Blender Lead

NLX Beverage Solutions, LLC firmly believes that our employees are the heart of our success. This position description is designed to outline primary duties and qualifications, but not limit one to specified duties, to ensure individual and group success.

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**Job Summary**:
The Lead Blender is responsible for teaching and guiding all lower level Blenders. Responsibility for overseeing blending of products according to the individual work order specifications, while following Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP's) and safety procedures. Individuals must maintain a safe and pleasant manner while ensuring the department meets its goal of blending as many work orders per day as possible, with maximum safety, quality and accuracy.

**Duties and Responsibilities**
- Practice, teach and enforce the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) established for Production
- Practice, teach and enforce all Safety and Quality policies and procedures
- Practice, teach and enforce all Blending Department Policies and Procedures
- Practice, teach and enforce all processing, change over, clean-up, and sanitation procedures related to equipment and machines in the department, per the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- Develop and teach blending operators to learn all aspects of the job
- Coordinate new employee training and ensure the success of new blending operators and team
- Create, implement, and maintain effective blending operator program and training schedules
- Responsible for training new blenders at all necessary tasks using blending instructions, SOP’s, SSOP’s and other methods required
- Clean or verify cleanliness of equipment before starting up and between product change overs
- Ensure each batch is properly made, according to Blend Instruction and Batch Formula, by your team
- Operates and trains Blenders on all manual, semi-automatic, and automatic systems based off individual product requirements
- Creates or verifies each processor recipe for the correct specifications of the product being run
- Records all required processing values including, time, temperature, pressure, and volume
- Works alongside QA department to complete tanker analysis, batch analysis, batch adjustments, ATP and allergen swabbing
- Works alongside Maintenance to maintain equipment and wastewater system
- Checks schedule daily to prepare for upcoming production runs, performing CIP’s when due, and offloading tankers when scheduled
- Physically checks all charts are operable and recording properly
- Reviews all blending paperwork each day for accuracy
- Ensures all ingredients are sealed, tamper taped, weighed, clean, neatly stacked on pallets, and wrapped before being put away after each production run
- Updates CIP board to ensure CIP on all equipment is completed on time and CIP is done on all equipment that will not be in use
- Responsible for evaluating blenders’ performance and updating Supervisors and Production Manager of each blender’s progress
- Complete and record all cleaning tasks mandated by the Master Cleaning Schedule or assigned tasks
- Adheres to Continuum’s Good Documentation Practices on all paperwork
- Maintains forklift certification and operates forklift as needed
- Follow and comply with all applicable safety procedures, plant policies, GMP’s, SOP’s, SSOP’s, SQF, and HACCP programs
- Perform all other duties of a blender
- Perform all other duties assigned by Supervisor or Manager

**Desired Skills & Qualifications**:

- High school diploma or GED, and 2 years work experience in a manufacturing environment
- Sufficiently comprehend English
- Comprehend basic math: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, weights and measures, and efficient use of a calculator
- Basic computer and data entry skills
- Possess mechanical aptitude with the ability to assemble, troubleshoot and perform minor repairs on manufacturing equipment
- Ability to communicate both written and orally within the organization
- Ability to give positive suggestions to improve operations in the work center
- Team Oriented - being helpful, respectful, approachable, building strong working relationships and a positive work environment, is responsible, honest, loyal, interacts with others tactfully, resolves conflicts appropriately, and adapts to change
- Ability to manage time efficiently
- Ability to work well under changing demands
- Follow verbal and written instructions
- Must have good work ethics, be highly motivated, and be a hands-on problem solver
- Ability to detect, recognize, and judge discrepancies
- Requires accuracy, reliability, and attention to quality

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**Physical Demands**:

- Vision, hearing, and speaking to meet performance standards
- Ability to stand and/or walk for long periods, reach, push, pull, lift, climb, bend, stoop, squat, and use manual dexterity to work with the following tools: blending machines, scales, pallet jacks, drum dollies, mops, brooms, p