Director of Operations
Job Title: Director of Operations - Food & Beverage
Location: Miami, Florida
Industry: Food & Beverage Manufacturing / Processing / Distribution
Employment Type: Full-Time
Reports To: Executive Leadership / VP Operations / COO
Overview
A growing food and beverage organization with operations in South Florida is seeking a Director of Operations to lead and optimize end-to-end operational performance. This role is accountable for production, warehousing, and distribution while driving operational excellence, scalability, and continuous improvement across the business. The ideal candidate combines strategic leadership with hands-on operational experience in a regulated food manufacturing environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic and operational leadership across manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution functions
- Own performance across safety, quality, service, cost, and productivity KPIs
- Ensure full compliance with all food safety, quality, and regulatory standards (FDA, USDA, HACCP, GMPs, SQF/BRC)
- Lead and develop plant leadership teams, including Operations Managers, Production Managers, and Supervisors
- Partner cross-functionally with Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Planning, Engineering, and Commercial teams
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies
- Oversee labor strategy, workforce planning, and leadership succession
- Support capacity expansion, new product introductions, process optimization, and capital projects
- Build and manage operational budgets and cost-control initiatives
- Foster a strong safety-first, accountability-driven culture across all operational teams
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, or related discipline
- 8-12+ years of progressive operations leadership experience within food, beverage, or CPG manufacturing
- Demonstrated experience managing multi-department or multi-site operations
- Strong background in food safety and quality management systems (HACCP, SQF, BRC, GMPs)
- Proven success leading teams in high-volume, fast-paced environments
- Strong financial acumen with experience managing budgets and operational P&L components
- Data-driven decision-maker with strong analytical and communication skills
- Ability to operate at both strategic and hands-on execution levels
Preferred Experience
- Beverage, refrigerated, frozen, or ready-to-eat food manufacturing experience
- Experience scaling operations or supporting high-growth organizations
- Bilingual English/Spanish
- Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma certification
Compensation & Benefits
- Competitive executive-level base salary with bonus and incentive potential
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
- PTO and paid holidays
- 401(k) with company match
- Career progression opportunities within a stable and growing organization
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