Production Manager

Kina'ole Foundation•Las Vegas, NV

39d•Onsite

About The Position

The Kina'ole Family of Companies offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package that includes: Health insurance Dental insurance Life insurance 401K ...and much, much more! This Scope of Work (SOW) defines the comprehensive responsibilities, expectations, and performance framework for the Production Manager position, servicing Kings Beverage Company, a premium spirits company specializing in vodka production. The role is a key operational leadership position reporting to the Director of Operations (or directly to the CEO in smaller structures), overseeing the hands-on manufacturing of distilled spirits, flavor development, quality assurance, and regulatory adherence in a compliant, high-quality beverage alcohol environment. The Production Manager will ensure efficient, consistent, and scalable production of neutral grain spirits and flavored vodka products while maintaining strict adherence to federal and state regulations, optimizing yields, controlling costs, and supporting brand partner needs through technical expertise.

Responsibilities

Oversee and execute production of distilled alcohol, neutral grain spirits (NGS), and other alcohol bases to exact product specifications.
Manage manufacturing of natural or artificial flavor compounds for beverage formulation and infusion.
Direct key processes including mashing, fermentation, distillation (continuous or batch), blending, flavor infusion, filtration, and proofing.
Scale production effectively from pilot/R&D batches to full commercial volumes while maintaining quality and efficiency.
Schedule production runs, allocate resources, and troubleshoot process issues to meet output targets.
Develop, refine, and optimize beverage formulas, flavor profiles, alcohol blends, and infusion recipes.
Collaborate on R&D activities, including testing, sensory evaluation, pilot batches, and iterative adjustments to achieve desired taste, aroma, mouthfeel, and consistency.
Safeguard proprietary flavor recipes and implement controls for batch-to-batch reproducibility.
Partner with brand owners, marketing, and external partners to modify formulations for new products, cost reductions, or market adaptations.
Establish and enforce rigorous quality control procedures throughout the production process.
Conduct and oversee testing for alcohol by volume (ABV), flavor consistency, chemical purity, absence of contaminants (e.g., methanol, fusel oils), sensory attributes, and shelf stability.
Lead corrective actions for any deviations and implement preventive measures.
Maintain comprehensive documentation for all batches, including production logs, test results, and deviation reports.
Ensure full compliance with federal (TTB), state (Nevada liquor regulations), and local requirements, including formula approvals, label compliance, COLAs (Certificates of Label Approval), and reporting.
Support FDA requirements for flavor ingredients where applicable.
Manage manufacturing licenses, permits, bonded warehouse operations, and tax remittances.
Prepare and submit necessary documentation for product registrations, formula approvals, and audits.
Source and qualify raw materials (grains/sugar sources for fermentation, flavor compounds, enzymes, yeast, additives, stabilizers) from approved vendors.
Build and maintain strong vendor relationships, negotiate terms, and ensure consistent ingredient quality and supply reliability.
Manage production input inventory levels, including forecasting, ordering, storage, and rotation to minimize waste and stockouts.
Produce and prepare finished alcohol/flavors in required formats: bulk tankers, drums, totes, IBCs, or bottled product as per client/brand specifications.
Coordinate with third-party bottlers, co-packers, or internal packaging lines to meet packaging requirements (e.g., bottle types, closures, labeling).
Oversee final quality checks before release and coordinate logistics for delivery.
Maintain detailed, auditable records for shipping, distribution points, production batches, ingredient traceability (lot numbers, suppliers), testing data, process parameters, and compliance filings.
Generate Certificates of Analysis (COAs), analytical reports, and other documentation as required by customers, regulators, or internal standards.
Ensure full traceability from raw material to finished product for recall readiness and quality investigations.
Serve as technical expert and primary point of contact for brand partners on flavor development, product enhancements, formulation tweaks, scaling challenges, distributor issues, and cost optimization opportunities.
Provide expertise in production feasibility, sensory feedback, stability testing, and process improvements to support brand goals.