Senior Operations Manager POST NUMBER: 475669
Client: Manufacturing (Food)
Title: Senior Operations Manager
Salary: $140,000-$160,000 Bonus
Location: South Jersey, around Gloucester County
Fully Onsite Monday-Friday 1st shift with flexibility to coordinate with some overlap to other shifts based on needs throughout the month. Requiring weekend on call 1-2 a month depending on needs
***Must come from food, pharma or CPG industries
Position Overview
A leading food manufacturing organization is seeking a Senior Manager, Production to oversee all aspects of daily operations at a high-volume, 24/7 production facility. This role is responsible for driving safety, quality, efficiency, and team performance while ensuring alignment with long-term operational and business goals.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on, results-driven leader with experience in regulated manufacturing environments and a strong track record of building and developing high-performing teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead day-to-day bakery manufacturing operations across a 24/7 production environment
- Ensure consistent performance in safety, food quality, throughput, and waste reduction
- Develop and execute operational strategies aligned with business objectives
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on efficiency, line performance, and cost reduction
- Oversee labor planning, scheduling, budgeting, and resource allocation
- Build, coach, and develop production teams through performance management and engagement practices
- Ensure compliance with GMPs, food safety standards, and regulatory requirements
- Maintain audit-ready facility conditions at all times
- Support capital projects, equipment upgrades, and process improvement initiatives
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams including maintenance, quality, supply chain, and engineering
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree preferred
- 5–7 years of experience in food, beverage, pharmaceutical, or other GMP-regulated manufacturing environments
- 3 years of leadership experience in a plant or production management role
- Proven experience managing operations in a 24/7 manufacturing environment
- Strong knowledge of safety, quality systems, and production KPIs
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and ERP systems (SAP preferred)
- Strong leadership, communication, and team-building skills
- Ability to analyze data, prepare reports, and present to leadership
Preferred Qualifications
- Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement certification
- Experience leading capital projects or equipment installations
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus
Vaco by Highspring values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.
EEO Notice
Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law.
Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact HR@vaco.com .
Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.
By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.
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Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries (“we,” “our,” or “Vaco by Highspring”) respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.
- California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
- Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
- Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
- Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
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Pay Transparency Notice
Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:
- the individual’s skill sets, experience and training;
- licensure and certification requirements;
- office location and other geographic considerations;
- other business and organizational needs.
With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.