About the Role
We are seeking an experienced and strategic Chief Operating Officer (COO) to lead and oversee multi-site manufacturing operations across facilities in Puerto Rico and Florida. This executive will champion operational excellence, regulatory compliance, team development, and innovation while aligning operations with company growth and efficiency goals.
This is a pivotal role for someone who thrives in high-growth, multi-cultural, and performance-driven environments, with a strong background in food manufacturing operations.
Key Responsibilities
- Design and execute strategies to enhance productivity, cost efficiency, and quality across manufacturing operations.
- Lead daily operations: production, quality, planning, procurement, maintenance, logistics, and compliance.
- Foster a continuous improvement culture using Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies.
- Ensure adherence to food safety standards (SQF, FDA, USDA) and internal benchmarks.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with sales, R&D, and finance to support commercial goals.
- Lead expansion, automation, and strategic operational projects.
- Develop KPIs, dashboards, and reporting tools to support transparency and accountability.
- Recruit, mentor, and develop plant leadership and operations talent.
- Drive cost optimization across raw material yield, waste, labor efficiency, and overhead.
- Promote a safe, inclusive, and innovation-focused work environment.
- Contribute to budget planning, financial forecasting, and cost control measures.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Business, or related field; Master’s preferred.
- 10+ years of progressive leadership in food manufacturing; experience in bakery or pastry operations a plus.
- Lean or Six Sigma certification is an advantage.
- Proven success managing multi-site operations.
- Expertise in baking, freezing, packaging, and distribution processes.
- Fully bilingual in English and Spanish.
- Experience leading remote and culturally diverse teams.
- Willingness to travel between facilities (40%-50%).
Key Competencies
- Strategic and hands-on operational leadership
- Metrics-driven decision making
- Strong communicator and cross-functional collaborator
- Calm under pressure; solutions-oriented
- Continuous improvement mindset
- Talent developer and team builder
- Analytical and systems thinker
