Vice President of Operations

📍 Modesto Area, CA
💰 Base Salary: $175,000 – $195,000

We are seeking a strategic and hands-on Vice President of Operations to lead a high-performance food production facility. This executive role requires a leader who can seamlessly pivot between tactical plant leadership and long-term strategic execution.

The ideal candidate is operationally sharp, mechanically confident, data-driven, and thrives in high-volume seasonal environments. Safety, performance, and continuous improvement must be at the core of your leadership style.

Position Overview

The Vice President of Operations is responsible for overall facility performance, mechanical reliability, production planning, supply chain coordination, and operational excellence. This leader must be comfortable rolling up their sleeves to troubleshoot equipment challenges while also leading capital planning, forecasting, and executive-level decision making.

You will serve as a key member of the leadership team and act as the primary operational authority during peak production seasons.

Key Responsibilities

Maintenance & Technical Reliability

• Lead the Maintenance team to ensure all processing equipment and machinery are operational and optimized
• Establish rigorous Preventative Maintenance programs to drive proactive reliability
• Serve as the senior escalation point for complex mechanical troubleshooting
• Evaluate and execute capital expenditures, including ROI analysis and commissioning of new equipment
• Develop subject matter expertise in machine settings, programming, and production optimization

Operations Leadership

• Maintain a safety-first, injury-free work environment
• Drive yield optimization and production efficiency
• Establish and monitor KPIs and SOPs across departments
• Oversee daily plant operations including cost control, receiving, production, and logistics
• Lead peak season ramp-up and 24/7 harvest readiness planning
• Ensure full compliance with SQF, USDA, FDA, FSMA, and HACCP standards
• Oversee plant fumigation programs and regulatory adherence
• Lead incident command during equipment failures, labor shortages, or utility disruptions

Supply Chain & Planning

• Build and maintain short and long-term production forecasting models
• Ensure inventory accuracy across all SKUs
• Lead S&OP meetings aligning production with sales forecasts
• Manage procurement, distribution, transportation, and vendor partnerships
• Reduce downtime and manage dry goods inventory strategically

Team & Organizational Development

• Lead and develop department managers and plant leadership
• Establish measurable accountability standards
• Identify training gaps and foster continuous improvement culture
• Evaluate organizational structure to optimize performance and cost efficiency

Qualifications

• 10+ years of leadership experience in food manufacturing operations
• Strong mechanical aptitude and plant-level troubleshooting expertise
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and ERP systems
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Finance, or Management
• APICS certification strongly preferred
• Qualified Applicator License preferred, sponsorship available if needed
• Bilingual Spanish preferred

Compensation Disclosure

The base salary range for this position is $175,000 to $195,000 annually. Final compensation will be determined based on experience, skills, education, and overall qualifications. This position may also be eligible for performance-based incentives or bonuses, where applicable.

Benefits may include medical, dental, vision, paid time off, and other employer-sponsored programs, subject to eligibility and company policy.

Work Environment

This is an on-site leadership position in the Modesto area and requires regular presence in an active manufacturing environment. Extended hours may be required during peak production seasons.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and make employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic in accordance with applicable federal, state, and California laws.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the California Fair Employment and Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.