General Manager

Kabobs, Inc.; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Gourmet Culinary Partners is seeking an experienced General Manager to lead our Lake City food manufacturing operation. You will own the site's profitability and direction, driving safety, quality, and operational excellence while building a high-performing team.

Reporting to the COO, you will oversee manufacturing, supply chain, procurement, quality and food safety, logistics, R&D, finance partnership, and people leadership. This is a high-impact leadership role with up to 25% travel.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in food manufacturing.
• Demonstrated success leading a manufacturing plant, business unit, or division with full P&L accountability.
• Broad leadership experience across manufacturing, supply chain, quality, logistics, and commercial operations.
• Experience in frozen, refrigerated, or temperature-controlled food manufacturing preferred.
• Strong knowledge of SQF, HACCP, USDA, FDA, GFSI, or BRC food safety systems.
• Experience serving foodservice, retail, private-label, or GPO customers.
• Previous experience operating within a private equity-backed or highly performance-driven organization desirable.
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own the site's Profit & Loss (P&L) performance including gross margin, EBITDA, and working capital.
• Develop and execute annual operating plans, capital budgets, and long-term strategic initiatives.
• Drive profitability through productivity improvements, cost optimization, and operational excellence.
• Present financial and operational performance to executive leadership.
• Lead all manufacturing operations with accountability for safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Improve productivity through Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, TPM, and OEE initiatives.
• Optimize production planning, scheduling, labor utilization, and plant performance.
• Foster a culture centered on accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure compliance with SQF, HACCP, USDA, FDA, and customer quality standards.
• Partner with Food Safety leadership to maintain best-in-class compliance and audit readiness.
• Promote a culture where food safety and quality are non-negotiable.
• Partner with Procurement to support sourcing strategies, supplier performance, and inventory optimization.
• Lead S&OP to align customer demand with production capacity.
• Oversee outbound logistics, cold-chain distribution, transportation performance, and freight optimization.
• Partner with Commercial and R&D leadership to commercialize new products.
• Support private-label programs, customer innovation, and continuous product improvement.
• Balance speed to market with operational excellence and food safety.
• Lead and develop leaders across Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Logistics, R&D, Finance, and Human Resources.
• Build organizational capability through coaching, succession planning, and talent development.
• Create a culture focused on accountability, engagement, safety, and operational excellence.

Skills

Leadership

P&L management

Food manufacturing

SQF/HACCP knowledge

Cross-functional leadership

Private equity experience

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA or advanced degree preferred

Job description

Kabobs, a Gourmet Culinary Partners (GCP) company, is seeking an experienced General Manager to lead our food manufacturing operation in Lake City, Georgia.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a proven manufacturing executive who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is ready to lead an entire business—not just a manufacturing operation. As General Manager, you will have full responsibility for the site's financial and operational performance, overseeing a business generating approximately $50 million in annual revenue.

Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, you will lead all aspects of the operation, including manufacturing, supply chain, procurement, quality and food safety, logistics, research and development, finance partnership, and people leadership. This role is ideal for a leader with an owner's mindset who enjoys driving operational excellence while building high-performing teams.

What You’ll Do

As the General Manager, you will:

Lead the Business

• Own the site's full Profit & Loss (P&L) performance, including gross margin, EBITDA, and working capital.
• Develop and execute annual operating plans, capital budgets, and long-term strategic initiatives.
• Drive profitability through productivity improvements, cost optimization, and operational excellence.
• Present financial and operational performance to executive leadership.

Drive Manufacturing Excellence

• Lead all manufacturing operations with accountability for safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Improve productivity through Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, TPM, and OEE initiatives.
• Optimize production planning, scheduling, labor utilization, and plant performance.
• Foster a culture centered on accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Champion Food Safety & Quality

• Ensure compliance with SQF, HACCP, USDA, FDA, and customer quality standards.
• Partner with Gourmet Culinary Partners' Food Safety leadership to maintain best-in-class compliance and audit readiness.
• Promote a culture where food safety and quality are non-negotiable.

Optimize Supply Chain & Distribution

• Partner with Procurement to support sourcing strategies, supplier performance, and inventory optimization.
• Lead Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) to align customer demand with production capacity.
• Oversee outbound logistics, cold-chain distribution, transportation performance, and freight optimization.
• Partner with Commercial and R&D leadership to successfully commercialize new products.
• Support private-label programs, customer innovation, and continuous product improvement.
• Balance speed to market with operational excellence and food safety.

Build High-Performing Teams

• Lead and develop leaders across Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Logistics, R&D, Finance, and Human Resources.
• Build organizational capability through coaching, succession planning, and talent development.
• Create a culture focused on accountability, engagement, safety, and operational excellence.

What We're Looking For

Qualified candidates will possess:

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in food manufacturing.
• Demonstrated success leading a manufacturing plant, business unit, or division with full P&L accountability.
• Broad leadership experience across manufacturing, supply chain, quality, logistics, and commercial operations.
• Experience in frozen, refrigerated, or other temperature-controlled food manufacturing strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of SQF, HACCP, USDA, FDA, GFSI, or BRC food safety systems.
• Experience serving foodservice, retail, private-label, or GPO customers.
• Previous experience operating within a private equity-backed or highly performance-driven organization is highly desirable.
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.

The Ideal Leader

We're looking for someone who combines strategic business acumen with hands-on operational leadership. Successful candidates will demonstrate:

• An owner's mindset with strong financial and operational decision-making.
• The ability to lead through influence, accountability, and collaboration.
• Strong executive presence and communication skills.
• Experience driving change and continuous improvement.
• A passion for developing people and building winning teams.
• A commitment to safety, quality, integrity, and operational excellence.

Why Join Gourmet Culinary Partners?

Gourmet Culinary Partners is a growing, private equity-backed organization committed to delivering exceptional culinary products while investing in our people, operations, and future growth. As we continue to build a more integrated One GCP organization, this role offers the opportunity to make a significant impact across the business while leading one of our key manufacturing operations.

Location: Lake City, Georgia

Position: Full-Time

Travel: Up to 25% and as needed.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Gourmet Culinary Partners is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.