Operations Manager-2nd Shift

Little Leaf Farms; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Little Leaf Farms is seeking a Second Shift Operations Manager to provide on-site leadership for production, packing and logistics during the 2nd shift. You will serve as the highest-ranking leader on site, reporting to the General Manager, and drive safety, quality and operational excellence across multiple functions.

Responsibilities include leading 100+ employees, coordinating cross-functional teams, tracking KPIs, and developing shift supervisors.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5-10 years managing large teams (50+) in manufacturing, food production, or greenhouse environment.
• Bi-lingual English/Spanish is preferred or required.

Responsibilities

• Site Leadership: Act as the senior-most leader on site during 2nd shift with alignment across facilities.
• Direct Oversight: Lead daily operations across seeding, harvest, packing, and shipping to ensure quality, productivity, and safety.
• Dotted-Line Oversight: Partner with Quality, Sanitation, and Maintenance to address issues and drive cross-department collaboration.
• Performance Management: Manage a team of 100+ employees to deliver against KPIs including yield, labor efficiency, throughput, cost per pound, waste reduction, and OTIF shipments.
• Continuous Improvement: Identify gaps and lead corrective actions using Lean and problem-solving to improve efficiency and reliability.
• Accountability: Ensure GMPs, food safety standards, and policies while fostering a disciplined, team-oriented culture.
• Reporting & Communication: Maintain daily shift reports, track downtime and output, and provide clear handoffs to first shift.
• Safety & Compliance: Promote a safe, clean work environment with proactive hazard identification and compliance.
• Team Development: Coach and develop shift supervisors and leads to strengthen leadership.
• Crisis & Escalation Management: Serve as point of contact for shift emergencies or staffing gaps.

Skills

Team leadership

Lean manufacturing

Cross-functional leadership

Bilingual English/Spanish

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in business/engineering

Job description

Description

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Second Shift Operations Manager provides leadership and oversight across all McAdoo facilities during 2nd shift, ensuring seamless execution of production, packing, and logistics activities while maintaining safety, quality, and efficiency standards. This role serves as the highest-ranking leader on site during second shift, reporting directly to the General Manager, and plays a key role in driving operational excellence across multiple functional areas.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Site Leadership: Act as the senior-most leader on site during 2nd shift, ensuring alignment, communication, and coordination across all McAdoo facilities.
• Direct Oversight: Lead daily operations across seeding, harvest, packing, and shipping to ensure consistent quality, productivity, and safety performance.
• Dotted-Line Oversight: Partner with Quality, Sanitation, and Maintenance teams to address issues in real time, support functional leaders, and drive cross-department collaboration.
• Performance Management: Manage a team of approximately 100+ employees to deliver against KPIs including yield, labor efficiency, throughput, cost per pound, waste reduction, and on-time, in-full (OTIF) shipments.
• Continuous Improvement: Identify performance gaps and lead corrective actions using Lean and problem-solving principles to improve efficiency, consistency, and reliability.
• Accountability: Ensure adherence to GMPs, food safety standards, and company policies while fostering a disciplined, team-oriented culture.
• Reporting & Communication: Maintain daily shift reports, track downtime, labor, and output, and provide clear handoffs to first shift and functional leaders.
• Safety & Compliance: Promote a safe, clean, and organized work environment through proactive hazard identification, near-miss reporting, and compliance with all safety policies.
• Team Development: Coach, mentor, and develop shift supervisors and leads to strengthen leadership capability and engagement across the workforce.
• Crisis & Escalation Management: Serve as point of contact for any shift-related emergencies, staffing gaps, or facility issues requiring immediate response.

Requirements

REQUIRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND SKILLS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5-10 years’ experience managing large teams (50+) in a manufacturing, food production, or greenhouse environment.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence without direct authority.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with experience managing production KPIs.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with ability to operate independently and make sound decisions under pressure.
• Willingness to work a full 2nd shift schedule with flexibility to support 24/7 operations as needed.
• Bi-lingual English/Spanish

PREFERRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND SKILLS:

• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies.
• Strong financial and operational acumen, including P&L awareness.
• Demonstrated success in high-growth or start-up environments.

The foregoing statements describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this job and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties that may be assigned or skills that may be required.