Senior Operations Manager

Socket.dev; Chula Vista (CA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Boochcraft is seeking a Senior Operations Manager to lead day-to-day manufacturing across our brewery, warehouse, maintenance, and process functions, reporting to the CEO. This hands-on role combines strong manufacturing fundamentals with a continuous-improvement mindset to scale operations.

You will drive safety, quality, and throughput, develop KPIs, manage budgets, and mentor a growing team while collaborating with R&D and Quality on new product development and process changes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Business Management, or related field preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive manufacturing or operations experience, including meaningful experience leading teams.
• Experience in food & beverage, brewing, or another regulated manufacturing environment.
• Willing to take ownership and grow into broader leadership roles.
• Demonstrated leadership to build and direct high-performing teams.
• Continuous Improvement experience (Lean, Six Sigma, root-cause analysis).
• Familiarity with HACCP, GMPs; brewing or fermentation experience a plus.
• Proficiency with Excel and ERP/PP systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day brewery, production, warehouse, maintenance, and related operational activities.
• Plan and execute production schedules to meet customer demand.
• Ensure OTIF by shipping orders on time in full.
• Promote safety, accountability, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Enforce policies, procedures, and production standards.
• Maintain equipment and facilities to support production requirements.
• Troubleshoot issues and implement corrective actions.
• Train personnel on SOPs, safety, quality, and best practices.
• Identify opportunities to improve throughput, labor efficiency, yield, and quality.
• Build capacity to support growth while controlling costs.
• Develop and monitor KPIs and report performance.
• Collaborate with R&D and Quality on new product development and process changes.

Skills

Leadership

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma

HACCP

GMPs

Excel

Production planning

Inventory management

Maintenance

Project management

Driver's license

Communication

Data-driven

KPIs

Brewing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, or related field

Tools

ERP systems

Production planning software

Job description

Description

Who We Are

Boochcraft is an innovative leader in the Hard Kombucha category, focused on creating high-quality products while continuing to evolve and scale our operations.

We are seeking a highly capable Senior Operations Manager to lead day-to-day manufacturing operations across our brewery, warehouse, maintenance, and process functions. This is a key leadership role for someone who combines strong manufacturing fundamentals with a hands-on, continuous-improvement mindset.

For the right candidate, this position offers a meaningful opportunity to grow with the organization. Our preference is to hire an experienced operations leader who can make an immediate impact at the Manager or Senior Manager level and demonstrate the capability to grow into a Director of Operations role as the business and scope of responsibility expand.

Our Values

Be Bold — Bring a competitive spirit, create connection, and don't be afraid to try something new.

Give a Sh*t — Be passionate, make a difference, and care about the impact of your work.

Own It — Be accountable, self-motivated, resourceful, and willing to roll up your sleeves.

Do Better — Stay curious, continuously improve, and never stop learning.

What You'll Do

Reporting to the CEO and working closely with Finance, Sales, R&D, Quality, and other members of the leadership team, the Senior Operations Manager will be responsible for the effective execution and continuous improvement of Boochcraft's manufacturing and operational activities.

You will lead the teams and processes necessary to safely and efficiently produce high-quality finished goods, while ensuring operations can support the company's growth plans. This role requires someone who is equally comfortable managing people on the production floor, executing against established company and departmental goals, analyzing operational and financial performance, and identifying opportunities to strengthen processes and develop meaningful KPIs.

Operational Leadership

• Lead day-to-day brewery, production, warehouse, maintenance, and related operational activities.
• Ensure production schedules are effectively planned and executed to meet customer demand.
• Ensure sales orders are produced and shipped on time and in full (OTIF).
• Promote a strong culture of workplace safety, accountability, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Communicate and consistently enforce company policies, procedures, and production standards.
• Ensure equipment and facilities are properly maintained and available to support production requirements.
• Troubleshoot production and process issues, identify root causes, and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Ensure production personnel are appropriately trained on SOPs, equipment, safety requirements, quality standards, and production best practices.

Continuous Improvement & Scalability

• Identify and implement opportunities to improve throughput, labor efficiency, yield, quality, and overall manufacturing performance.
• Build operational capacity and capabilities to support the company's growth while maintaining appropriate cost and quality controls.
• Evaluate existing production processes and recommend improvements in equipment, workflow, automation, staffing, and systems.
• Develop and implement continuous-improvement initiatives focused on reducing waste, improving efficiency, and lowering COGS.
• Establish appropriate operating standards and use data to measure actual performance against those standards.
• Audit production SOPs and identify opportunities to improve processes, documentation, and execution.
• Assess short- and long-term equipment and capacity requirements and develop recommendations for maintenance, replacement, and capital investment.
• Partner with R&D and Quality on new product development, process changes, commercialization, and implementation.

