Vice President of Operations – California

This results-driven leadership position will drive operational excellence for a leading culinary solutions company with manufacturing and supply chain operations across multiple facilities. The Vice President of Operations will provide strategic leadership and help to drive company growth through manufacturing excellence, cost control and scalability.

Reporting directly to the CEO/COO, this executive will lead manufacturing operations to achieve efficiency and cost effectiveness. The position oversees production facilities and their Plant Managers, along with two Director-level supply chain and procurement employees to optimize sourcing, logistics, and inventory management. This leader will partner with R&D, Sales, and Finance teams to align operational capabilities with business growth and new product initiatives.

Key responsibilities include implementing Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma initiatives, optimizing supply chain and procurement processes, ensuring regulatory compliance with FDA, USDA, SQF, IFS, and other food safety regulations, and leading financial management of budgets and capital expenditures. The role requires expertise in ERP systems, production planning software, and cross-functional team leadership.

Success in this position requires a seasoned operations executive with a B.S. Degree in Business Administration, Logistics, Engineering, or related field (MBA preferred) and a minimum of 10 years of industry-related experience, with at least 3 years in an executive role within food manufacturing. The ideal candidate will have proven success in implementing operational excellence programs, managing multi-site manufacturing operations, and developing high-performance teams that foster accountability, collaboration and innovation.