Vice President Operations

Base pay range

$250,000.00/yr - $275,000.00/yr
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Additional compensation types

Annual Bonus

Position: Vice President of Operations

Location: Atlanta, GA

Travel: Approximately 10%

Reports To: Executive Leadership

Direct Reports: 2 Plant Managers, 1 Safety Manager

Team Size: ~600 employees across two plants

Position Summary

The Vice President of Operations will be responsible for leading the strategic and day-to-day manufacturing operations across EPI’s two bakeries located in Atlanta, GA, and one in Michigan. This executive role will report to senior leadership and serve as a key contributor to the company’s strategic direction. The VP will drive results through a disciplined approach to performance metrics, process improvement, and team development.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Provide full operational oversight across both facilities, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.
• Lead, coach, and develop two Plant Managers and a Safety Manager to deliver consistent, high-performance results.
• Champion a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement across the organization.

Strategic Execution

• Partner with senior leadership on long-term capacity planning, capital investments, and automation upgrades.
• Translate strategic objectives into actionable initiatives and KPIs with clear ownership and accountability.
• Serve as a key voice in executive leadership discussions, providing operational insight and recommendations.

Performance & Process Optimization

• Drive improvement in OEE, labor efficiency, yield, and throughput using Lean, Six Sigma, or TPM tools.
• Implement and sustain daily management systems such as Leader Standard Work and visual factory practices.
• Develop and track plant-level scorecards; ensure consistent execution and accountability at all levels.

Regulatory & Quality Compliance

• Ensure compliance with all food safety regulations and certifications (FDA, SQF, BRC, OSHA).
• Partner with Quality and Safety teams to maintain audit readiness and continually raise the bar on compliance standards.

Team & Culture Development

• Build leadership capabilities across both sites to foster a strong bench of talent and future leaders.
• Promote a culture that embraces urgency, teamwork, and recognition while maintaining operational discipline.
• Act as a cultural ambassador, ensuring consistent values and communication between sites.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations Management, Engineering, or related field required.
• MBA or advanced degree preferred.

Experience

• 10–15+ years of progressive leadership experience in food manufacturing, ideally with bread or baked goods .
• Proven success managing multi-site operations and large teams (200+ employees per site).
• Experience scaling production, launching new products, or leading plant expansions and automation projects.
• Demonstrated success implementing Lean, Six Sigma, or similar continuous improvement systems.

Skills & Attributes

• Visionary leader with the ability to set and execute long-term operational strategies.
• Excellent communicator with the ability to connect from the shop floor to the boardroom.
• Strong financial acumen with experience in P&L management, capital planning, and operational budgeting.
• Deep understanding of food safety, baking science, and manufacturing best practices.
• Hands-on leadership style that values visibility, engagement, and frontline communication.

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