Regional Technical Manager

Refresco Careers•Atlanta, GA

About The Position

The Regional Technical Manager reports to the Senior Regional Technical Manager and provides multi-site technical leadership and hands-on support across an assigned region. 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 strengthen plant capability through training and standardization. The position supports food safety and SQF programs, including validation and verification of prerequisite programs, process controls, sanitation systems, water systems, and significant process changes. It may escalate food safety or quality risks and recommend stopping production, holding product, or delaying startup when technical controls are inadequate or not followed as designed. The manager plans and conducts comprehensive process audits across assigned plants, assesses compliance with QMS requirements, approved procedures, product specifications, regulations, and customer standards, and guides corrective and preventive actions through effectiveness and sustainability verification. The role also leads process troubleshooting and root-cause analysis; supports sanitation and water-treatment systems; assists with startups, trials, launches, and process changes; and develops and delivers technical training and standardized materials. This position regularly involves manufacturing environments and requires travel of 50%–75% or more within the assigned region and other North American locations, including frequent overnight travel and extended plant support as business needs require. The position is exempt and offers a pay range of $122,360–$149,995, plus eligibility for performance-based bonuses. The job posting lists medical, dental, and vision insurance; health savings and flexible spending accounts; life and AD&D insurance; additional insurance coverage; short- and long-term disability; pet insurance; legal benefits; a 401(k) plan with company match; paid holidays; vacation and paid sick time; and well-being, discount, and total reward programs.

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.
HACCP trained or certified.
Working knowledge of SQF, cGMPs, FDA/CFIA requirements, and GFSI schemes.
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.
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.
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.
Demonstrated ability to build credibility and influence plant-level leaders through technical expertise, clear 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 regularly work in manufacturing environments requiring standing, walking, and plant-floor inspections; close attention to process conditions, product attributes, equipment performance, and technical data.
Ability to work in environments that may include wet areas, elevated temperatures, noise, chemicals, moving equipment, and required PPE.
Ability to manage pressure from urgent technical issues, startups, travel, and deadlines.
Ability to travel 50%–75% or more within the assigned region and other North American locations, including frequent overnight travel and extended plant support.

Nice To Haves

Multi-site support experience.
SQF Practitioner training.

Responsibilities

Provide hands-on technical support across assigned plants and prioritize work based on food safety, quality, customer, operational, and financial risk.
Lead root-cause investigations and corrective actions for recurring or high-impact technical issues, and partner with plant teams, Engineering, suppliers, and OEMs to implement sustainable solutions and standardize best practices.
Support site SQF Practitioners and HACCP teams in validating and verifying 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, unvalidated, or not executed as designed.
Plan, schedule, and conduct end-to-end process audits at assigned plants, covering the manufacturing process from receiving through shipping.
Verify through observation, record review, and independent checks that required inspections, tests, sampling, measurements, documentation, verification, and escalation meet QMS, procedure, specification, regulatory, and customer requirements.
Document objective evidence and control gaps, communicate audit results to plant and regional leadership, and establish owners and due dates for corrective action.
Partner with plant leadership and functional owners to develop, implement, track, close, and verify corrective and preventive actions arising from audits, inspections, and other assessments; evaluate root causes and action plans 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; evaluate cleaning factors, investigate microbiological excursions, biofilm, and recurring sanitation failures, and verify corrective actions.
Provide technical support for water-treatment and treated-water systems, troubleshooting water chemistry, microbiological control, membrane performance, scaling, fouling, and system efficiency; support monitoring, verification, calibration, data integrity, trending, and validation.
Support new lines, major equipment installations, product trials, launches, and significant process changes; participate in risk assessments and readiness reviews, verify controls before commercialization, support 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 teams and verify consistent execution and sustained improvement.
Develop and standardize SOPs, work instructions, troubleshooting guides, qualification materials, and technical training, and share proven solutions and lessons learned across the network.
Travel frequently within the assigned region and other North American locations, providing on-site plant support as needed.