Operations Manager – Food & Beverage Manufacturing

Role: Operations Manager – Food & Beverage Manufacturing


HRforGrowth® is engaged as the talent acquisition partner to conduct this search on behalf of a client organization that is hiring for this role. HRforGrowth is not the employer for this position. HRforGrowth identifies, evaluates, and presents top-tier candidates through its global talent acquisition practice; all employment decisions — including final selection, offer terms, compensation, and conditions of employment — are made solely by the hiring organization.

Our Client is seeking an experienced and hands-on Operations Manager to oversee the day-to-day production, quality, warehouse, and logistics functions of a food and beverage manufacturing operation. This role will be responsible for ensuring production targets are met while maintaining high standards of food safety, quality, efficiency, and workplace safety.

The ideal candidate will bring strong leadership experience within a food or beverage manufacturing environment, with the ability to manage production teams, optimize workflows, coordinate operational priorities, and drive continuous improvement. This is a hands-on leadership opportunity for a manager who is comfortable working directly with employees and supporting operations during high-volume production periods.

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Location: Leominster, MA 01453
Job Type: Full-Time
Compensation: $85K - $105K per year
 

Key Responsibilities

Manage day-to-day production, quality, warehouse, and logistics operations to meet daily and weekly fulfillment targets.
Lead and supervise manufacturing, quality, logistics employees, and temporary workers.
Coordinate employee schedules, daily assignments, workflows, and operational priorities.
Coach, mentor, and develop potential team leads to strengthen leadership capabilities within the department.
Coordinate raw materials, production schedules, and operational priorities to ensure customer orders are completed on schedule.
Identify and implement improvements related to productivity, waste reduction, labor utilization, operating costs, and workflow efficiency.
Ensure compliance with food safety, quality, sanitation, GMP, HACCP, and workplace safety requirements.
Document operational processes and maintain accurate and up-to-date standard operating procedures.
Track key operational performance metrics and maintain production and operational reports.
Communicate effectively with employees, management, Human Resources, and other departments.
Provide hands-on operational support, particularly during busy and high-volume production periods.
Monitor operational performance and proactively address production, quality, staffing, or workflow issues.
Support a culture of accountability, teamwork, safety, quality, and continuous improvement across the operation.

Required Qualifications

Minimum 5–7 years of progressively responsible experience in food or beverage manufacturing.
Minimum 2–3 years of direct supervisory or management experience within a manufacturing environment.
Strong working knowledge of food safety, GMP, HACCP, sanitation, and quality requirements.
Proven experience managing production teams and coordinating day-to-day manufacturing operations.
Experience overseeing multiple operational functions, including production, quality, warehouse, and/or logistics.
Strong ability to coordinate employee schedules, workflows, production priorities, and operational resources.
Demonstrated ability to identify and implement process improvements focused on productivity, waste, labor utilization, and operating costs.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and operational tracking and reporting.
Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to coach and develop employees and emerging team leaders.
Comfortable working in a hands-on manufacturing environment and supporting production operations as needed.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to food safety, quality, and workplace safety.
Ability to work a flexible full-time schedule based on production requirements.

Schedule
This is a full-time day-shift position. During peak production periods, employees may work 10- to 12-hour shifts, typically between 5:00 AM–5:00 PM or 7:00 AM–7:00 PM. During the remainder of the year, shifts are generally 9-hour shifts. Schedule flexibility is required based on production needs.

Benefits
Health Insurance
Paid Time Off (PTO) and Sick Leave
Paid Holidays
401(k) with Company Match
Life Insurance (LI)
Short-Term Disability (STD)
Annual Bonus

About HRforGrowth:
HRforGrowth is a full-service HR and talent partner built to support companies that are scaling, transforming, or navigating change. HRFG is globally recognized for delivering quality, speed, and cost-effective talent solutions across every level of the workforce. Through its global talent acquisition practice, HRforGrowth applies world class rigor and precision to identifying exceptional professional and executive talent on behalf of its clients — from temporary staffing to permanent hourly workers through to placing C-suite executives. HRforGrowth is presenting this opportunity in its capacity as the retained search partner and does not serve as the employer of record for this position.

Equal Employment Opportunity:
In its recruiting and search practices, HRforGrowth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity, and welcomes applications from all qualified individuals. HRforGrowth evaluates and presents candidates to its clients without regard to any protected characteristic.

HRforGrowth endeavors to advise the hiring organization to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local equal employment opportunity laws — including those enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) — in its hiring decisions, terms of employment, and workplace practices.