Position Summary
The Director of Operations leads the plant's Operations organization, including multiple Production Managers across areas and shifts, Production Planning, Maintenance, and other assigned functions. The role owns both development and execution of the production plan and is responsible for safe, efficient production of finished goods to specification, equipment reliability, labor and cost performance, customer service, leadership development, and continuous improvement.
This leader directly oversees Production Planning and Production execution and works closely with Warehouse, Procurement, Quality Assurance, Sanitation, Safety, Training, HR, Finance, Sales, Systems, and other departments. The Director must combine strong floor leadership with business acumen, data-driven decision-making, and the ability to build a capable management team.
Key Responsibilities
• Put human safety and food safety first by ensuring safe work practices and required PPE are followed, GMP, HACCP, and sanitation standards are maintained, and applicable OSHA, USDA, FDA, and other regulatory requirements are met.
• Own overall production performance across all areas and shifts, including completion of the production plan, customer service, labor, yield, efficiency, downtime, quality, and cost.
• Own development and execution of the production plan. Ensure Production Planning builds a realistic plan based on demand, capacity, labor, materials, equipment, changeovers, maintenance needs, and customer priorities, and ensure Production executes it effectively across areas and shifts.
• Lead, coach, and hold multiple Production Managers and other department leaders accountable for results, leadership, employee performance, and development of supervisors and Crew Leads.
• Maintain strong floor presence and a clear understanding of actual operating conditions across areas and shifts.
• Own assigned portions of the plant P&L and understand how labor, yield, material usage, downtime, capacity, and other operational drivers affect financial performance.
• Use ERP systems, Power BI, production data, maintenance data, and financial reporting to identify trends, gaps, risks, and improvement opportunities.
• Drive problem solving across Operations and with QA, Warehouse, Procurement, Sanitation, HR, Finance, Sales, and other cross-functional partners.
• Lead continuous improvement and make sure recurring problems are driven to root cause, assigned clear actions, and followed through to lasting correction.
• Set expectations for equipment reliability, preventive maintenance, downtime response, and partnership between Production and Maintenance.
• Plan for future capacity, staffing, equipment, automation, processes, and infrastructure needed to support customer and business growth.
Qualifications
• 5+ years of Operations Manager-level or comparable senior manufacturing leadership experience.
• Prior manufacturing experience required; food manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
• Experience leading multiple managers, departments, shifts, or major operating functions.
• Experience with short shelf-life, perishable, fresh-cut, value-added, commissary, or similar high-velocity food production strongly preferred; produce experience is highly desirable.
• Experience in a make-today/ship-today or similarly time-sensitive production environment preferred.
• Working knowledge of GMPs, HACCP, food sanitation, allergen controls, OSHA requirements, and applicable USDA/FDA requirements.
• Strong financial and business acumen, including experience with budgets, standards, variances, operating costs, and manufacturing P&L responsibility.
• Strong analytical ability and proficiency with ERP systems, reporting tools, dashboards, and production metrics.
• Demonstrated success improving safety, service, labor, yield, downtime, productivity, cost, or other manufacturing performance measures.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional problem solving and develop accountable managers and leaders.
• Bachelor's degree in Operations Management, Business, Engineering, Food Science, Supply Chain, or related field preferred; equivalent significant manufacturing leadership experience may be considered.
Leadership Profile
The successful Director of Operations leads from the production floor while also operating at a strategic and financial level. This person sets clear expectations, knows the numbers, develops strong managers, works effectively across departments, solves problems at root cause, communicates early, and follows through.
Travel
Approximately 10% travel to supplier locations, company facilities, and other locations in the United States.
The above guidelines are merely a general outline of the present needs of this position. We are in a dynamic industry, therefore these guidelines may change.
