Operations Manager - Food Manufacturing

COMPANY OVERVIEW We exist to make food the world loves. But we do more than that. Our company is a place that prioritizes being a force for good, a place to expand learning, explore new perspectives and reimagine new possibilities, every day. We look for people who want to bring their best - bold thinkers with big hearts who challenge one another and grow together.

Because becoming the undisputed leader in food means surrounding ourselves with people who are hungry for what's next.

The Operations Manager owns production operations at the Pet Treating facility in Joplin, Missouri. Reporting to the Plant Manager, you'll lead three supervisors and their hourly teams to deliver safe, high-quality products on time and within budget. This role combines people leadership, production execution, food safety and quality, financial management, equipment reliability, and continuous improvement. You'll develop frontline leaders, set clear performance expectations, use data to prioritize action, and lead improvements that strengthen safety, service, productivity, and cost performance.

Lead daily production through three supervisor direct reports and their hourly teams.

Set priorities, coach leaders, document performance, and hold employees accountable while maintaining trust.

Build team capability through onboarding, job-transfer training, corrective and preventive actions, and ongoing development.

Plan production to meet volume, efficiency, service, safety, quality, and cost objectives.

Review daily, weekly, and monthly KPIs; identify trends; and convert findings into focused improvement plans.

Lead practical lean initiatives, including Kaizen events, loss analysis, spaghetti diagrams, SMED, standard work, and visual management.

Establish and sustain Operations-owned Autonomous Maintenance routines, including basic-condition restoration, cleaning, tightening, lubrication checks, and early identification of equipment abnormalities.

Partner with Maintenance on equipment conditions and significant breakdowns while maintaining clear ownership of routine operator care.

Use Redzone or a similar system to identify top losses, track actions, and improve equipment performance.

Partner with Engineering to identify productivity opportunities, capacity constraints, and potential capital investments.

Conduct or support facility capacity analysis and use the results to guide production planning and improvement priorities.

Review existing bills of material for accuracy and partner with Finance on BOMs for new products after production trials.

Analyze yield, waste, labor, downtime, and other cost drivers; then implement plans to improve performance.

Own the department’s operating expenses, support annual budget planning, monitor results, and partner with Accounting on reviews.

Partner with Quality to maintain product quality, food safety, and regulatory compliance, including FDA, FSIS, SQF, USDA, and GMP requirements.

Champion a strong safety, food-safety, and quality culture through training, communication, audit follow-up, and procedural updates.

Prepare operational reports, track issues and actions, and collaborate with Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Finance, and other support teams.

Cross-train to provide manufacturing continuity and assume applicable Quality Assurance responsibilities when needed.

Complete other assigned projects and responsibilities.

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in business administration, operations, manufacturing, or a related field is preferred.

5+ years of progressively responsible manufacturing experience, including experience in the food industry.

1+ year of experience directly managing salaried employees.

Experience leading production or…