About the RoleOrbital Kitchens is opening a new central production facility that will serve as the operational backbone for our growing network of restaurant locations (currently supporting 8-20 kitchens, with room to scale). This facility will handle two core functions:
- Large-scale food production - high-volume cooking and cold prep of items distributed to all locations
- Inventory holding and distribution - centralized receiving, storage, inventory management, and delivery logistics to all kitchen locations
We are hiring a
Production & Distribution Facility Manager to lead this facility end-to-end, with primary accountability for the inventory, warehousing, and distribution function, and working oversight of production output, quality, and scheduling.
This is a foundational hire - you will help build the systems, SOPs, and team structure that this facility runs on as we scale from a handful of locations to 20+.
What You'll OwnInventory Management & Warehousing (Primary Focus)- Own end-to-end inventory accuracy across raw materials, packaging, and finished/prepped goods held at the facility
- Design and maintain inventory control systems (par levels, reorder points, FIFO/FEFO rotation, cycle counts, full physical inventories)
- Manage receiving processes: vendor deliveries, quality/quantity checks, invoice reconciliation, and putaway
- Minimize shrinkage, spoilage, and food waste through disciplined storage practices, temperature/humidity monitoring, and rotation discipline
- Track and report on key inventory KPIs: inventory turns, days-on-hand, waste %, stockout rate, and variance between system and physical counts
- Own vendor relationships tied to receiving schedules, delivery windows, and quality standards; escalate and resolve supply issues before they impact kitchens
- Maintain accurate inventory records in whatever inventory/ERP system is in use, and partner with Finance on month-end counts and COGS reconciliation
Distribution & Logistics- Build and manage the distribution schedule that supplies 8-20 (and growing) kitchen locations with prepped/produced goods and inventory replenishment
- Own routing, load planning, and delivery windows to ensure each location receives product on time, at correct temperature, and in correct quantity
- Manage the fleet/delivery team (owned, contracted, or third-party), including driver scheduling and vehicle/equipment maintenance coordination
- Build contingency plans for delivery disruptions (weather, vehicle downtime, volume spikes) to protect kitchen-level operations
- Partner with location managers/GMs to forecast demand and adjust distribution volumes accordingly
Production Oversight (Secondary, Working Knowledge Required)- Oversee daily production scheduling across cooking and cold prep lines to ensure output matches demand forecasts and inventory targets
- Ensure production output meets food safety, quality, and consistency standards (HACCP, recipe adherence, portioning)
- Partner with the Production/Kitchen Supervisor on staffing, throughput, and equipment needs
- Ensure production planning is tightly coupled with inventory levels - avoiding both overproduction (waste) and underproduction (stockouts at kitchens)
Facility & Compliance- Ensure the facility passes all health department, food safety, and safety/OSHA inspections
- Maintain sanitation schedules, pest control, and equipment maintenance programs for both the production and warehouse areas
- Own facility-level cost control: labor, waste, utilities, and supply costs relative to budget
- Build and maintain SOPs for receiving, storage, production handoff, and distribution as the facility and network scale
People & Team Leadership- Hire, train, and manage a multi-functional team spanning warehouse, production, and logistics
- Set clear performance expectations and KPIs for direct reports; conduct regular 1:1s and performance reviews
- Build a culture of accountability around food safety, accuracy, and on-time delivery
What Success Looks Like (First 6-12 Months)- Inventory accuracy (system vs. physical count) consistently above target threshold
- Food waste held within best-in-class range (roughly 4-6% of food purchases)
- On-time, in-full delivery rate to kitchen locations at or above target
- Documented SOPs in place for receiving, inventory management, production handoff, and distribution
- Smooth onboarding process proven out for adding new kitchen locations to the distribution network
QualificationsRequired:- 5+ years in a warehouse, inventory, distribution, or commissary/central kitchen management role, ideally in food service, QSR, or CPG
- Demonstrated experience managing inventory systems and controlling shrinkage/waste at scale
- Experience managing logistics/delivery operations to multiple end locations
- Strong working knowledge of food safety standards (ServSafe, HACCP) and cold chain requirements
- Comfortable with inventory/ERP software and building out reporting/KPI dashboards
- Proven people management experience across multi-functional teams (10+ direct/indirect reports)
Preferred:- Experience specifically in a multi-unit restaurant or QSR commissary/central kitchen model
- Experience scaling a distribution operation as a location count grows (e.g., from ~5 to 20 locations)
- Background in supply chain, logistics, or operations management
- Familiarity with route/load optimization tools
- Schedule: Full-time; early morning start typical for receiving/production oversight; some flexibility required around delivery schedules
- Location: On-site at the central production facility