Financial & Performance Management

• Drive execution against established company and departmental goals and KPIs, ensuring priorities translate into measurable operational results.
• Evaluate current operational performance and identify areas of opportunity where additional or improved KPIs, targets, processes, or reporting would strengthen accountability and performance.
• Develop and refine meaningful operational KPIs as needed, including measures related to productivity, labor efficiency, yield, waste, downtime, quality, capacity utilization, COGS, and OTIF performance.
• Regularly monitor results against established KPIs and goals, identify performance gaps, determine root causes, and lead corrective actions.
• Partner with the CFO and Finance team to understand and manage the financial performance of the Operations department.
• Identify and execute opportunities to reduce COGS while maintaining product quality and operational reliability.
• Develop annual operating and capital budgets and manage departmental spending within approved plans.
• Develop forecasts for operational expenses, capital requirements, staffing, and production capacity.
• Analyze production results and clearly communicate performance, trends, risks, opportunities, and recommended actions to management.
• Support the development of annual and quarterly Operations goals aligned with broader company objectives and take ownership of their execution within the department.

Team Leadership & Development

• Determine appropriate staffing levels based on production requirements, productivity targets, and COGS objectives.
• Recruit, train, develop, and retain a high-performing Operations team.
• Establish clear performance expectations and hold team members accountable for results.
• Coach and develop employees through regular feedback, training, and individual development plans.
• Build a culture of collaboration, problem-solving, ownership, and continuous improvement.
• Establish short- and long-term objectives for the Operations team and ensure employees understand how their work contributes to company goals.
• Support a workplace culture focused on employee engagement, safety, accountability, and well-being.

Requirements

What You'll Need

Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Business Management, or a related field preferred. Equivalent relevant experience will also be considered.

Experience: Approximately 7+ years of progressive manufacturing or operations experience, including meaningful experience leading teams and production operations. Experience in food & beverage, CPG, brewing, or another regulated manufacturing environment is strongly preferred.

We are particularly interested in candidates who have demonstrated increasing responsibility and are ready to take ownership of a broader operation, even if they have not previously held a Director title.

Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead teams, establish accountability, manage competing priorities, and consistently execute against operational objectives.

Continuous Improvement: Experience applying Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, root-cause analysis, or other continuous-improvement methodologies is strongly preferred.

Food & Beverage: Familiarity with HACCP, food safety, quality systems, GMPs, or similar regulated manufacturing requirements is preferred. Brewing or fermentation experience is a plus.

Technology: Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and the ability to effectively use ERP, production planning, inventory, maintenance, and/or project-management systems.

Driver's License: Must possess and maintain a valid U.S. driver's license and remain eligible to drive for company business.

Physical Requirements: Ability to safely perform work in a manufacturing and brewery environment, including the ability to lift up to 50 pounds when necessary.

What Will Make You Successful

The successful candidate will:

• Be a hands-on operations leader who is comfortable spending time on the production floor and understanding problems firsthand.
• Understand both the operational and financial drivers of manufacturing performance.
• Have a demonstrated track record of improving productivity, quality, cost, or manufacturing capacity.
• Be able to execute against established goals while also identifying where new metrics, processes, or objectives are needed to improve the operation.
• Use data and KPIs to identify problems, establish accountability, and drive decisions.
• Think beyond today's production schedule and anticipate the people, equipment, processes, and systems the business will need as it grows.
• Build strong, trusted relationships across Operations, Finance, Sales, Quality, and R&D.
• Be self-motivated, accountable, organized, and performance-driven.
• Communicate clearly and effectively at all levels of the organization.
• Balance urgency and execution with thoughtful problem-solving.
• Have the capability and ambition to grow into broader operational leadership responsibilities over time.

Growth Opportunity

This role is intended to be an important part of Boochcraft's future leadership team. A successful Operations Manager who demonstrates the ability to build a scalable operation, develop the team, consistently achieve financial and operational targets, and take on increasing strategic responsibility will have the opportunity to grow toward a Director of Operations role.

Growth will be based on demonstrated performance, organizational needs, and increasing scope of responsibility rather than tenure alone.

Travel

Some travel outside the local area, including occasional overnight travel, may be required.

Compensation

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $125,000–$165,000, depending on experience and qualifications.

Additional Information

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and scope of the position and is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, skills, or working conditions. The Operations Manager may be asked to perform other reasonably related duties as assigned by the CEO or their designee.

Boochcraft is an equal opportunity employer committed to maintaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.