Director of Operations

KCO Resource Management provided pay range

This range is provided by KCO Resource Management. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

$/yr - $/yr

We’re working with a well-established and growing food & beverage manufacturer that is looking to fill an operations leadership position that will oversee two locations. Must have a background that includes over a decade of leadership experience in the food manufacturing industry with proven experience leading multiple locations with capital project experience with a continuous improvement mindset.

• Create an organizational structure for manufacturing operations that support business growth and operational excellence.
• Implement the strategic vision for manufacturing in alignment business objectives.
• Coordinate with leadership to establish manufacturing KPIs, performance targets, and long-range operational plans.
• Partake in the evaluation and recommendation of new products and processing capabilities
• Deliver overall direction and accountability for daily operations across two manufacturing facilities.
• Lead and hold leadership accountable across all plant functions
• Maintain hands‑on leadership presence in manufacturing facilities, enforcing safety, quality, and operational discipline.
• Ensure all operations meet or exceed federal, state, and local regulatory requirements, including FDA, USDA, OSHA, and environmental regulations.
• Create, maintain, and continuously improve food safety and quality systems
• Develop and manage annual operating and capital budgets aligned with production forecasts, growth initiatives, and capital projects.
• Hold Plant Managers accountable for labor efficiency, operating expenses, inventory management, and budget
• Assess operational performance and financial results, identifying opportunities to improve productivity, reduce costs, and enhance asset utilization.
• Lead multi‑year cost reduction and efficiency initiatives while maintaining product quality and service reliability.
• Provide executive oversight of capital projects, including scope definition, budgeting, scheduling, equipment selection, procurement, installation, commissioning, and startup.
• Partner with Engineering and Maintenance leadership to oversee utilities, wastewater treatment, preventive maintenance programs, and infrastructure reliability.
• Apply continuous improvement and project management tools to ensure capital projects are delivered safely, on time, and within budget.
• Collaborate with Quality, R&D, Supply Chain, Sales, Customer Service, and Finance to ensure manufacturing capabilities align with customer requirements and business priorities.
• Support new product development, scale‑up, and commercialization of ingredients and consumer products.
• Serve as the primary operational interface with external regulators, customers, vendors, and industry partners
• Build, develop, and retain high‑performing manufacturing leadership teams.
• Oversee hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, and succession planning across operations.
• Foster a culture of safety, accountability, continuous improvement, and teamwork
• Ensure effective delivery of operational, food safety, technical, and leadership training programs.
• Champion a strong food safety and quality culture across all facilities.
• Ensure accurate and current manufacturing protocols, SOPs, and product specifications are maintained and followed.
• Lead or support investigations of consumer and customer complaints in collaboration with Quality and Engineering teams.
• Ensure employees are trained and perform their duties in a safe, sanitary, and efficient manner.

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Engineering, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience will be considered.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in food manufacturing (dairy preferred)
• Proven experience leading multi‑site manufacturing operations and large, diverse teams.
• Demonstrated success managing operating budgets, capital planning, and…