Company description

Spring Brook Farm Cheese, located in Reading, VT, makes traditional french alpine styles of cheese: semi hard and hard washed rind cheese. All of our cheese is made from raw jersey milk, from our farmstead dairy and two small family farms. All cows are out on pasture when seasonally appropriate and are fed dry hay and grain otherwise: never any fermented feed.

We are a subsidiary of the Farms for City Kids Foundation: a non-profit that provides outdoor based farm education to kids form urban areas. The kids see experience all aspects of dairy farming, including washing cheese with us. 

There are three entities on our hillside: the education program, the farm, and the cheese program. We work together to support each other and the mission of the Farms for City Kids Foundation. 

 

Job description

Do you love cheese making? Are you a fan of rotational grazing and supporting small scale dairy farmers? Do you believe in teaching kids more about where their food comes from and what work goes into farming? This is an incredible opportunity for a cheesemaker who wants to join a small dedicated team and make french alpine cheese in French vats using traditional methods and practices. 

The Production Manager will work with the Program Director in production, affinage and development of our cheeses. This individual will also supervise, coordinate, and manage the daily workflow of the Cheese House including the management of and training of staff. This is a hands-on position, generally M-F 40-45 hours/ week.  

 

Duties and Responsibilities: 

Cheese Make Management 

• Ability to carry out all aspects of cheese making
• Ensure clean and efficient operation of creamery equipment
• Work with Program Director and outside consultants to maintain and improve quality 
• Develop new cheese with Program Director 
• Supervise other cheesemakers and assistant cheesemakers
• Implement food safety plan by ensuring that all predetermined GMPs/ SSOPs are being followed 
• Monitor milk quality and communicate with farmstead herd managers

Affinage

• Manage workflow of affinage
• Schedule tasks for staff based on affinage needs
• Ensure smooth flow of available space for cheese placement
• Maintain brine tank and brine conditions 
• Maintain cleanliness in the cave 
• Work with sales director and Shipping Manager to determine cheese availability
• Work with sales director on inventory management
• Work with existing staff on sensory analysis and selection of cheese for competitions 
• Participate in annual inventory audit
• Work with Education staff for visiting school groups 

Staff Management

• Schedule staff  based on staff and production needs; ensure that all scheduled staff have an assigned task 
• Ensure Compliance with internal and external guidelines and regulations
• Train all new staff, conduct routine retraining of all current staff
• Ensure that all shifts are covered for sick/ vacationing employees by filling in or shifting other’s schedules to cover
• Oversee implementation of checklists and ensure compliance

 

General

• “Agent in charge” in absence of Program Director
• Maintain a clean, safe, and tidy working environment
• Oversee four main areas: milk hauling, cheesemaking, affinage, and packing/shipping
• Work With Program Director for hiring any new staff
• Comprehension of Food Safety Plan and provide support for current Food Safety Leader.
• Lead weekly staff meetings
• Bi-weekly management meetings with Program Director
• Assist in the development of retail space/ retail stocking
• Comply with all state and federal regulations/ requirements

 

Desired Experience:

• Raw Milk Cheese production 
• Cheese making
• Affinage/ aging cheese
• Management

 

Requirements:

• Cheesemaking experience
• All staff must get fingerprinted by the state for the Kids Program 
• Ability to commute or willingness to relocate for onsite work 
• Comfortable with lifting 50 lbs and repetitive tasks 

 

Benefits Include:

• Healthcare: Company covers 80-100% of monthly costs depending on the chosen  plan. Spouse and family options available. 
• Paid vacation: 5 days, then 10 days after the first year of employment
• Paid Sick Days
• Paid Holidays: 5/year
• 401K
• 20 lbs of aged cheese/ year
• $100 of maple products made on the farm/ year
• ACS and VCC membership
• Education opportunities for industry related topics
• Access to the 1,000 acre farmland and forest; hiking, snowshoeing, birdwatching etc.

This position will require extensive training and these responsibilities will be slowly adopted by the Production Manager as training is complete. Due to this, we are requesting a two year commitment to this position. 
 

Reading Vermont is located an hour north of Brattleboro and about 40 minutes south of White River Junction. It is just outside of Woodstock Vermont and close to Okemo Mountain.  There is a strong community of cheesemakers in this south eastern corner of Vermont!
 

Salaried DOE: $54,000-$60,000

Compensation this position is : salaried, 50k-75k Application instructions DeadlineMarch 30, 2023