Freezing Superintendent

Job Description

Plan, coordinate, and monitor daily blast freezing operations. Ensures correct product loading on freezing trays and racks. Supervise product transfer between fresh storage, freezing and storage areas. Ensures to maximize freezing output per day efficiently. Freezer loss to be maintained within set target. Liase with commercial planning team and processing manager and align on the daily, weekly and monthly frozen stock volume requirements. Ensures that all SKUs are produced as per target volumes within the set standards, Monitors blast freezer performance and ensure preventative and corrective maintenance are performed timely. Ensures that fresh stock is inspected before push-in and flags potential quality issues to processing manager. Ensures freezer(s) are packed quickly and efficiently with minimal time available for drip and energy wastage. Ensures freezer cycles are arranged accordingly to not need pack out or loading at the same time and ensure a constant and efficient flow of work. Ensures packaged/packed out stock is immediately and continuously moved and packed appropriately in the storage units one pallet at a time so that quality is not compromised. Ensures packing of boxes is done quickly and accurately. Generate daily, weekly and monthly freezing performance reports (freezing cycles, downtime, freezer loss, etc. Ensure all packaging material required for pack-out is drawn appropriately and on time. Ensure stock levels of packaging material is monitored and orders are made well ahead of time to prevent shortage. Align effectively with Further Processing and Primary Processing team on SKUs and quantities planned to be reserved for freezing to ensure efficient operations of the blast freezer. Responsible for supervising and training Freezing Supervisor and Attendants. Ensures all direct reports have up to date, signed job descriptions. Conducts regular team meetings to review performance, address improvement areas, and align on future targets. Sets performance objectives and carries out routine reviews in line with company performance management guidelines. Works with HR to identify skills gaps and implement appropriate training and development interventions. Oversees effective attendance management, leave planning, and disciplinary processes. Ensures 100% compliance with PPE requirements across all teams. Leads process efficiency improvements and optimisation initiatives. Oversees quarterly policy and SOP training sessions, ensuring proper documentation of all sessions. Manages manpower effectively, efficient shift scheduling, keeping overtime costs below 2%. Ensure compliance with all health, safety, and environmental (HSE) legislation, regulations, codes of practice, and Yalelo’s Workplace Health & Safety (WHS) standards. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of workplace health and safety matters relevant to operations, ensuring hazards are identified, eliminated, or minimised, and risks controlled as far as reasonably practicable. Ensure all plant, equipment, substances, and structures are safe for use, and that workers are adequately trained and supervised to mitigate workplace risks.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, Production Management, Engineering, or a related field.
• All academic qualifications must be certified by ZAQA.
• Must be an active member of the relevant professional body.
• Full Grade 12 Certificate.
• Additional training or certification in cold chain management, HACCP, or ISO standards is an advantage.
• At least 3 years’ experience in production, processing, or cold chain operations within the food or FMCG sector.
• Proven track record of managing blast freezing operations or large-scale cold storage facilities.
• Demonstrated success in managing teams in a fast-paced production environment.
• Experience in implementing performance management, efficiency improvements, and compliance initiatives.

How to Apply

Please submit your application via email to [insert email].