Director of Operations / General Manager

Job Description

Job Description

I am looking for a serious operations leader to help run and level up the Cielo enterprise.

This is not a cushy corporate role. This is a real operating leadership role inside a growing entrepreneurial business that needs stronger day-to-day management, better systems discipline, tighter accountability, and someone who can take ownership of the operating machine.

We have multiple connected businesses under the Cielo enterprise, including Cielo Cay, Cielo Manufacturing, and our owned brand operations such as Blitz’d and DrDripp. The business has strong upside, but we need a true General Manager / Director of Operations who can bring structure, consistency, people management, and execution discipline across the platform.

The right person will be given real authority. This role will have the ability to hire, fire, replace, reassign, enforce SOPs, approve purchases, approve overtime, manage schedules, and hold people accountable. This person will work directly with ownership and will be expected to eventually grow into a COO-level role if they prove capable.

I am not looking for someone who needs perfect systems handed to them. I am looking for someone who knows how operations are supposed to run and can help build the structure while also running the day-to-day.

What this role will own

This person will oversee the operating platform across Cielo Cay, Cielo Manufacturing, and the operational side of our owned brands.

Responsibilities will include:

• Order flow from activation through fulfillment
• Production scheduling and order status tracking
• Deal Sheets, order documentation, and material requirement controls
• Purchasing, procurement visibility, and vendor follow-up
• Bills, invoices, collections visibility, and operational finance coordination
• Copacker communication workflows
• Inventory and MRP discipline
• Facilities management
• Staffing schedules, PTO discipline, overtime approvals, and internal time tracking
• SOP creation, training, enforcement, and accountability
• Teams / SharePoint organization and operational document control
• Cross-functional coordination between sales, operations, production, purchasing, fulfillment, and finance
• KPI reporting to ownership
• Visiting strategic copackers when needed to improve relationships, confirm capabilities, verify capacity, and protect our interests

Systems and tools

The right person does not need to be a software developer, but they must be systems-minded.

Our operating platform includes multiple systems, and the person in this seat needs to be capable of learning, understanding, enforcing, and improving how these systems are used.

Current systems include:

• SOS Inventory
• Katana
• Teams
• SharePoint
• Outlook
• Excel / spreadsheets
• Copacker communication workflows
• Purchasing and procurement tracking
• Order, ticket, RMA, and production workflows

We are still building workflow automation, so this person needs to be comfortable operating in a business where some systems are automated, some are manual, and some are in transition. They need to be able to manage the business as it exists today while helping build the better version.

What success looks like

In the first 90 days, I expect this person to help get the company operating at a higher level.

That means:

• Every key function has a clear owner
• Every activated order is visible on a production schedule
• Every order has the proper documentation and status tracking
• SOP gaps are identified, assigned, completed, and trained
• Production schedules are consistently maintained
• Staffing schedules are created and followed
• PTO and overtime are controlled
• Daily and weekly operating cadences are established
• Order issues are flagged before they become emergencies
• Copacker orders have clear material requirements and communication
• Teams / SharePoint are organized and actually used
• The owner is no longer pulled into every routine issue
• KPI reporting replaces constant escalation and babysitting

The goal is simple: build an operating system where the company runs to standard without the owner having to spot-check every record, chase every department, or solve every routine issue.

The person I am looking for

The ideal candidate has real operations experience in a serious environment.

Strong backgrounds may include:

• Food manufacturing
• Beverage manufacturing
• Nutraceuticals
• Drug processing
• Pharma-adjacent operations
• CPG manufacturing
• Distribution center operations
• Foodservice distribution
• Co-manufacturing or copacking
• Inventory-heavy manufacturing or fulfillment operations

Experience from companies like Sysco, US Foods, Gordon Food Service, McLane, UNFI, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola bottling, supplement manufacturing, beverage manufacturing, or similar operational environments would be highly relevant.

Cannabis or hemp experience is not required and is not the main thing I am looking for. I am much more interested in someone who understands real operations, accountability, schedules, inventory, people management, SOPs, purchasing, fulfillment, and execution.

Required traits

This role requires someone who can:

• Manage people directly and confidently
• Hire, fire, reassign, and hold people accountable
• Build a team without creating drama
• Enforce SOPs without needing constant backup
• Work in a fast-moving entrepreneurial environment
• Create order from chaos
• Understand priorities without being told every small thing
• Communicate clearly in writing
• Follow through
• Use systems properly
• Build processes that people actually follow
• Handle vendors, copackers, and internal teams firmly
• Take ownership instead of making excuses
• Push the business forward without waiting for perfect conditions

This is not a role for someone who says “that’s not my job.” It is also not a role for someone who only wants to manage from behind a desk.

Authority and growth path

This person will report directly to ownership.

The role starts as General Manager / Director of Operations, but there is a real path to COO for the right person.

If this person proves they can run the operation, protect margins, manage people, improve systems, reduce owner involvement, and help lead the company to a higher level, compensation and authority can grow accordingly.

Long term, the right person could become a co-manager of the P&Ls for Cielo Manufacturing and Cielo Cay.

Location and schedule

This is an onsite role in Ormond Beach, Florida.

Relocation may be considered for the right candidate, but local or regional candidates are preferred.

Some travel may be required, especially to visit strategic copackers, vendors, facilities, or partners.

This is an entrepreneurial business. The hours and effort need to match the mission. I am looking for someone who wants to build something, earn trust, and grow into a major leadership role.

Compensation

Base compensation range is $120,000 to $160,000 depending on experience.

There is meaningful upside for the right person if they successfully help get ownership out of day-to-day operations and build a stronger operating platform.

How to apply

Apply directly with your resume and a short note explaining why this role fits your background.

Please do not send a generic cover letter. I am the owner and am personally recruiting for this position and am only going to be considering top tier candidates with proven experience.

I want to know what you have actually run, how many people you have managed, what systems you have worked with, what kind of operational problems you have fixed, and why you believe you are the right person to help build discipline inside a growing entrepreneurial company.

Company Description

Cielo Operating, LLC is a growing product, manufacturing, and operations-focused company building brands and ingredient technologies in the functional consumer goods space. We operate in a fast-moving entrepreneurial environment where clean financial systems, disciplined accounting, and reliable reporting are critical to decision-making.

We are looking for people who are practical, accountable, detail-driven, and comfortable working close to the business. This is not a slow corporate environment; the right person will be able to identify problems, clean up processes, build structure, and take ownership.

Company Description

Cielo Operating, LLC is a growing product, manufacturing, and operations-focused company building brands and ingredient technologies in the functional consumer goods space. We operate in a fast-moving entrepreneurial environment where clean financial systems, disciplined accounting, and reliable reporting are critical to decision-making.\n\nWe are looking for people who are practical, accountable, detail-driven, and comfortable working close to the business. This is not a slow corporate environment; the right person will be able to identify problems, clean up processes, build structure, and take ownership.