Refrigeration Manager

Farmer Focus•Harrisonburg, VA

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Refrigeration Manager leads the strategic direction, operational excellence, and regulatory compliance of all refrigeration systems across Farmer Focus facilities. This role is responsible for ensuring the safe, efficient, and sustainable operation of ammonia and freon-based refrigeration systems while fostering a culture of safety, continuous improvement, and technical development within the refrigeration team. The Refrigeration Manager directly oversees the Refrigeration Superintendent and provides guidance to the broader refrigeration team, including leads, technicians, and PSM personnel. This position is instrumental in driving reliability, performance, and compliance with PSM and RMP standards while aligning refrigeration operations with company goals.

Requirements

7+ years of industrial refrigeration experience, including ammonia systems.
3+ years of leadership experience managing teams and complex systems.
Strong working knowledge of PSM and RMP regulations and industry best practices.
Proven experience with high-pressure steam boilers, HVAC systems, and compressed air systems.
Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
Ability to interpret technical documents, schematics, and engineering drawings.
Proficiency in CMMS systems and Microsoft Office Suite.
Must be able to perform the essential functions of the role with or without reasonable accommodation.
Must be able to pass a drug, alcohol and background screening post-offer and prior to the start of their employment.
Must be able to wear a full-face respirator and must be clean shaven, with no more than 24 hours of facial hair growth.
Willingness to participate on the PSM and safety committee.
Willingness to be part of the Hazmat team.
Compliance with all safety rules and instructions, including participation in company training programs and continuous skill development.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Technology, or a related field preferred.
CARO certification
RETA CIRO certification highly preferred.
Bilingual proficiency in Spanish or French is a plus.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership and oversight of all refrigeration operations across multiple facilities.
Ensure full compliance with Process Safety Management (PSM) and Risk Management Plan (RMP) regulations.
Lead and mentor the Refrigeration Superintendent and support their development of refrigeration leads, technicians, and PSM coordinators.
Develop and implement preventive maintenance programs, standard operating procedures, and emergency response protocols.
Oversee capital projects related to refrigeration, compressed air, and boiler systems.
Collaborate with Safety, Engineering, Production, and other cross-functional teams to ensure refrigeration systems support operational goals.
Monitor system performance and reliability metrics and drive root cause analysis and corrective actions.
Manage vendor relationships, service contracts, and procurement of refrigeration-related equipment and supplies.
Maintain documentation, including P&IDs, compliance records, and training logs.
Lead internal audits and participate in external inspections related to refrigeration and safety systems.
Champion continuous improvement initiatives and Lean principles within the refrigeration function.
Lead Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) and Management of Change (MOC) processes for system changes.