Director Of Operations

Director of Operations Specialty Food & CPG Manufacturing

Location : Northern Indiana Region (On-Site)

A specialty food and consumer packaged goods manufacturer producing custom-formulated, shelf-stable products for national private label and branded partners is seeking a Director of Operations to lead plant-wide strategy, performance, and people development. This is a critical leadership role overseeing production, quality systems, planning, supply chain coordination, safety, and continuous improvement in a high-mix, multi-SKU environment.

Position Overview

The Director of Operations will ensure the facility consistently delivers safe, high-quality, cost-effective products while supporting customer requirements and ongoing expansion initiatives. The position requires a hands-on leader who can strengthen operational discipline, communication flow, and accountability across all levels of the plant.

Key Responsibilities

Lead day-to-day plant operations, throughput, and labor planning

Implement KPI frameworks for run efficiencies, downtime, cost-per-unit, scrap, and service levels

Build proactive safety culture, regulatory compliance, documentation, and audit readiness

Strengthen communication between production, supply chain, quality, and maintenance

Partner with maintenance and engineering to reduce downtime and enhance preventive programs

Standardize processes across shifts and functions, driving continuous improvement

Support customer-driven changeovers, scale-up activity, and new product introductions

Develop supervisors and department leaders with measurable expectations and structured coaching

Candidate Profile

Leadership experience in food manufacturing, CPG, or regulated specialty batch / process operations

Proven track record improving yield, cost structure, throughput, and labor utilization

Experience implementing KPI dashboards, standardized work, and accountability structure

Ability to lead change in a privately owned or growth-oriented environment

Strong floor presence and communication skills with cross-department influence

Mechanical appreciation or partnership experience with maintenance and engineering teams

Compensation

Full-time on-site leadership role Salary range : $150,000 to $200,000 annually, plus performance incentives and benefits package