Head of Operations (Burlington)

Head of Operations

We are working with a growing food manufacturing company in the Northeast. They are looking for a Head of Operations to oversee manufacturing execution and help guide the continued development of its operations team. This position will take ownership of manufacturing performance, people leadership, production execution, and operational improvement. We are looking for someone who understands the realities of running a food or beverage operation and is equally comfortable working with frontline employees, developing supervisors, analyzing performance, and solving problems on the floor. The successful candidate will bring a practical leadership style, sound manufacturing judgment, and the ability to create an environment where employees understand expectations and teams work effectively together.

Location: Burlington, VT area. Relocation assistance available

Job Responsibilities:

• Direct manufacturing activities and ensure production objectives are consistently achieved.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and development to operations supervisors and employees.
• Evaluate operating performance and address issues affecting output, labor, cost, quality, and service.
• Establish expectations and accountability throughout the operations team.
• Identify opportunities to simplify processes and improve how work is executed.
• Work closely with planning and warehouse teams to coordinate production requirements and material flow.
• Develop operating procedures and standards that improve consistency and execution.
• Collaborate with Quality and Safety leaders to ensure operational priorities align with food safety and workplace safety requirements.
• Use operating data and performance metrics to identify problems and guide decisions.
• Participate in operational improvement projects as the business evolves.
• Develop frontline leadership capabilities and help build a strong pipeline of operations talent.
• Foster an environment of open communication, teamwork, accountability, and employee engagement.

Required Skills/Qualifications:

• Food or beverage manufacturing experience required.
• Significant progressive experience leading manufacturing operations.
• Experience managing supervisors and hourly production employees.
• Background in plant operations, production management, manufacturing management, or a comparable leadership position.
• Demonstrated ability to improve operating performance and solve manufacturing problems.
• Strong understanding of production planning, labor management, manufacturing metrics, and daily operating execution.
• Ability to coach and develop supervisors while holding teams accountable for results.
• Comfortable working directly with employees on the production floor.
• Experience implementing process improvements within a manufacturing environment.
• Bachelor's degree is preferred; relevant manufacturing leadership experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.