Kitchen Operations Manager

Kitchen Operations Manager

Our client is seeking a hands-on Kitchen Operations Manager who can provide strong production leadership while building the systems, processes and accountability needed to support continued growth.

This is an ideal opportunity for an operations leader who enjoys being close to the production floor but also thinks beyond today's production schedule. The successful candidate will bring systems thinking, planning, organization and proactive communication to ensure production, inventory and fulfillment stay aligned while providing consistent visibility to remote executive leadership.

Responsibilities:

• Lead daily kitchen production and ensure orders are produced accurately, efficiently and on schedule.
• Build and implement repeatable systems, processes and SOPs to create a more scalable operation.
• Develop production schedules and proactively plan labor, ingredients, inventory and capacity requirements.
• Establish stronger inventory controls, including purchasing needs, usage, waste and availability.
• Create and monitor operational KPIs related to production, fulfillment, labor, inventory, waste and COGS.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and implement practical solutions to improve efficiency and consistency.
• Ensure production plans align with customer demand and fulfillment requirements.
• Provide proactive, clear and timely communication to remote executive leadership regarding production status, risks, inventory, staffing and upcoming needs.
• Lead, coach and develop Shift Leads and production employees while establishing clear expectations and accountability.
• Partner with the Director of Operations, R&D/Dietitian, Customer Service and external vendors/carriers to coordinate operational requirements.
• Maintain high standards for food safety, sanitation, quality and workplace safety.
• Support the transition to a larger/upgraded facility as the company continues to grow.
• Continuously assess the operation and identify opportunities to improve productivity, reliability, cost and scalability.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience leading food production, commercial kitchen, commissary, catering, or another high-volume production operation.
• Strong hands-on production leadership experience.
• Demonstrated ability to build systems and processes within a growing operation.
• Strong production planning, scheduling and inventory management skills.
• Experience establishing and managing operational KPIs and performance metrics.
• Understanding labor planning, COGS, waste reduction and production efficiency.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to provide concise, proactive updates to senior/remote leadership.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to anticipate operational issues before they affect production or fulfillment.
• Experience coaching and developing frontline production teams and shift leaders.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment where processes continue to evolve.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Food safety knowledge/certification is strongly preferred.