Senior Director Manufacturing

Nter Talent; New York (NY); On-site; USD 185,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare package

401(k) with employer matching

Generous paid time off

Career progression opportunities

Job summary

Nter Talent is supporting a leading food manufacturing organization in their search for a Senior Director of Food Manufacturing to oversee large-scale operations across fresh food categories.

This executive role requires strategic, hands-on leadership with a proven track record in high-volume food manufacturing, capable of developing high-performing teams while delivering safety, quality and production targets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or related field.
• Minimum of five years' progressive leadership experience in food manufacturing or processing.
• At least five years of experience leading multiple direct reports.
• Experience reporting directly to senior executive leadership.
• Strong working knowledge of HACCP, SSOP, GMP, FDA, USDA regulations.
• Proven experience managing high-volume production of raw and ready-to-eat foods.
• Hands-on understanding of processing and packaging equipment.
• Strong analytical skills to drive decisions using KPIs.
• Excellent leadership, communication, coaching and organisational skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead all day-to-day manufacturing and processing operations across multiple fresh food production departments.
• Drive performance by meeting production targets, quality standards, costs, and customer expectations.
• Review schedules, staffing, capacity and inventory to maximise throughput.
• Collaborate with engineering, maintenance, quality, supply chain and other functions to resolve issues.
• Champion continuous improvement across equipment, processes and labour utilisation.
• Develop, monitor and analyse KPIs related to productivity, safety and quality.
• Ensure compliance with HACCP, SSOP, GMP, FDA and USDA standards.
• Oversee sanitation programmes and promote health and safety culture.
• Mentor and develop the operations leadership team and succession planning.
• Support recruitment, workforce planning and organisational growth initiatives.
• Foster clear communication through leadership meetings and updates.

Skills

Leadership

Analytical skills

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or related

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Nter Talent is proud to be supporting a leading food manufacturing organisation in the search for a Senior Director of Food Manufacturing. This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced manufacturing leader to oversee large-scale production operations across multiple fresh food categories, driving operational excellence, food safety, quality, and continuous improvement.

This position is ideal for a strategic yet hands‑on leader who has a proven background within high-volume food manufacturing and enjoys developing high‑performing teams while delivering operational results.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all day-to-day manufacturing and processing operations across multiple fresh food production departments.
• Drive operational performance by ensuring production targets, quality standards, cost objectives, and customer expectations are consistently achieved.
• Review production schedules, staffing plans, capacity, and inventory requirements to maximise efficiency and throughput.
• Partner with engineering, maintenance, quality, supply chain, and other cross‑functional teams to resolve operational challenges and improve plant performance.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives across equipment, production processes, labour utilisation, and workflow optimisation.
• Develop, monitor, and analyse KPIs relating to productivity, labour, maintenance, quality, safety, and operational performance.
• Ensure full compliance with HACCP, SSOP, GMP, FDA, USDA, and all relevant food safety and regulatory standards.
• Oversee sanitation programmes and promote a strong health and safety culture throughout the manufacturing operation.
• Lead, mentor, and develop an experienced operations leadership team, creating a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous development.
• Conduct performance reviews, establish objectives, and support succession planning and leadership development.
• Support recruitment, workforce planning, and organisational growth initiatives.
• Foster strong communication across all manufacturing departments through regular leadership meetings and operational updates.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of five years' progressive leadership experience within food manufacturing or food processing.
• At least five years of experience leading multiple direct reports within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience reporting directly to senior executive leadership.
• Strong working knowledge of HACCP, SSOP, GMP, FDA, USDA, and food safety regulations.
• Proven experience managing high-volume production operations involving both raw and ready-to‑eat food products.
• Hands‑on understanding of food processing and packaging equipment, including grinders, saws, conveyors, packaging machinery, and automated production systems.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to use operational data and KPIs to drive business decisions.
• Excellent leadership, communication, coaching, and organisational skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Experience within a union manufacturing environment is advantageous.

What's on Offer

• Base salary of $185,000–$205,000.
• Comprehensive healthcare package, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability coverage.
• 401(k) with employer matching.
• Generous paid time off, including holidays and sick leave.
• The opportunity to lead large‑scale manufacturing operations within a growing organisation where your impact will be highly visible.
• Excellent long‑term career progression and leadership development opportunities.

If you're an experienced food manufacturing leader looking for your next executive challenge, we'd love to hear from you.