Operations Manager

  OVERVIEW: The Operations Manager oversees all operational aspects of Craft Fresh operations in Milwaukee and supports select operational needs across additional locations. This role is accountable for driving productivity, ensuring compliance with food safety and regulatory standards, optimizing cost efficiencies, and fostering culture of continuous improvement and employee engagement. 

The Operations Manager partners closely with cross-functional teams and directly oversees production, sanitation, warehousing, logistics, and procurement to ensure safe, efficient, and customer-focused operation that meets business objectives.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES/FUNCTIONS:

• Lead and oversee daily operations across sanitation, production, and warehousing functions.
• Establish clear performance standards, assign responsibilities, and ensure accountability at all levels.
• Drive operational excellence by implementing best practices that improve throughput, reduce costs per case, and enhance food quality. 
• Recruit, train, and develop a high-performing workforce that embodies company values. 
• Conduct regular coaching, performance reviews, and succession planning to ensure proper staffing and leadership bench strength. 
• Promote a culture of engagement, safety, and accountability throughout all facilities.
• Develop monitor and maintain an operational and accountability driven relationship logistics carriers to ensure our product and customer needs are handled timely and properly.
• Train, develop, motivate, and manage personnel. Maintain proper staffing levels as volume fluctuates.
• Makes frequent rounds of facilities to ensure proper operation of equipment, materials storage, and handling, cleanliness and safety.
• Manage the upkeep of equipment and supplies to meet sanitation and safety standards. Ensure the facilities meet government regulations and environmental, health and security standards.
• Allocate and manage facility space for maximum efficiency.
• Develop and foster a culture of safety and food safety by acting as a role model. Ensure the safety of all employees and staff.
• Monitor operation expenses.
• Perform analysis of seasonal staff wages and expenses to maximize efficiency. Also administers performance reviews and keeps employees informed of their performance.
• Daily review of all production records and expenses and interaction with Finance to ensure meeting of operational goals. 
• Work with procurement on calculating and comparing costs for required goods and/or services to achieve maximum value for money.
• Provide leadership in produce quality assurance policy and procedure development and implementation in compliance with Federal, State and local regulatory requirements, through interaction with corporate, food service, retail store, and warehousing/transportation departments. Establish goals, monitor progress and achievements.
• Apply continuous improvement processes to enhance workflow, improve job skills, and individual knowledge of produce to achieve company objectives.
• Seek opportunities to welcome, engage, serve and thank customers. Maintain and encourage an atmosphere of friendly, enthusiastic customer service with an emphasis of taking care of the customer.
• Plan and organize departmental meetings using effective public speaking skills. Keeps employees and key managers informed of operating matrix and results weekly/monthly and annually.
• Meet with vendors and suppliers to negotiate cost and select new items.
• Meet with select customers as needed
• Reads industry publications and personal development materials to continue to enhance industry and operational development.
• Performs other duties as needed.

COMPETENCIES:

• Strong leadership and team-building skills with the ability to motivate and inspire diverse teams.
• Strategic thinker with hands-on execution capabilities.
• Customer-focused mindset with strong business acumen.
• Ability to thrive under pressure and adapt quickly to changing priorities.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This position may be required to occasionally work in a cold and wet environment. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Ability to lift up to 25 pounds. Ability to tell the color of product. 

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education/Experience:

• 7+ years of progressive leadership experience in food and beverage manufacturing, distribution, or related industry. 
• Strong knowledge of production operations, food safety regulations, and quality systems. 
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Proven track record of budge management, cost reduction, and process improvement.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and decision-making skills

Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, Food Science, Engineering, or related field. 
• Experience with Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement. 
• Proficiency with ERP systems, production management tools, and data analysis platforms.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) is a plus. 
• Product knowledge of produce items, accounting principles, communication skills
• Knowledge of warehouse functions, billing and receiving procedures

Language Skills:

• Able to communicate effectively with vendors and with other employees of the organization

Other Skills:

• Able to read and interpret data