Director of Operations

Ideal Nutrition is seeking an experienced Director of Operations to lead a high-performing team within our distribution center and central kitchen. This role requires an individual with a strong background in Ready-to-Eat (RTE) food production and USDA-regulated meat or poultry processing. You will be responsible for identifying opportunities, driving cost savings, optimizing performance, ensuring regulatory compliance, and setting the strategic direction for the department.

As Director, you will oversee all budgetary and operational KPIs, enforce USDA and food safety regulations, and ensure operational excellence. You understand how attention to detail contributes to strategic success and will develop a clear roadmap to achieve long-term business objectives. We are looking for a leader who thrives in a dynamic environment, is committed to food safety and quality, and is passionate about delivering high-quality products to our customers.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for Ideal Nutrition’s distribution center and central kitchen, ensuring efficiency, compliance, and productivity.
• Ensure full compliance with USDA, FDA, and HACCP food safety regulations, particularly regarding RTE meal production, meat, and poultry processing.
• Develop and execute strategies to enhance warehousing, inventory management, and inbound/outbound logistics to achieve best-in-class operational performance.
• Lead cross-functional teams and engage in daily operations to increase productivity, drive scalability, and build a strong culture of food safety and operational excellence.
• Optimize workforce planning and build a high-performance team dedicated to quality, efficiency, and regulatory compliance.
• Continuously improve safety, quality, cost control, and delivery metrics while strengthening vendor relationships and ensuring supply chain efficiency.
• Manage department budgets, ensuring financial targets are met with maximum efficiency.
• Oversee HACCP plans, sanitation programs, and food safety audits to ensure compliance with all regulatory and industry standards.
• Utilize data analytics and technology to improve operational efficiencies, reduce waste, and enhance customer experience.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s or MBA preferred.
• 10 years of experience in food manufacturing, production, or distribution, with at least 5 years in a USDA-regulated RTE, meat, or poultry processing facility.
• Extensive knowledge of HACCP, USDA, and FDA food safety requirements.
• Proven experience managing a high-growth team and leading operational excellence initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to implement process improvements that enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve compliance.
• Strong understanding of procurement, vendor management, and supply chain optimization.
• Availability to work weekends and night shifts as needed, based on business demands.

Preferred Certifications

• HACCP Certification (Required)
• ServSafe Certification (Preferred)
• Lean Six Sigma Certification (Preferred)

ob Type: Full-time

Pay: $190,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 10 hour shift
• Day shift
• Holidays
• Monday to Friday
• Night shift
• Weekends as needed

Experience:

• Food Manufacturing or Production: 10 years (Preferred)
• USDA-Regulated RTE: 5 years (Preferred)
• HACCP, USDA and FDA Food Safety: 5 years (Preferred)