Sr. Director of Operations – Food Processing & Manufacturing
Location: Jonesboro, GA (Relocation assistance available)
Compensation: $250,000–$300,000 base + bonus potential

Overview

A well-established food processing manufacturer with over five decades of continuous operation is adding a Sr. Director of Operations to take full ownership of day-to-day facility operations at its Georgia headquarters. This is a broad, high-accountability role spanning manufacturing, quality, food safety, supply chain, distribution, and HR partnership, with 15 direct reports and roughly 300 employees under this leader's scope.

The role reports directly to the President and is built for someone who thinks like an owner, rolls up their sleeves, and drives change from the floor up. The right person walks in, figures it out, and gets things moving. This is a high-mix, low-volume operation running 10+ changeovers per day.

What the Job Involves

• Own full day-to-day operations across manufacturing, quality, food safety, supply chain, logistics, and HR partnership
• Drive site P&L performance including gross margin, EBITDA, and working capital targets
• Develop and execute annual operating plans, capital budgets, and practical long-term initiatives that fit the business
• Lead and develop a senior leadership team across operations, quality, safety, and supply chain functions
• Get on the floor, understand what is happening, and drive improvement from the ground up
• Make real-time decisions and hold the team accountable without relying on formal systems or corporate playbooks
• Optimize purchasing, production planning, logistics, freight, and labor utilization across the facility
• Partner with R&D leadership to support new product development, commercialization, and ongoing product improvement
• Build organizational capability through hands-on coaching, succession planning, and active talent development

What They Need

• BS degree required in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a closely related field
• MBA, Master's degree, or related advanced certifications are a plus
• 15+ years of progressive director / VP / General Manager level experience in food manufacturing required
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a track record of building, fixing, or improving operations without a large support structure
• Demonstrated success leading a manufacturing plant or business unit with full P&L accountability
• Strong financial acumen with the ability to make sound decisions without layers of analysis