National Operations Director

About The Common Market

The Common Market is a nonprofit local food distributor working to build a more resilient and equitable food system. We connect small and mid‑scale family farms to schools, hospitals, and other institutions while upholding rigorous standards for food safety, operational excellence, and values‑driven procurement. We operate multiple warehouse and trucking operations across regions and are entering a phase that requires strong, experienced operational leadership.

The National Operations Director is the senior leader responsible for the end‑to‑end execution of warehouse operations, trucking, food safety, and operational performance across multiple sites. This is a hands‑on executive role. The Director will spend significant time in warehouses and on the road, working directly with Operations Managers, drivers, warehouse associates, and sanitation teams—while also serving as a core member of the executive leadership team responsible for strategy, systems, and performance.

This role is ideal for a seasoned operations leader who has personally owned food safety, fleet, and multi‑site execution, and who is comfortable moving between the warehouse floor and the senior leadership team. Highly skilled and experienced operations leader with hands‑on warehouse, food safety, and fleet management. Adept in process and people management and business analytics that drive both performance and operational excellence through KPIs.

The ideal candidate will have the aptitude and commitment to advance to VP of Operations within 12‑18 months.

• Lead operations across multiple warehouses, including trucking, warehouse, sanitation, and facilities
• Manage and develop Operations Managers and ensure consistent execution of SOPs across sites
• Spend regular time working out of regional warehouses when not traveling

• Own the organization's food safety program across all sites, including SQF, FSMA, and PCQI requirements
• Lead audit readiness, corrective actions, and continuous improvement across warehouses
• Manage and support site‑level SQF Practitioners and ensure backup coverage
• Oversee supplier food safety documentation and compliance systems

• Lead oversight of a fleet of 20+ trucks, including PM, compliance, safety, and utilization
• Ensure effective use of telematics, temperature monitoring, and maintenance systems
• Oversee facilities, refrigeration, docks, and material‑handling equipment across sites

• Provide direct leadership, coaching, and accountability for hourly warehouse and driver teams (through managers)
• Ensure strong safety culture, performance management, and clear expectations
• Partner with HR on hiring, training, performance evaluations, and corrective actions

• Develop and execute operations strategy aligned with organizational goals
• Build and maintain operational KPIs for warehouse, trucking, and food and workplace safety
• Use Excel and data from operational platforms to generate reports and dashboards
• Lead operational planning, budgeting inputs, and performance reviews

• Has managed operations across multiple warehouses and knows how to enforce consistency without being everywhere
• Has personally owned a food safety program for a food distributor or food manufacturer
• Has led a fleet of at least 10 trucks and understands the realities of drivers, maintenance, and compliance
• Is comfortable working directly with hourly staff and also contributing at the executive level
• Is energized by a hands‑on, resource‑constrained environment where leaders build systems, not inherit them
• Lives in (or is willing to relocate to) Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, or Philadelphia and expects to work out of a warehouse regularly

• Prefer a fully remote or office‑only executive role
• Have overseen operations only through consultants or indirect reports
• Have limited exposure to food safety audits, SQF, or multi‑site compliance
• Are uncomfortable managing drivers, warehouse teams, or safety issues directly
• Expect…