Head of Operations
Head of Operations – USDA Food Manufacturing - Independence, IA This Jobot Job is hosted by: Stanton Sikorski Are you a fit? Easy Apply now by clicking the "Apply Now" button and sending us your resume. Salary: $100,000 - $200,000 per year A bit about us: We are a rapidly growing, next-generation food processor rooted in excellence, integrity, and community. From our 125,000 sq ft USDA- and FDA-certified facility, we specialize in fresh protein processing and freezing—no slaughter performed onsite. At peak capacity, we operate with a team of 230, producing over 800,000 pounds weekly and supporting an annual output exceeding 150 million pounds. Backed by experienced leadership and $15 million in planned facility upgrades, we are positioned for long-term, sustainable growth and continued innovation across operations. Why join us? Competitive Base Salary Performance Bonuses Quarterly Profit Sharing Full Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, 401(k) with Match, PTO High-Impact Role in a Rapidly Growing Company Executive Visibility and Influence Hands-on Opportunity to Shape Operational Strategy Job Details As Head of Operations, you’ll own all plant-level functions—leading the strategic direction, execution, and continuous improvement of daily operations. This role is pivotal to our continued growth and product quality, requiring a strong blend of tactical leadership and big-picture thinking. Lead all facets of plant operations, including production, maintenance, sanitation, logistics, and supply chain Develop and execute operational strategies to optimize throughput, efficiency, cost, and labor utilization Oversee daily manufacturing and ensure alignment with production goals, quality benchmarks, and safety standards Collaborate cross-functionally with QA, R&D, Supply Chain, and Executive Leadership to ensure seamless end-to-end execution Identify and implement automation and process improvements, including lean manufacturing and continuous improvement practices Drive accountability, safety, and high performance across teams through KPIs, coaching, and structured leadership development Ensure full compliance with OSHA, USDA, FDA, and internal food safety protocols Mentor and develop plant supervisors and team leads, fostering a strong culture of safety, ownership, and engagement Looking For: 5 years of plant or multi-department leadership in food manufacturing (protein/poultry a plus) Proven success managing production teams and driving process improvements in regulated environments Strong command of USDA/FDA requirements, food safety, and lean/continuous improvement principles Hands-on, collaborative leadership style with strong problem-solving skills Bachelor's degree in Operations, Business, Engineering, Food Science, or related field preferred Interested in hearing more? Easy Apply now by clicking the "Apply Now" button. Jobot is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide an inclusive work environment that celebrates diversity and all qualified candidates receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age (40 and over), disability, military status, genetic information or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Jobot also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any of these protected categories. It is Jobot’s policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws respecting consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions. Sometimes Jobot is required to perform background checks with your authorization. Jobot will consider qualified candidates with criminal histories in a manner consistent with any applicable federal, state, or local law regarding criminal backgrounds, including but not limited to the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring and the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. Information collected and processed as part of your Jobot candidate profile, and any job applications, resumes, or other information you choose to submit is subject to Jobot's Privacy Policy, as well as the Jobot California Worker Privacy Notice and Jobot Notice Regarding Automated Employment Decision Tools which are available at jobot.com/legal. By applying for this job, you agree to receive calls, AI-generated calls, text messages, or emails from Jobot, and/or its agents and contracted partners. Frequency varies for text messages. Message and data rates may apply. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. You can reply STOP to cancel and HELP for help. You can access our privacy policy here: jobot.com/privacy-policy
