VP Operations - Specialty Foods

Keller Executive Search; Rochester Hills (MI); On-site; USD 200,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonus

Medical benefits

401(k) plan

PTO

Job summary

Keller Executive Search is seeking a senior operations executive for an established premium food retailer and foodservice operator. The role encompasses company-wide day-to-day operations and financial performance, integrating people, production, purchasing, service, safety, and commercial outcomes. The successful candidate will strengthen operating discipline, improve margins, and lead a large cross-functional team onsite in Rochester Hills, Michigan.

Qualifications

• Senior cross-functional operations leadership in prepared foods, specialty grocery, foodservice, catering, commercial bakery, commissary, or a comparable food environment.
• Direct responsibility for food preparation or production, food costs, ordering, yields, and waste control.

Responsibilities

• Assume day-to-day operational and financial leadership
• Integrate operations across scratch food production, bakery and pastry, fresh retail departments, catering, and off-site foodservice
• Own budgeting, P&L performance, forecasting, variance reviews, and departmental financial reporting
• Improve recipe costing, food cost, yields, waste, shrink, purchasing discipline, and operating profitability
• Establish production plans, operating rhythms, performance measures, and clear accountability across departments
• Lead approximately direct reports and a wider workforce of employees through managers and department heads
• Align labor planning and scheduling with sales, service requirements, and production volume
• Oversee supplier strategy, ordering practices, inventory levels, vendor terms, and purchasing negotiations
• Maintain effective food safety, quality-control, escalation, and corrective-action processes
• Protect house-made quality and the premium customer experience while improving margins
• Assess the management structure after learning the business and recommend appropriate roles, reporting lines, and decision rights
• Develop capital-expenditure priorities for production, kitchen, bakery, and retail operations
• Provide ownership with clear performance reporting, timely escalation, and evidence-based recommendations

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

P&L leadership

Food safety knowledge

Stakeholder management

Job description

Keller Executive Search is seeking a senior operations executive on behalf of an established premium food retailer and foodservice operator. The business brings together specialty grocery, fresh departments, scratch culinary production, bakery and pastry operations, purchasing, catering, and off‑site foodservice. Its customers expect consistently high standards of freshness, quality, convenience, and service.

This is a broader mandate than conventional store management. The successful executive will progressively assume responsibility for company‑wide day‑to‑day operations and financial performance, integrating people, production, purchasing, service, safety, and commercial outcomes.

The opportunity suits a proven food operator ready to take genuine enterprise accountability. The mandate is to strengthen operating discipline, improve margins and profitability and develop the leadership structure. Success will require hands‑on credibility, rigorous P&L leadership, and the judgment to improve performance without compromising food quality, safety, or the premium customer experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Assume day-to-day operational and financial leadership
• Integrate operations across scratch food production, bakery and pastry, fresh retail departments, catering, and off‑site foodservice
• Own budgeting, P&L performance, forecasting, variance reviews, and departmental financial reporting
• Improve recipe costing, food cost, yields, waste, shrink, purchasing discipline, and operating profitability
• Establish production plans, operating rhythms, performance measures, and clear accountability across departments
• Lead approximately direct reports and a wider workforce of employees through managers and department heads
• Align labor planning and scheduling with sales, service requirements, and production volume
• Oversee supplier strategy, ordering practices, inventory levels, vendor terms, and purchasing negotiations

• Maintain effective food safety, quality‑control, escalation, and corrective‑action processes
• Protect house‑made quality and the premium customer experience while improving margins
• Assess the management structure after learning the business and recommend appropriate roles, reporting lines, and decision rights
• Develop capital‑expenditure priorities for production, kitchen, bakery, and retail operations
• Provide ownership with clear performance reporting, timely escalation, and evidence‑based recommendations

Additional Information

• Permanent executive appointment
• Fully onsite in Rochester Hills, Michigan
• Approximately 10% travel

• Senior cross‑functional operations leadership in prepared foods, specialty grocery, foodservice, catering, commercial bakery, commissary, or a comparable food environment
• Direct responsibility for food preparation or production, food costs, ordering, purchasing, yields, and waste control
• Manager‑of‑managers experience leading department heads or senior managers across a substantial workforce
• Broad decision‑making authority and accountability for operational results beyond a single department or advisory function
• Meaningful P&L, budgeting, forecasting, and departmental margin‑management experience
• Track record of improving food cost, labor productivity, margins, or profitability
• Experience managing labor planning and productivity in a complex, labor‑intensive operation
• Working knowledge of food safety, quality controls, issue escalation, and corrective action
• Ability to learn a complex operation, earn stakeholder confidence, and progressively assume operating authority

Preferred

• Leadership experience in premium or specialty grocery with substantial prepared‑food operations
• Depth in scratch kitchens, commissaries, central production, or large culinary programs
• Oversight of bakery, pastry, fresh departments, catering, or off‑site foodservice
• Experience with supplier negotiation, fresh-category merchandising, assortment, pricing, and inventory economics
• Capital‑expenditure planning and execution experience
• Successful experience reporting directly to active owners or founders

• Base salary of $200,000–$250,000 USD annually
• Performance bonus
• Medical benefits
• 401(k) plan
• PTO

Equal Employment Opportunity and Non-Discrimination Policy

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: Both Keller Executive Search and our clients are Equal Opportunity Employers. For all positions, whether with Keller Executive Search or our clients, qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, skin color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other legally protected status.

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Colorado, Nevada, New York City, California, and Washington Residents: Compensation information is available in the job post or will be provided during the interview process if not initially available.

Both Keller Executive Search and our clients are committed to pay equity and conduct periodic pay equity analyses in accordance with applicable laws.

State‑Specific Information:

Rhode Island: We do not request or require salary history from applicants

Connecticut: We provide wage range information upon request or before discussing compensation

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Use of Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment

Keller Executive Search and our clients may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in the recruitment and candidate evaluation process. These tools are used exclusively to support human decision‑making by helping to review and assess candidate qualifications and materials. AI is never used to automatically reject, disqualify, or make final hiring decisions about candidates. All AI‑assisted evaluations are reviewed by experienced recruitment professionals, and all hiring decisions are made by qualified human recruiters. Our use of AI is designed to enhance fairness, consistency, and efficiency while maintaining our commitment to equal employment opportunity and non‑discrimination principles.

Note: This job posting may be for a position with Keller Executive Search or one of our clients. The specific employer will be identified during the application and interview process. Employment laws and requirements may vary depending on the employer and location.