Regional Technical Manager

Refresco•Chicago, IL

2d•$122,360 - $149,995

About The Position

The Regional Technical Manager provides multi-site technical leadership and hands-on support across an assigned region, reporting to the Senior Regional Technical Manager. The role focuses on end-to-end process auditing, QMS execution, process performance, sanitation, water treatment, startups, and sustainable corrective action. It partners with Quality, Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, suppliers, OEMs, and Corporate teams to verify required controls and testing, resolve recurring manufacturing issues, close audit findings, improve process capability, and build plant capability through training and standardization. The position supports food safety and SQF systems, including validation and verification of prerequisite programs, process controls, sanitation systems, water systems, and significant process changes. It may escalate food safety and quality risks and recommend stopping production, holding product, or delaying startup when technical controls are inadequate or not being followed as designed. The manager plans and conducts comprehensive process audits, documents evidence and risks, and coordinates corrective and preventive actions through effectiveness verification. The role also leads troubleshooting and root-cause analysis for beverage processing and packaging; supports CIP/COP validation and sanitation investigations; provides technical support for water-treatment systems; and assists with new lines, equipment installations, trials, launches, and process changes. It delivers technical training, coaches plant teams, and develops and standardizes procedures and technical materials. The position regularly works in manufacturing environments and requires 50%–75% or more travel within the assigned region and other North American locations, often overnight and for extended plant support.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering, Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or a related technical field.
At least 5 years of technical, engineering, quality, or manufacturing experience in food or beverage manufacturing.
Demonstrated experience with end-to-end process auditing, corrective action and effectiveness verification, process troubleshooting, CIP/sanitation validation, water treatment, and equipment or line startups.
HACCP trained or certified.
Working knowledge of SQF, cGMPs, FDA/CFIA requirements, and GFSI schemes.
Strong knowledge of beverage processing and packaging systems, including filling, blending, carbonation, thermal processing, and process controls.
Strong working knowledge of CIP/COP, sanitation validation, microbiological controls, cleanability, and hygienic design.
Working knowledge of SQF food safety systems, HACCP principles, prerequisite programs, validation, verification, and corrective-action expectations.
Strong working knowledge of beverage water-treatment systems, including GAC, RO, UV, chlorination/oxidation, storage, distribution, and online instrumentation.
Excellent root-cause problem-solving, process troubleshooting, data analysis, and trend/SPC skills.
Proficiency in SAP, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and technical data tools; ability to interpret process flow diagrams, P&IDs, and equipment documentation.
Strong auditing, communication, training, facilitation, coaching, and influencing capabilities across plant and corporate functions.
Ability to build credibility and influence plant-level leaders through technical expertise, communication, collaboration, and sound recommendations without direct reporting authority.
Demonstrated ability to plan and conduct end-to-end manufacturing process audits, evaluate execution against QMS requirements, and translate findings into effective, sustainable corrective and preventive actions.
Ability to travel 50%–75% or more within the assigned region and other North American locations, including frequent overnight travel and extended plant support.
Ability to work in manufacturing environments involving standing, walking, and plant-floor inspections; conditions may include wet areas, elevated temperatures, noise, chemicals, moving equipment, and required PPE.
Close attention to process conditions, product attributes, equipment performance, and technical data.

Nice To Haves

Multi-site support experience preferred.
SQF Practitioner training preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide hands-on technical support across assigned plants and prioritize work according to food safety, quality, customer, operational, and financial risk.
Lead root-cause investigations and corrective actions for recurring or high-impact technical issues.
Partner with plant teams, Engineering, suppliers, and OEMs to implement sustainable solutions and standardize best practices.
Support SQF Practitioners and HACCP teams in validation and verification of prerequisite programs, process controls, sanitation systems, water systems, and significant process changes.
Escalate food safety and quality risks and recommend stopping production, holding product, or delaying startup when technical controls are inadequate or not executed as designed.
Plan, schedule, and conduct end-to-end process audits at assigned plants, from receiving through shipping.
Verify through observation, records, and independent checks that inspections, tests, sampling, measurements, documentation, verification, and escalation meet applicable QMS, procedure, specification, regulatory, and customer requirements.
Document objective evidence, identify control gaps and systemic risks, communicate findings, and establish corrective-action ownership and due dates.
Partner with plant leadership and functional owners to develop, implement, and close corrective and preventive actions arising from audits, inspections, and assessments.
Evaluate root causes and action plans; track due dates; verify implementation, effectiveness, and sustainability; and escalate overdue or high-risk findings.
Lead root-cause analysis for filling, blending, and processing systems and recurring plant losses.
Troubleshoot fill control, carbonation, Brix, pH, thermal processing, mixing, flow, pressure, and package-performance issues.
Use process data and trends to reduce variability, improve First Time Right, increase yield, reduce waste, and minimize downtime.
Lead and support CIP/COP validation and sanitation-effectiveness verification across regional plants.
Evaluate cleaning factors including time, temperature, chemical concentration, flow/turbulence, cleanability, and hygienic design.
Support investigations of microbiological excursions, biofilm, and recurring sanitation failures and verify corrective actions.
Provide technical support for chlorination, media filtration, GAC, RO, UV, ozone, and treated-water storage and distribution systems.
Troubleshoot water chemistry, microbiological control, membrane performance, scaling/fouling, and treatment-system efficiency.
Support online monitoring, manual verification, calibration, data integrity, trending, and validation of new or modified water systems.
Support new lines, major equipment installations, product trials, launches, and significant process changes.
Participate in technical risk assessments and readiness/Go-No-Go reviews; verify process, sanitation, water, and testing controls before commercialization.
Provide on-site technical support during startup and stabilization and document lessons learned.
Identify training needs and develop and deliver classroom and hands-on training for operators, technicians, supervisors, and Quality personnel.
Coach plant teams at the point of execution and conduct follow-up observation and verification to confirm processes are followed consistently and improvements are sustained.
Develop and standardize SOPs, work instructions, troubleshooting guides, qualification materials, and technical training; share proven solutions and lessons learned across the network.