Crown Orchard Company is seeking an enthusiastic Packing House Manager that is hard-working, committed to efficiency, and who thrives in a team environment.

Crown Orchard Company is a multi-generation grower, packer, and shipper of wholesale fresh apples, peaches, nectarines and donut peaches located in Central Viriginia.  We are committed to growing and packing quality produce. We have been catering to wholesale, retail, and foodservice segments in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast Regions of the US for over 100 years.

We are looking for a new packing house manager who has a love for fruit and orchards, and shares our values of family and tradition, commitment, community, innovation, integrity, passion, quality, and stewardship. The position must excel in a fast moving and ever-changing working environment, and has the capacity to lead when called upon to do so.

Position Summary

The Packing House Manager is responsible for overseeing the handling, packing, storage, and shipping of fresh fruit. This role ensures that product is packed to customer specifications, shipped on time, and handled in a manner that maximizes quality, efficiency, and profitability.

Key Responsibilities

Operations & Production Management

• Plan, direct, and coordinate daily packing house operations including receiving, grading, packing, cold storage, and shipping
• Ensure fruit is sorted, graded, packed to quality standards, meeting customer specifications while minimizing waste and damage
• Coordinate with harvest and shipping teams to keep product moving
• Troubleshoot packing line equipment and workflow issues
• Track production numbers and labor performance

Quality & Food Safety

• Maintain strict adherence to food safety programs (GAP, GMP, HACCP)
• Oversee grading, and packing to ensure consistent product quality and minimize bruising, and handling damage during packing operations  
• Work closely with food safety and sales teams as well as the employees to meet audit and customer compliance standards

Labor Management

• Manage packing house staff
• Set daily labor plans based on harvest volume and sales orders
• Build a culture of accountability, safety, and efficiency
• Communicate clearly with bilingual teams (Spanish preferred)

Qualifications

Required:

• Experience in fresh fruit/vegetable packing house, agricultural or warehouse operations
• Proven leadership experience managing teams in a fast-paced environment
• Knowledge of food safety standards and compliance programs
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and solve problems proactively

Preferred:

• Experience in apples, peaches, or tree fruit packing operations
• Strong understanding of fruit handling, grading, produce quality standards and packing processes
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, physically active environment
• Bilingual (English/Spanish)
• Familiarity with packing line technology, grading systems, and traceability software

Compensation

Salary commensurate with experience