Site Director

Position Summary

The Senior Operations Manager / Site Director is a critical operations leadership role responsible for overseeing end‑to‑end manufacturing performance across assigned production lines and shifts within a high‑volume food manufacturing environment. This role serves as the primary point of coordination for a key external manufacturing partnership, ensuring strong collaboration, operational excellence, and alignment with commercial commitments.

This position blends hands‑on operational leadership with executive‑level relationship management. Success requires driving safe, efficient, and high‑quality production while strengthening strategic partnerships that support long‑term site performance and scalability.

Key Responsibilities

External Partnership & Stakeholder Management

• Act as the primary operational liaison for a strategic manufacturing partnership, representing site interests and ensuring alignment on expectations and performance.
• Establish clear, proactive communication routines to manage priorities, resolve issues, and maintain strong working relationships.
• Support contractual discussions, business planning, and long‑term strategic alignment with external stakeholders.
• Identify and execute cost‑optimization and process‑improvement opportunities that deliver shared value.
• Lead structured governance forums, including performance reviews, issue escalation, and recovery planning.
• Ensure site execution consistently meets service level agreements and commercial commitments.

Operational Leadership

• Provide direct leadership across multiple production lines and shifts, ensuring safe, efficient, and high‑quality manufacturing operations.
• Implement daily management systems and escalation protocols to maintain stability and drive accountability.
• Partner closely with engineering, maintenance, and operations teams to improve line efficiency and achieve design capacity.
• Oversee capacity planning, equipment utilization, maintenance coordination, and production scheduling.
• Champion standardized operating systems, ensuring procedures are current, effective, and consistently applied.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, cost, and throughput.

Team Leadership & Development

• Recruit, develop, and mentor frontline and salaried leaders to build a high‑performing, engaged workforce.
• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Build strong talent pipelines and succession plans to support long‑term leadership continuity.

Quality, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure all products meet or exceed food safety, quality, and regulatory standards.
• Lead ongoing quality and food safety improvement initiatives.
• Prepare for and support regulatory and third‑party audits, maintaining full compliance with applicable standards.

Site Leadership & Strategic Support

• Collaborate with site leadership on short‑ and long‑term operational strategies.
• Identify, evaluate, and recommend new technologies and process improvements to enhance competitiveness and operational excellence.
• Support crisis response and recovery efforts as needed to protect people, production, and customer commitments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field required; MBA preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, preferably within food or consumer packaged goods environments.
• Demonstrated success driving operational excellence and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong working knowledge of food safety regulations and audit processes (FSMA experience preferred; PCQI certification a plus).
• Proven ability to lead cross‑functional teams and manage complex external partnerships.