Cheese Cutter Associate

Job Description

Job Description

Cheese Cutter Associate Job Description

OVERVIEW

IGF Mission

To deliver quality service and cultivate community around the table.

Department Mission

To deliver quality through:

1. Investing in relationships with IGF’s critical vendors to secure, sustain, and enhance IGF’s reputation for distributing high quality products at competitive prices
2. Maintaining inventory PAR levels in all IGF facilities with adequate shelf life and in adequate quantity to fulfill customers’ orders

REPLENISHMENT OBJECTIVES

1. Maintain PAR levels to ensure no out-of-stocks:
   1. Consistently have all regular-stock items on hand at all IGF locations taking into consideration factors such as vendors’ minimum-order requirements and product shelf life
   2. Increase turns per year to ensure shelf life and lower inventory carrying cost
   3. Account for demand variances due to seasonal and other sales spikes
2. Track and verify product price changes
3. Manage inbound and inter-branch shipping logistics
   1. Identify price changes
   2. Work with vendors to maximize pallet configurations and truck space
4. Ensure product quality by proactively addressing damages, shorts, and packaging errors upon receipt
5. Manage carrying cost by working with the Operations team to:
   1. Comply with special handling instructions
   2. Optimize storage space
   3. Properly rotate product
6. Meet supply needs to support innovation and growth within IGF’s Repack program
7. Work in a collaborative, professional manner with emphasis on clear, proactive, and prompt internal and external communication

TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

Different organizations attach different meanings to words. Below is how IGF defines the following terms.

TERM

DEFINITION

Distribution

Building relationships with manufacturers and producers to purchase, warehouse, and handle last-mile delivery of their products as a result of finding “homes” for those products in the marketplace.

Independent

Not requiring or relying on something else: not contingent. In this context, stand-alone, often single location, businesses filling demand niches.

Material Handling Equipment (MHE)

Mechanical equipment used for the movement, storage, control, and protection of materials, goods and products during manufacturing and distribution.

Quality

Taking utmost care by investing in the continuous improvement of the people and processes that make up the distribution lifecycle.

PAR levels

Periodic Automatic Replenishment, or PAR Levels, are minimum and maximum quantity limits set for a certain item. The item should be reordered when the quantity approaches the minimum level.

Strategic

Of great importance within an integrated whole or to a planned effect. In this context, the integrated whole is the sum of IGF’s core values, or “core foundations.”

Supplier

Service provider such as a broker, carrier, or third-party logistics provider (3PL).

Team

A number of persons cooperating in joint action.

Vendor

Domestic or foreign food product supplier.

CHEESE CUTTER ASSOCIATE DESCRIPTION

The Cheese Cutter Associate is responsible for maintaining par levels of IGF’s cut cheese and cheese plate program, enabling IGF to sell cheese in different formats and quantities. They fulfill orders on time and handle product in compliance with food-safe standards.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

The Cheese Cutter Associate does the following.

1. Maintains personal cleanliness; wears and maintains the cleanliness of assigned personal protective equipment (PPE)
2. Keeps the cheese facility and equipment clean in compliance with food-safe handling requirements
3. Checks the condition, quality, and expiration dates (“wholesomeness”) of cheese; maintains cold chain; reports any quality concerns
4. Cuts cheese to desired specifications
   1. Verifies cheese type and weights, where necessary
   2. Cryovacs; wraps; generates and affixes product labels
5. Applies a creative, solution-oriented approach to leverage existing resources and manage cost
6. Refurbishes, or “cleans,” cheese and cured meats for salability, when necessary
7. Prepares product samples for Culinary Sales on request
8. Participates in product investigations, as appropriate
9. Moves material both by hand and using equipment to and from the repack facility and warehouse locations; places items in assigned locations, ensuring proper FIFO rotation
10. Effectively and responsibly uses and maintains technology hardware; tracks use of packaging materials
11. Effectively and safely operates and maintains repack facility equipment and Material Handling Equipment (MHE)
    1. Complies with all use instructions and safety requirements
    2. Reports maintenance issues to appropriate personnel
12. Contributes to the team by performing other work as necessary

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum one year of back-of-house food service or cheese handling experience
• ServSafe or equivalent certification preferred
• Ability to read and understand invoices and other written materials
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-volume receiving/shipping environment
• Experience with powered/motorized warehouse equipment (manual and electric pallet jacks) preferred
• Ability to work independently and as part of a diverse team, changing gears when required
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communications skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (especially Dynamics, Excel, Teams, and Word) and other tech skills, including use of email, multi-line phone system, and text
• Bilingual communications skills (English and Spanish) preferred

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Strong interpersonal skills and effective communicator: ability to work with individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, levels, and roles; high level of energy and self-motivation  
• Sense of urgency: an ability to work quickly and accurately; ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate 
• Creative and persistent problem solver: has a problem-solving mindset with good project and time management skills; solution-oriented  
• Detail-oriented: has a keen eye for details without losing sight of the big picture 
• Integrity: honest, discreet, and trustworthy; does what is right and necessary 
• Humility: demonstrates humility and flexibility; recognizes achievements of others  
• Curiosity and growth mindset: willingness to learn and grow 
• Efficient and organized: able to produce significant output with minimal wasted effort

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to access and navigate every department within the organization
• Must be able to bend, lift (at least 55 lb.), stretch, and climb (including ladders)
• Must be able to sustain prolonged periods of standing and walking
• Must be able to work across temperature zones (dry/refrigerated/frozen)
• Must be able to work at heights up to 60 feet using ladders, lifts, and MHE; must be able and willing to operate equipment as needed
• Requires bending, sitting, standing, walking, use of hands, arms, legs, eyes, and voice