Vice President Operations

The Vice President of operations will oversee a team of around 800 team members at 2 plants focusing on production, warehouse, distribution, safety, continuous improvement.

This role drives continuous improvement across all operational areas, ensuring compliance with food safety and regulatory standards while optimizing efficiency through automation, reducing costs, and maintaining high team morale. The ideal candidate will be a hands-on leader skilled in building and mentoring teams, driving a culture of accountability and metrics, and fostering collaboration.

Key Responsibilities:

• Foster a safety-first culture and deliver best-in-class safety performance.
• Lead operational planning and drive strategic initiatives to ensure efficient and effective plant operations.
• Apply lean manufacturing principles to improve safety and manufacturing processes, reduce waste, and optimize daily operations.
• Plan and execute capital improvement projects.
• Oversee daily production activities to meet safety, quality, and performance goals.
• Ensure compliance with quality, OSHA, and environmental standards and maintain all necessary permits.
• Promote a culture of operational excellence through process optimization, visual management, and daily performance tracking (SQDC metrics).
• Champion talent development by mentoring and coaching plant leadership and team members.
• Build a high performing, engaged workforce by developing leadership capabilities and creating a strong team environment.
• Define and implement organizational goals, policies, and procedures that align with business priorities

REQUIREMENTS

• The successful candidate will possess 10+ years’ manufacturing operations leadership experience.
• Proven and demonstrated track record of continuous improvement, innovation and development of a lean culture focused on quality.
• Strong skills in selecting, mentoring and retaining best in class teams.
• Food and beverage manufacturing experience highly desired. USDA and FDA regulated with GMP experience desired. SQF experience desired.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, and the ability to effectively communicate throughout all levels of the organization.
• Possesses a high sense of urgency.
• Low‐Ego/High‐Confidence.
• Thinks innovatively and targets breakthrough performance, not simply incremental gain.