Food Manufacturing Consultant

Job description

THE OPPORTUNITY We are expanding our affiliate network of senior food manufacturing consultants to serve a growing roster of small and mid-sized food and beverage clients. This is a contract project-based role, not a traditional full-time position. You choose your level of engagement, anywhere between 50% and 100%, giving you maximum control over your schedule while staying meaningfully engaged in challenging, high-impact client work. Engagements vary in scope and include interim/fractional plant leadership, greenfield facility start-ups, operational assessments and turnarounds, sanitation and food safety program development, workforce training design, and process optimization initiatives. You will work directly with business owners and leadership teams, making a visible, measurable difference. WHAT YOU WILL DO Consult in various areas (receiving, mix/blend, UHT’s, A-tanks, fillers, backend packaging) Conduct operational audits and deliver actionable improvement roadmaps across production, quality, sanitation, CIP, and cost efficiency Support greenfield and expansion projects in various stages around equipment selection, commissioning, team hiring, and transition to production Design and deliver training programs for technicians, operators, and frontline leaders aligned to client culture and compliance requirements Develop and implement food safety, sanitation, and quality systems (FSMA, SQF, HACCP, cGMP, FDA) for clients at various maturity levels Apply lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies to reduce waste, downtime, and production cost Travel to client facilities across the US as engagements require, travel cadence varies by project Mentoring across all aspects of food manufacturing plants WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR 20+ years of hands-on food and/or beverage manufacturing experience, including significant time at the plant leadership level Need experts in Quality, Sanitation, Operations, CIP, & Maintenance Broad manufacturing fluency, ideally across multiple sectors (dairy, beverage, protein, dry goods, co-packing, Ultra-filtration, or similar) Deep working knowledge of FSMA, FDA cGMP, HACCP, SQF, USDA, and related food safety regulatory frameworks Proven track record in operational improvement (throughput, yield, sanitation, cost reduction, or quality program builds) Various skills around PCQI, CIP (Clean-in-Place) validation & design training, Aseptic Processing certification, Hygienic Design (EHEDG or 3-A standards), FDA-specific training (especially low-acid & acidified foods) Proven core technical skills involving Food Safety Systems, Aseptic & thermal processing, Sanitation & CIP, operations and Plant performance, & Quality systems are critical A range of High-Value consulting skills around problem solving, cross-functional leadership, commercial awareness, client facing skills, & technical systems such as lean six sigma, automation & controls, packaging technologies & more Experience in greenfield facility builds, plant expansions, or commissioning is a plus Executive presence and communication skills, you will work directly with owners and C-suite leaders, often at smaller companies with no institutional infrastructure Comfortable in ambiguity as our clients need an experienced mentor Flexible availability, openness to a contract/fractional model, ability to travel WHY VALERIAN PARTNERS? You control your calendar - Choose 50–100% engagement. Scale up or pull back as your life demands. High-impact work - Work with owners who need your expertise. Your decisions move the needle from day one. Collaborative network - Join a proven affiliate team of senior professionals, not a solo gig. Valerian provides client relationships and back-office support. Variety of engagements - From dairy startups to UHT beverage plants, no two engagements are the same. COMMITMENT TO ETHICS & EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT Valerian partners, LLC is an equal opportunity employer committed to ethical business practices. We select, develop, and reward the best talent based on merit, performance, and company needs, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other protected statuses. DISCLAIMER The responsibilities listed in this job description provide a general overview of the role but are not intended to be comprehensive or exhaustive. Duties may change based on business needs, market conditions, or company strategy.