Vice President of Operations (Food Manufacturing) in McMinnville, Oregon - #72203 | VanderHouwen

Description

Job Id: 72203

Vice President of Operations (Food Manufacturing)
Our client is seeking a Vice President of Operations to lead a large-scale manufacturing operation and drive operational excellence across a high-growth environment. This highly visible leadership role will oversee all core plant functions while fostering a strong culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement. The ideal candidate brings a balance of strategic leadership and hands-on execution, with a proven ability to scale operations and lead large, complex teams.

This role is on-site in McMinnville, Oregon.

Vice President of Operations Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership over all site operations, including production, maintenance, safety, sanitation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Translate organizational strategy into actionable operational plans, aligning teams around clear priorities, KPIs, and performance expectations.
• Lead and develop a high-performing operations leadership team, fostering a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement.
• Drive operational performance across key metrics such as productivity, cost efficiency, quality, and service levels.
• Oversee large-scale workforce operations, ensuring effective structure, communication, and execution across a workforce of 600+ employees.
• Champion continuous improvement efforts, implementing systems and processes that enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and support scalable growth.
• Partner with Finance to manage budgets, forecasts, and cost optimization strategies while maintaining operational discipline.
• Ensure compliance with all safety, quality, and regulatory standards within a regulated manufacturing environment.
• Support business growth through capacity planning, capital investments, and operational readiness for new product initiatives.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with leadership across HR, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, and Commercial teams to drive alignment and results.

Vice President of Operations Qualifications

• 10–15+ years of progressive operations leadership experience within manufacturing environments.
• Proven experience leading large-scale operations in businesses of $250M+ in revenue.
• Demonstrated success managing and developing teams of 600+ employees in complex, fast-paced environments.
• Strong track record of driving measurable operational improvements through people, process, and systems.
• Experience in food manufacturing or other regulated industries is strongly preferred.
• Ability to build and sustain high-performance cultures focused on accountability, safety, and engagement.
• Strong financial acumen, including experience managing budgets, forecasting, and cost improvement initiatives.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and partnering with executive leadership to drive strategic initiatives.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on leadership and execution.
• Excellent communication and leadership presence, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.

Salary: $225K-$275K/year + Bonus. (DOE)

Benefits
Benefits are available to eligible full-time employees and include coverage for medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short and long term disability, and matching 401k.

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