Heart of Darkness is a craft brewery in Vietnam that's built a reputation as a must-visit stop for beer fans and distributes its beers across Asia.
If you're an experienced brewer looking for a new challenge, the team want to hear from you.
Job Description: Head of Brewery Operations
Established in Saigon in 2016 Heart of Darkness has fast earned a reputation as one of Asia’s leading craft breweries. We currently distribute throughout Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Finland and New Zealand. We also have two successful taprooms – in Saigon and Singapore – and have plans to open seven more across the region.
With rapid year-on-year growth we are now ready to take our operations to the next level and are looking for a strong Head of Brewing Operations to ensure a smooth transition to a large-scale production facility and to lead and prepare our talented brewers and brew team for the fun and challenging road ahead.
The Head of Brewery Operations will be responsible for all management practices of brewing at Heart of Darkness. This individual will supervise a young dynamic team of expats and local staff to ensure the brewery is proactively maintained and the team are focused on producing the highest quality cutting edge beers.
This leader will work cross-functionally with other leaders to establish a vision and change plan for Heart of Darkness to achieve world-class levels of brewing operations. They will develop and implement strategy which links the brewing operations’ people, service and cost initiatives to Heart of Darkness’ strategic plan.
This leader is accountable to identify and execute process improvements related to safety, customer service levels, staffing, fill rates, inventory levels, capacity planning and utilisation, maintenance reliability and inventory accuracy. This manager will report directly to the CEO.
What You'll Do
- Must be able to work in and promote a team oriented and “Safety First” environment.
- Safely, efficiently, and effectively work to attain department and brewery goals and objectives. Ensure “no bad beer leaves the brewery”.
- Understand, follow, and enforce all established safety, health, quality GMP and company policies, procedures, and recognised practices, including sanitation requirements.
- Manage process and formulation of Heart of Darkness products to ensure adherence to specification and performance targets.
- Manage/conduct quality checks, process audits, and monitor production reports to ensure adherence to BBC quality standard, performance, record keeping, and governmental compliance.
- Identify cost improvement opportunities and implement them through raw material suppliers, manufacturing, and brewing partners.
- Participate in brewery staff, shift and safety meetings, and conduct regular departmental meetings and training based on business needs.
- Provide guidance and oversight for all Brewing and Brewing Maintenance associates; motivate, coach and develop a diverse, high performing and engaged team to meet established goals and build capability.
- Provide leadership by mentoring the team on the use of lean tools, ensuring transfer of knowledge and creating a culture of continuous improvement.
- Serve as an example and provides positive support of Heart of Darkness culture and values.
- Ensure policies and procedures are administered in a fair and consistent manner.
- Conduct annual performance reviews, create and support development plans for direct reports.
- Coach and Develop Leads and Supervisor to be Leaders in the organisation.
- Create and foster a team environment that demonstrates genuine concern for personal and professional development of all employees.
- Install a culture of continuous improvements by using and coaching problem-solving skills, 5S, standard work, visual controls, leader standard work, kaizens, kanbans, and other lean tools.
- Develop new methods and procedures to optimise brewing operations efficiency and reduce operating costs.
- Develop KPIs (both managerial and operational) and Visual Controls that drive improvement in operations and allow associates to track performance to targets realtime and be able to respond to abnormal conditions, identify gaps and roadblocks to successful execution of brewery KPI’s and develop plans to close gaps.
- Responsible for creating and managing the department annual budget.
- Preparing critical coordination of brewery production scheduling, equipment vendors/manufacturers, outside contractors, and plant personnel to ensure compliance with project scope, schedule, and budget.
- Managing project installation/construction, start-up, commissioning, and effective training on technology to plant operating personnel.
- Perform plant audit to ensure consistency/repeatability and help facilitate flavour agreement across the multi-plant system, audits to include process, formulation, and sanitation practices.
- Monitoring of QA data and reporting and amends/adjusts process and formulation as needed for specification adherence.
- Participate in taste panels to evaluate adherence to quality specification and flavour agreement.
- Manage local supplier relations.
- Assist with selection and specification for raw materials, such as malt, hops, spices, process aids.
- Work with R&D team at Heart of Darkness brewery to develop new products and coordinate scaling of process and formulation to production scale.
- Coordinate brewing and quality and operations efforts to ensure timely procurement of raw materials for year-round beers, seasonal and specialty products.
- Provide timely update of process and formulation, materials utilisation, etc. to Heart of Darkness’ finance contact.
- Work with legal department regarding new products to ensure compliance.
- Recruit, hire, supervise and review performance of direct reports and develop staff professionally and technically to meet goals.
- Ensure compliance with BBC standards for liquid specifications, as well as the related brewing record keeping and Heart of Darkness standards for brewing operating regulations.
What We're Looking For
- Bachelor of Science or equivalent combination of experience.
- Brewing Diploma from Siebel or equivalent experience required. Preferred ten or more years’ experience in Brewing Management and/or Quality Assurance Management with a history of continued development both academically and professionally.
- Extensive knowledge of brewhouse and cellar operations, prioritising, knowledgeable, quick decision maker in a fast-paced environment An in-depth understanding and track record of having delivered operational processes that drive safety, quality, cost and delivery improvements.
- Proven success in managing a team, safety records and operational issues.
- Excellent verbal and written communication, including the ability to effectively communicate with internal and external customers
- Must be able to work under pressure and meet deadlines, while maintaining a positive attitude and providing exemplary customer service.
- Ability to work independently and to carry out assignments to completion, with proven experience in delivery against key KPI’s.
- Collaborates well with others: proactively contributes to group objectives; volunteers to help others Lean manufacturing experience as it relates to Brewing.
- Demonstrated project/idea development skills.
- Solid financial aptitude and experience managing a budget.
- Demonstrated experience improving employee engagement and developing high performance work team to solve problems and deliver results.
- Highly effective multitasker; resourceful with a “get-it-done, can-do” attitude.
- Able to impact and effect positive change with a flexible, open-minded, positive approach.
- Competence in of Microsoft Excel, and MS Word required with EKOS a plus.
- Knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, Process Improvement and Process Control.
To apply, please email careers@heartofdarknessbrewery.com.
