Operations Readiness Manager

Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k) with match, STD/LTD/AD&D/Life, HSA, FSA, EAP, Hospital indemnity, Accident Insurance, Identity and Fraud Protection Plan, Legal, and Critical Illness.

Salary, based on experience and other qualifications: $93k - $140k annually with additional bonus potential

Position Responsibilities

• Lead complex, enterprise-wide projects through disciplined project management practices, overseeing detailed schedules, critical paths, deliverables, stakeholder communications, risk mitigation, and cross-functional alignment to achieve business objectives.
• Lead cost and feasibility response for all new and reformulated products, as well as network moves. This involves coordination with R&D, Procurement, Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Operations, and others.
• Develop and manage detailed project timelines for new product introductions (NPIs) and network moves
• Ensure all critical milestones are met (ingredient sourcing, packaging readiness, line trials, etc.)
• Coordinate multiple simultaneous plant trials, scale-ups, and first production runs
• Partner with plant teams to ensure materials, equipment, labor, and capacity are ready and available
• Identify and mitigate production risks prior to launch
• Ensure BOMs (Bill of Materials), routing, and specifications are accurate in systems
• Ensure all products meet food safety, regulatory, and quality standards, as well as customer standards
• Track and manage launch-related costs (waste, trial runs, overtime, etc.)
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency during scale-up
• Support post-launch cost optimization efforts
• Proactively identify risks to timelines, cost, or quality
• Lead problem-solving efforts during trials and initial production
• Escalate issues appropriately with recommended solutions

Qualifications and Requirements

• 3–7 years of experience in manufacturing, operations, or product commercialization
• Bachelor’s Degree in Project Management, Supply Chain, Business or related field is preferred
• Knowledge of food manufacturing processes and plant operations is highly preferred
• Experience with new product launches or plant trials preferred
• Experience with ERP systems (SAP)
• Experience with stage-gate or commercialization processes
• Understanding of food safety standards (e.g., HACCP, FSMA)
• PMP Certification is preferred
• Lean / Six Sigma experience is a plus

EEO Statement

Winland Foods seeks to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool, and as a global company we believe our success is enhanced by fostering equity and inclusion in the workplace. Therefore, Winland Foods is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military or veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.