A growing food manufacturing organization is seeking experienced Vice Presidents of Operations to provide strategic and hands-on leadership for its by manufacturing facilities for two facilities near Washington DC Metro Area. This professional will be responsible for overall plant performance, including production, quality, food safety, maintenance, inventory, distribution, workforce performance, operational efficiency, and continuous improvement. Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, the Vice President of Operations. This is a highly visible, onsite leadership role requiring an executive who is equally comfortable establishing operational strategy and working directly with plant leadership to improve day-to-day execution.*Previous food manufacturing experience is required.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:- Provide overall leadership for plant operations with a strong focus on safety, food quality, productivity, accountability, cost control, and continuous improvement
- Develop and execute operational strategies that support organizational growth, customer requirements, and financial objectives
- Oversee key operational functions including manufacturing, production, maintenance, quality, inventory, distribution, and facility operations
- Establish and monitor KPIs, operational metrics, budgets, productivity targets, and performance objectives
- Identify and implement opportunities to improve throughput, labor utilization, production efficiency, yield, product quality, and operating costs
- Ensure manufacturing operations consistently comply with food safety requirements, GMPs, quality standards, regulatory requirements, and customer specifications
- Strengthen plant operating systems, policies, procedures, controls, and performance management practices
- Lead initiatives to improve equipment reliability, preventive maintenance, production capacity, facility performance, and overall plant efficiency
- Partner closely with Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Distribution, Human Resources, and other functional leaders
- Build and maintain a culture of operational discipline, accountability, employee engagement, and continuous improvement
- Develop, coach, and mentor plant leaders, production managers, supervisors, and other operational personnel
- Evaluate operational risks and implement corrective actions to support consistent production and customer service
- Balance production requirements with labor, inventory, quality, service, and financial objectivesREQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 10+ years of progressive leadership experience within food manufacturing
- 5+ years of direct production, manufacturing, or plant operations leadership experience
- Demonstrated experience leading high-volume or complex food manufacturing operations
- Strong understanding of food manufacturing processes, food safety, GMPs, quality systems, and production compliance
- Proven success improving productivity, operational efficiency, quality, throughput, and manufacturing costs
- Strong knowledge of plant maintenance, equipment reliability, workplace safety, and facility operations
- Demonstrated ability to establish performance expectations and hold leadership teams accountable for operational results
- Proven ability to build, develop, coach, and retain strong manufacturing leadership teams
- Strong business and financial judgment with the ability to balance operational priorities with organizational objectives
- Experience working with manufacturing ERP systems
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications
- Ability to work onsite daily
- Candidates must currently reside within a reasonable commuting distance.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:- Bilingual English/Spanish communication skills
- Experience supporting culturally and linguistically diverse manufacturing workforces
- Experience implementing Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, operational excellence, or similar performance improvement methodologies
- Experience within high-volume prepared foods, packaged foods, protein, culinary manufacturing, refrigerated foods, or related food production environmentsEDUCATION
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Food Science, Manufacturing, Operations, Business, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience
- Master’s degree or advanced education in business, engineering, manufacturing, or operations is preferredCOMPENSATION & BENEFITS
Base Salary: $120, 000 per Year
- $130,000 per Year Compensation may vary based on size & scope of operations, experience, qualifications, and alignment with the requirements of the specific facility. In addition to base compensation, the organization offers a benefits package that includes:
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Short-term disability coverage
- Paid vacation
- Paid sick leave
- Paid holidays
