Chief Operating Officer

Alpha Executive Search; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 250,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Alpha Executive Search partners with a high-growth food manufacturer to identify a hands-on Chief Operating Officer who can help lead the organization through its next stage of growth and operational scale. This opportunity is for an accomplished food manufacturing executive who has actually scaled a business and understands what happens when rapid growth requires the organization, leadership team, processes and infrastructure to evolve with it.

This is not a sit-back executive role.

Qualifications

• 18+ years of progressive leadership experience within food manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Lead the operational organization across Manufacturing & Production, Supply Chain & Procurement, Plant Engineering, Quality & Food Safety, Sanitation, Planning, Logistics & Distribution, and Continuous Improvement.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic planning

P&L management

Food manufacturing

Operations leadership

Plant-floor presence

Job description

Chief Operating Officer | Food Manufacturing

We are partnering with a high-growth food manufacturer to identify a hands-on Chief Operating Officer who can help lead the organization through its next stage of growth and operational scale.

This is an opportunity for an accomplished food manufacturing executive who has actually scaled a business and understands what happens when rapid growth requires the organization, leadership team, processes and infrastructure to evolve with it.

This is not a sit-back executive role.

We are looking for someone who can operate strategically alongside the CEO and executive leadership team while remaining close to the plants, the people and the day-to-day operation.

The Opportunity

The COO will lead the operational organization across:

• Manufacturing & Production
• Supply Chain & Procurement
• Plant Engineering
• Quality & Food Safety
• Sanitation
• Planning
• Logistics & Distribution
• Continuous Improvement

This leader will be responsible for strengthening operational infrastructure, improving execution, building accountability, and developing the organization needed to support continued growth.

What We're Looking For

The strongest candidates will bring:

• 18 years of progressive leadership experience within food manufacturing
• Current or previous COO, EVP, SVP, or comparable executive-level operational leadership
• Proven experience scaling a growing food manufacturing organization through significant growth
• Leadership of high-volume, complex manufacturing operations
• Broad operational responsibility beyond manufacturing alone
• Strong P&L and financial acumen, including margins, labor, waste, yields, productivity, capital ROI and working capital
• Experience building, assessing and developing senior operational leadership teams
• Demonstrated success improving operational KPIs, accountability and execution
• Strong understanding of food safety, quality, sanitation, engineering and supply chain
• Experience driving continuous improvement, labor efficiency, cost management and process optimization
• Ability to balance entrepreneurial speed with operational discipline
• A hands-on leadership style and willingness to spend meaningful time in manufacturing facilities
• Strong executive presence with a direct, approachable and low-ego leadership style

Commercial bakery experience is strongly preferred, but accomplished executives from other high-volume food manufacturing environments will be considered.

Who Will Thrive Here

You have helped a growing food business become a larger, more sophisticated organization.

You understand how to introduce the right processes, systems and accountability without creating unnecessary bureaucracy or slowing down the entrepreneurial culture.

You know how to assess an organization, determine whether the right leaders are in the right seats and build stronger teams where needed.

You understand the numbers, but you also understand that operational performance happens on the plant floor.

You are comfortable challenging the CEO and executive leadership team when appropriate, and equally comfortable aligning behind a decision and driving execution.

Most importantly, you have experienced growth firsthand and know how to build an operation capable of supporting what comes next.