CommonWealth Kitchen is seeking a highly organized and strategic Manufacturing Operations Manager to support our fast-growing co-manufacturing team. Reporting to the Chief Culinary Officer and working closely with the Food Safety Manager and Co-Manufacturing Team Lead, this role oversees day-to-day operations for a wide range of products made in partnership with diverse food businesses, regional farms, and for institutional food service. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, analytical, and thrives in managing complex logistics. You should be comfortable working independently and collaboratively across teams, with a strong ability to navigate relationships with diverse stakeholders.
CWK produces everything from soups, sauces, and condiments to farm-based value-added items (like pickles and pesto), as well as veggie burgers, cookies, and falafel — for both retail and food service settings.
Primary Responsibilities
Relationship Management: Maintain strong, proactive communication with key customers, clients, suppliers, and distributors to support long-term partnerships.
Account Management: Oversee all aspects of production logistics, including sourcing ingredients and packaging, tracking inventory, managing billing, documenting lot codes and yields, and maintaining compliance records. Serve as the primary point of contact for clients regarding yields, inventory, billing, storage, and related matters.
Production Management: Ensure all materials (ingredients, packaging, labels) are available for daily production. Coordinate with the Chief Culinary Officer and co-manufacturing team to align staffing with production goals. Collaborate with facilities to confirm equipment readiness and supply availability.
Project Costing: Support the development and review of costing models to verify pricing accuracy across product formats.
Pipeline Management: Manage prospective client inquiries, gather required information, and collaborate with the production team to ensure clear, timely, and consistent communication. Use CWK tools to determine production rates and cost structures, ensuring accurate and up-to-date data.
Key Areas of Oversight
Product Sales & Fulfillment:
Product Purchasing & Supply Chain Management:
Logistics & Compliance:
Operational Systems & Team Management:
Farmer Value-Added Program:
Cross-Departmental Support:
Qualifications
CommonWealth Kitchen is seeking a highly organized and strategic Manufacturing Operations Manager to support our fast-growing co-manufacturing team. Reporting to the Chief Culinary Officer and working closely with the Food Safety Manager and Co-Manufacturing Team Lead, this role oversees day-to-day operations for a wide range of products made in partnership with diverse food businesses, regional farms, and for institutional food service. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, analytical, and thrives in managing complex logistics. You should be comfortable working independently and collaboratively across teams, with a strong ability to navigate relationships with diverse stakeholders.
CWK produces everything from soups, sauces, and condiments to farm-based value-added items (like pickles and pesto), as well as veggie burgers, cookies, and falafel — for both retail and food service settings.
Primary Responsibilities…