail and an ability to think on your feet - sometimes things go wrong, any candidate will need to identify when this happens and be flexible to the changing of plans. An interest in food and food preparation skills - we are a small artisan food business, our head ice cream maker needs to take pleasure in food, enjoy cooking and be willing to try all ice cream and have opinions about what they like and don’t like. For those with more than just a passing interest there is the opportunity to play a larger role in development of different flavours and products. Good time management and the ability to delegate Their own mode of transport – this is essential as there is no option to reach us via public transport Reliability A passion for food and a desire to be part of a small business Shared ethos, especially in relation to sustainable food production. Benefits Yearly staff meal Profit related end of summer bonus Discounted or free ice cream An ice cream cake for Christmas Work with us to find hours that suit you and the company Yearly pay review Please Note Ice cream making is a physical job involving long hours on your feet and some heavy lifting, please do not apply if you have any pre-existing health conditions which may be exacerbated by this.