General Manager

General Manager (GM) The General Manager (GM) leads day-to-day operations of the Vandalia controlled environment agriculture (CEA) facility. The GM owns site-level P&L, production performance, safety, people, and the operational execution required to deliver on offtake commitments. The GM reports to the executive leadership team and is the senior on-site leader at Vandalia. This is a hands‑on role for an operator who is comfortable moving between the greenhouse floor, the spreadsheet, and the boardroom. The right candidate has run a high-volume produce or CEA operation, has built and led teams, and has a track record of hitting yield, quality, and cost targets. Key Responsibilities Operations & Production Own all production operations at Vandalia, including grow programs, crop scheduling, harvest, packaging, and dispatch. Hit weekly and monthly targets for yield (kg/m²), quality grade, food safety, and on‑time fulfillment to offtake partners. Partner with the grow technology provider (Mastronardi) on agronomy, plant material, inputs, and equipment readiness. Drive continuous improvement in cycle time, labor productivity, energy use, and crop loss. Financial Performance Own site P&L. Manage revenue, COGS, and OPEX against budget; report monthly variances with corrective actions. Approve site‑level purchase orders within delegated authority; control labor cost and overtime. Partner with finance on forecasting, capital requests, and working capital management. People & Leadership Build, lead, and develop the Vandalia team across grow, harvest/pack, maintenance, food safety, and admin. Set the standard for safety culture. Own OSHA compliance, incident reporting, and corrective action. Recruit, onboard, and retain hourly and salaried staff; manage labor agreements and workforce planning. Conduct performance reviews and succession planning for direct reports. Commercial & Customer Serve as primary site contact for the offtake partner; ensure delivery against contractual volumes and specifications. Maintain customer‑facing quality and food safety certifications (e.g., GFSI - SQF or PrimusGFS, GAP). Support commercial leadership during offtake renewals and any expansion conversations. Compliance, Safety & Quality Ensure compliance with all federal, state of West Virginia, and local regulations covering food safety, labor, environmental, and agricultural practices. Maintain audit readiness at all times - food safety, regulatory, customer, and financial. Own the facility’s integrated pest management (IPM) program and biosecurity protocols. Reporting & Cadence Deliver a standardized weekly operating report covering yield, price, revenue, COGS, OPEX, labor, and key incidents. Participate in weekly executive operating reviews and a monthly business review. Maintain and update KPIs against the agreed reporting framework. Required Qualifications 7+ years of progressive operations leadership experience in controlled environment agriculture, greenhouse produce, food manufacturing, or a comparable high-volume perishables operation. 3+ years in a plant manager, site lead, or general manager role with full P&L accountability. Demonstrated record of meeting or exceeding yield, quality, and cost targets in a multi-shift environment. Experience leading teams of 50+ employees, including hourly workforce management. Strong working knowledge of food safety standards (GFSI, FSMA) and OSHA compliance. Financial literacy: ability to read and act on P&L, build operating budgets, and manage to variance. Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, horticulture, food science, engineering, business, or a related field - or equivalent operating experience. Preferred Qualifications Direct experience with high-tech greenhouse (hydroponic, glass, or poly) operations growing tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, berries, or leafy greens. Experience operating under an offtake or category-management agreement with a major grower-marketer (e.g., Mastronardi, NatureFresh, Windset, Pure Flavor). Start‑up or commissioning experience - bringing a new facility from build-out to steady-state production. Experience working with private equity or institutional investors and reporting to a board. Lean / Six Sigma or equivalent continuous improvement training. Personal Attributes Operator’s mindset - bias to action, comfortable on the floor, willing to do the work. Direct and clear communicator who builds trust with crews, customers, and investors. Data-driven decision maker who can also lead through ambiguity. High integrity and strong safety-first instincts. Location & Travel Based on‑site at Vandalia, West Virginia. Periodic travel to corporate, customer, and supplier locations expected. Compensation Competitive base salary, performance-based annual incentive, and equity / long-term incentive participation. Full benefits package. Specific compensation to be discussed with qualified candidates. Reporting Relationship Reports to: Executive Leadership / Board Direct reports: Head Grower, Operations / Pack-House Manager, Maintenance Lead, Food Safety & Quality Lead, Admin / HR Lead #J-18808-Ljbffr