COO, Nutraceutical CDMO — Growth & Operations Leader

Kalon Search; New York (NY); On-site; USD 270,000 - 330,000; Full time

Job summary

Our client, Kalon Staffing, seeks an exceptional Chief Operating Officer to lead operations for a growing private CDMO specializing in nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, and wellness products.

The role reports to the CEO, drives operational excellence, scales manufacturing capacity, strengthens customer delivery, and builds a top-tier leadership team to support aggressive growth in a fast-paced, FDA-regulated environment.

Qualifications

• Proven track record of executive decision-making and driving results in fast-paced environments without waiting for perfect information.
• Direct experience in a CDMO or contract manufacturing setting with customer relationships and production schedules inseparable.
• Significant experience leading complex manufacturing operations (production, supply chain, planning, maintenance, and performance management).
• Demonstrated ability to install processes, KPIs, accountability, and operating rhythms that create consistent performance.
• Strong team-building skills with high energy and rapid, high-quality implementation.
• Direct experience operating in an FDA-regulated manufacturing facility with audit exposure; balance quality/compliance with speed.
• Experience with executive-level transitions.
• Ability to connect Operations with Sales, Account Management, Commercialization, QA/QC, and Finance.
• Track record managing external manufacturers or co-packers alongside internal production.
• Proven continuous improvement results in productivity, capacity, cost, quality, service levels, and on-time delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead in a true CDMO / contract manufacturing model—managing to customer specifications, timelines, and cost structures rather than a single internal product roadmap.
• Provide overall leadership for complex manufacturing operations, including production, supply chain, planning, maintenance, and operational performance.
• Drive executive decision-making with urgency and confidence, making timely calls and maintaining momentum even without perfect information.
• Establish and enforce operational discipline through clear processes, KPIs, accountability systems, and consistent operating rhythms that eliminate firefighting.
• Build, develop, and lead a high-energy, high-performing operations leadership team focused on rapid and disciplined execution.
• Oversee operations in an FDA-regulated environment, ensuring quality and compliance while maintaining speed; manage customer and third-party audit readiness and responses.
• Tightly integrate Operations with Sales, Account Management, Commercialization, QA/QC, and Finance to ensure seamless customer experience and commercial success.
• Manage both internal production and outsourced manufacturing partners / co-packers, including quality oversight, capacity planning, and margin accountability across models.
• Drive continuous improvement in productivity, capacity utilization, cost, quality, service levels, and on-time delivery.
• Support executive-level transitions and organizational change with strategic clarity and practical execution.

Skills

Executive leadership

CDMO experience

FDA-regulated operations

Manufacturing operations

Supply chain planning

Audit readiness

Cross-functional collaboration

Change management

Data-driven decision making

Vendor / co-packer management

Job description

Our client, Kalon Staffing, seeks an exceptional Chief Operating Officer to lead operations for a growing private CDMO specializing in nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, and wellness products.

The role reports to the CEO, drives operational excellence, scales manufacturing capacity, strengthens customer delivery, and builds a top-tier leadership team to support aggressive growth in a fast-paced, FDA-regulated environment.