Wonderful Leadership Program- Leader Trainee

Job Description

Wonderful Leadership Program- Leader Trainee | POM Wonderful

The Tone:
This is a full-time, two-year rotational leadership program at POM Wonderful, located primarily in Del Rey, CA, with a required six-month assignment in Buttonwillow, CA. POM Wonderful is a vertically integrated company that grows, harvests, packages, and markets fresh pomegranates, pomegranate arils, and a selection of delicious pomegranate-blended juices and teas. This role is designed for recent university graduates, offering a comprehensive understanding of the operational model and leadership culture to expand their potential and become future leaders within the company. Leader Trainees will drive business productivity and improve department processes by launching and implementing new projects across various functions.

The TL;DR
• Role: Rotational Trainee
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, Del Rey, CA (with a required 6-month assignment in Buttonwillow, CA)
• Pay: $71,000 yearly
• Mission: To expand overall business scope, drive productivity, and improve department processes through hands-on project leadership and cross-functional exposure to develop future leaders.
• Tech Stack: Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint, etc.)

What You’ll Actually Do
• Operational Leadership: Provide day-to-day direction to employees, manage standard work to achieve production output and quality targets, and ensure compliance with company policies, GMPs, and safety requirements within responsible zones.
• Business Process Analysis: Collaborate with department management and personnel to identify, define, and document business needs and objectives across areas such as Human Resources, Logistics, Grower Relations, and Quality Systems.
• Team Development: Cultivate management skills by leading small clerical or technical teams in their daily tasks and special projects.
• Continuous Improvement: Drive continuous improvement activities, manage 5S, and apply lean thinking to day-to-day operations within all areas of responsibility.
• Strategic Problem Solving: Participate in and lead problem-solving activities with production teams, management, and fellow colleagues using the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) method.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Completion of a 4-year college degree, suitable for recent university graduates seeking to expand their potential into future leadership roles.
• Experience: Some prior experience in food manufacturing, supply chain, or operational leadership.
• Skills: Proven problem-solving skills with a continuous improvement focus, strong written and verbal presentation skills for data storytelling, the ability to work independently while managing multiple priorities, and proficient understanding of Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint, etc.).
• Bonus: A natural leader with a collaborative mindset, curious, proactive, adaptable to change, capable of managing and motivating teams, comfortable working evenings/weekends during peak season (September–December), and committed to a long-term leadership path in food and beverage manufacturing.