Company description

Seahorse Chocolate is an award-winning bean‑to‑bar chocolate maker located in Bend, Oregon. We make chocolate from only two ingredients: cane sugar and the best cocoa beans we can get our hands on. As a growing company, we strive to become leaders in cocoa sustainability, produce consistently excellent chocolate, and always be the best partners we can be to everyone we do business with. We’re looking for a kind, motivated, and experienced Head of Chocolate Production to join our team to help write the next chapter of the Seahorse story by crafting and executing a chocolate program that honors cocoa origins, reflects our values, and creates chocolates that taste amazing.

Job description

Position Summary

The Head of Chocolate Production will be a key leadership role within Seahorse Chocolate, responsible for managing and completing all aspects of chocolate production from coordinating deliveries of raw cocoa to ensuring that completed orders go out the door to wholesale and retail customers. This person will oversee and execute daily production, build, refine, and document operational systems, maintain and improve upon quality standards, and help expand the production capacity and product offerings of Seahorse Chocolate.

Responsibilities

Production Operations – Execute day‑to‑day production for all Seahorse products, including roasting, cracking, winnowing, conching, tempering, molding, packaging, and shipping. Maintain a safe, efficient, and organized production space while anticipating and solving production problems creatively and collaboratively.
Quality Management – Develop and implement best practices that ensure every batch of chocolate meets Seahorse’s high standards for consistency, quality, and flavor.
Strategy – Help shape the future of Seahorse Chocolate by aligning production with long‑term company goals. You’ll work closely with the leadership team, playing a key role improving equipment and facilities, refining systems and processes, and implementing R&D to support expansion of offerings that are in line with our mission.
Planning & Inventory Management – Develop daily, weekly, and monthly production schedules that support sales forecasts and operational priorities. Plan and maintain accurate inventories of cocoa, sugar, and all other chocolate making and packaging supplies.
Leadership & Talent – Train and supervise a growing production team as needed. Your leadership should foster a collaborative, inclusive, and results-oriented culture and build a strong pipeline of future leaders who feel valued and inspired to contribute to the Seahorse Chocolate mission.
Collaboration & Communication – Serve as a bridge between production and the rest of the company. Maintain open communication across departments, champion collaborative planning, and advocate for the resources and support needed to maintain the highest standards of sustainability and quality as Seahorse Chocolate grows.

Qualifications

• Significant passion for bean‑to‑bar chocolate making, with demonstrated expertise across roasting, cracking, winnowing, conching, tempering, and molding for high quality chocolate in a production setting.
• At least 2 years of production management and/or team leadership experience in chocolate or comparable specialty food industries.
• Strong technical knowledge of chocolate making equipment and a proven ability to troubleshoot and maintain equipment.
• Excellent palate, attention to detail, and a creative approach to flavor, formulation, and quality assessment and improvement.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Flexible self‑starter who can solve problems, adapt to changes, and build/improve efficient systems independently.
• Commitment to thinking creatively, openly, and outside the box to improve the sustainability and transparency of each step of our supply chains.

What We Offer

This role can expect to receive a competitive salary and benefits commensurate with experience. This position was designed with growth in mind: as the company expands, so will opportunities for increased responsibility, leadership, and compensation. You’ll have the chance to help shape the future of an innovative, mission‑driven chocolate company, working in a collaborative, respectful, and passionate environment that provides opportunities for professional growth and creative exploration. This role is based in Bend, Oregon, a mountain town with a strong sense of community and amazing access to trails, slopes, and open spaces, making it an ideal place to find that sweet balance between life and career.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

Seahorse Chocolate is committed to creating an inclusive, supportive, and diverse work environment. We strongly encourage women, people of color, and other candidates from marginalized groups within the chocolate and specialty food industries to apply.

Compensation

this position is: salaried, varies DOE, $60,000.00 - $80,000.00

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline