Operations Manager

Chan and Chan (USA), LLC; Hanover Township (Luzerne County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Chan & Chan USA LLC in Bethlehem, PA, is seeking an Operations Manager to oversee production across all lines, ensure food safety, quality, and cost objectives, and build a strong plant team.

The role coordinates with supply chain, maintenance, FSQA, and engineering to deliver on-time output, continuous improvement, and efficient labor use. Ideal candidate has 5+ years in food manufacturing and supervisory experience; strong Excel skills and knowledge of GMP/HACCP.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in operations or related field.
• 5+ years in food or consumer products manufacturing, including 3+ years supervising others.
• Knowledge of USDA (FSIS) and FDA requirements, GMP, HACCP, and allergen controls.
• Proficient in Excel and Word; able to analyze data and use basic AI tools.
• Must be fluent in English.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead operations and maintenance teams, recruiting and developing supervisors and operators.
• Own the daily production and maintenance on a single shift and meet KPI targets.
• Own the production schedule with cross-functional inputs from supply chain and logistics.
• Manage waste, yield, downtime, and year-end budget for operations.
• Lead safety, GMP compliance, and food safety audits with FSQA.
• Support new product launches and line expansions.

Skills

Leadership

Food industry knowledge

Data analysis

English language

Education

Bachelor's degree in operations, engineering, food science, business, or related field

Tools

Excel

Word

Data analytics tools

AI tools

Job description

Description

About the Company

Chan & Chan USA LLC is a growing food manufacturer producing high-quality frozen dumplings, buns, sausages, and other specialty products for our own brands and for leading retail and foodservice customers. Our team works in a modern, clean facility where safety, food safety, and quality come first.

Position Summary

The Operations Manager runs production at the Bethlehem, PA plant day to day across all lines (Dumpling, Soup Dumpling, Steam Bun, Sausage, Bacon & Ham, Dim Sum, Wonton/Shumai, Kitchen & Kettle, and Mixing & Grinding), along with maintenance, reporting to the Director of Operations. The role owns the production schedule and turns it into safe, on-time output that meets food safety, quality, and cost targets. Building and developing a strong plant team is a critical priority. Success is measured by schedule attainment, labor hours per case, yield, equipment uptime, safety performance, and audit results.

Essential Functions

• Build the operations and maintenance teams: recruit, hire, onboard, and develop supervisors, working leads, operators, and technicians to meet the labor plan; keep a cross-training matrix and a bench of future leaders.
• Lead production and maintenance day to day on a single shift.
• Own the production schedule: build and adjust it with the Production Clerk, the Director of Supply Chain (raw material availability), and the Director of Logistics (customer orders and shipments).
• Bring new and expanding lines to planned staffing, rates, and quality on the labor plan’s timeline.
• Own and report weekly KPIs: schedule attainment, labor hours per case, line efficiency and downtime, yield, scrap, overtime, preventive maintenance completion, and on-time order completion.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Production Supervisors and the Maintenance Supervisor; set goals, give feedback, and handle performance and discipline with HR.
• Direct maintenance: preventive maintenance completion, work order backlog, spare parts, and downtime reduction. Work with the Director of Engineering on capital projects and new equipment start-up.
• Partner with the Director of FSQA and the FSQA Supervisor on GMP compliance, allergen changeovers, monitoring records, product holds, and the sanitation schedule.
• Support new product launches and co-manufacturing start-ups with the Director of Commercialization, including trials, first runs, and line readiness.
• Lead workplace safety: enforce safety rules, lockout/tagout, powered industrial truck rules, and PPE; investigate incidents and close corrective actions with the EHS Specialist.
• Prepare the operations portion of the annual budget (labor, overtime, maintenance parts and services, supplies) and manage spending against it; drive continuous improvement through standard work, SOPs, and 5S.

Food Safety, Quality and Safety Responsibilities

The company operates under dual USDA (FSIS) and FDA jurisdiction.

• Follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), hygiene, allergen, and foreign-material controls, and complete all required food safety and safety training.
• Verify GMP compliance, ensure production and monitoring records are completed accurately and on time, place product on hold when a deviation occurs, and stop the line when food safety or employee safety is at risk.
• Own food safety culture and results for the plant, ensure only trained people perform critical tasks, and own corrective and preventive actions.
• Serve as the operations lead during USDA (FSIS) and FDA inspections and customer and certification audits.
• Ensure production records for every line are complete, accurate, and reviewed before product is released, meeting both USDA and FDA requirements.
• Support FSQA's authority to hold or stop product; never release held product without FSQA approval.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Directly supervises the Production Supervisors (organized by product area), the Maintenance Supervisor, and the Production Clerk. Indirectly oversees about 100 hourly employees, including working Team Leads, production operators, and the maintenance team.

Requirements

What you bring:

• Bachelor's degree in operations, engineering, food science, business, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years in food or consumer products manufacturing, including 3+ years managing supervisors.
• Working knowledge of USDA (FSIS) and FDA requirements, GMP, HACCP, and allergen control.
• Strong Excel and Word skills; comfortable with data analytics and basic AI tools.
• English required.

Preferred:

• Sage X3 experience.
• Experience leading a plant start-up, line transfer, or expansion.
• Frozen food, meat, or co-manufacturing experience.
• Cantonese or Mandarin, to communicate with our team; Spanish a plus.

Work environment: Split between office and production floor. Production rooms are below 50°F, with periodic work in freezers below 0°F. Standing and walking on the floor up to 6 hours a day.

Chan & Chan USA LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by law.