General Manager (Omaha)

Our client is seeking a General Manager to lead one of its largest Food & Beverage testing laboratory operations in Omaha, Nebraska. This senior site leader role has full responsibility for site operations, financial performance, technical execution, regulatory compliance, and customer satisfaction.

About the Role

The General Manager will drive business performance within a fast-paced, high-volume food testing environment, leading a multidisciplinary team across laboratory operations, quality, client services, and support functions. This role has full P&L responsibility and is accountable for operational excellence, employee engagement, quality systems, client retention, and long-term strategic growth. The ideal candidate brings strong business acumen, proven site leadership experience, and a successful track record managing complex laboratory operations. This individual must be able to balance commercial objectives with operational execution while fostering a culture focused on quality, safety, customer service, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead overall site operations, strategy, and growth initiatives for a high-volume food testing laboratory.
• Own full site P&L, including revenue, profitability, EBITDA, budgeting, forecasting, and cost management.
• Drive operational excellence by improving productivity, turnaround times, capacity, quality, and customer satisfaction.
• Partner with executive leadership to execute strategic growth and expansion plans.
• Align commercial priorities with laboratory capacity and operational execution.
• Oversee all laboratory and support functions, including Chemistry, Microbiology, Sample Management, Client Services, and Operations.
• Ensure compliance with quality systems, regulatory standards, and accreditation requirements while maintaining audit readiness.
• Lead quality initiatives, data integrity, CAPA investigations, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Optimize staffing, resource allocation, equipment utilization, and workflow efficiency.
• Support implementation of new technologies, testing capabilities, and process improvements.
• Partner with commercial teams to drive client retention, business growth, pricing strategies, and customer success.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing leadership team while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Drive employee engagement, succession planning, organizational change, and leadership development.
• Serve as the senior escalation point for operational, quality, client, and personnel matters.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Science, Business, Operations Management, or a related field required.
• MBA or other advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in laboratory operations, food manufacturing, quality, testing services, or a related industry.
• Experience as a General Manager, Site Leader, Laboratory Director, Operations Director, or in a similar senior leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience managing/optimizing costs to lab volume (P&L management preferred)
• Proven success leading large, complex operational teams in a regulated environment.
• Experience supporting customer-facing operations and managing key client relationships.
• Background in food and beverage testing, food manufacturing, contract laboratory services, quality assurance, or related industries strongly preferred.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams across operations, quality, customer service, and support functions.
• Strong track record of driving operational excellence, business growth, employee engagement, and continuous improvement.