Director Of Operations Packaging Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Director of Operations

Location: Northern New Jersey | Hybrid

Employment Type: Full-Time

Reports To: Senior Executive Leadership

Position Overview

A growing packaging and consumer products company is seeking a hands-on Director of Operations to oversee the execution of CPG packaging projects from development through manufacturing, quality control, and delivery.

Working closely with senior leadership and the company's development team, this role will provide operational structure and accountability across manufacturing, vendor management, production schedules, purchasing, documentation, quality, and delivery.

The Director will work with both domestic and international manufacturing partners and will be responsible for strengthening existing processes, identifying operational gaps, and ensuring that commitments, procedures, and timelines are consistently followed.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage project timelines, schedules, milestones, and deliverables from development through manufacturing and delivery.
• Oversee manufacturing, quality, production, and delivery activities across domestic and international partners.
• Manage vendor and supplier relationships, including onboarding, approvals, samples, production updates, and performance.
• Coordinate purchase orders, approvals, paperwork, and operational documentation.
• Standardize and improve operational and manufacturing processes.
• Track outstanding items and proactively follow up with internal stakeholders and external partners.
• Identify delays, process gaps, and potential issues and drive timely resolution.
• Ensure vendors and internal teams follow established processes, specifications, and timelines.
• Monitor production schedules and help ensure adequate capacity and resources are available.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to ensure projects move efficiently from development into production.
• Provide senior leadership with accurate visibility into project status, risks, timelines, and operational performance.
• Develop and implement procedures that improve accountability, efficiency, and execution.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an organized, persistent operator and executor who takes ownership and makes sure things get done.

This person should be comfortable holding stakeholders accountable, challenging missed commitments, identifying the difference between what should be happening and what is actually happening, and driving issues through resolution.

The successful candidate will be equally comfortable working at a strategic level and getting into the details necessary to keep projects and manufacturing activities moving.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in CPG, consumer products, packaging development, packaging operations, manufacturing, production, supply chain, or project management.
• Experience taking packaging or consumer product projects from development through manufacturing and delivery.
• Experience with manufacturing operations, including domestic and international production partners.
• Proven experience managing vendors, suppliers, and external manufacturing partners.
• Experience with production schedules, purchase orders, vendor onboarding, quality requirements, documentation, and deliveries.
• Demonstrated ability to improve and standardize operational processes.
• Strong project management, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Exceptional follow-through and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
• Comfortable working with international partners and across multiple time zones.
• Bachelor's degree preferred.

What Success Looks Like

• Projects remain on schedule and key milestones are consistently met.
• Vendors and manufacturing partners are held accountable to agreed-upon requirements.
• Processes are clearly defined, documented, and followed.
• Manufacturing and quality requirements are consistently met.
• Operational issues are identified early and resolved proactively.
• Senior leadership has an accurate, real-time understanding of what is actually happening across the operation.
• The organization operates with greater structure, accountability, visibility, and consistency.

Why This Opportunity

This is an opportunity to take a meaningful leadership role within a growing packaging organization, with significant influence over operations, manufacturing execution, vendor performance, and project delivery. The position is ideal for someone who enjoys creating structure, solving problems, and making sure complex projects actually get across the finish line.

We are an equal opportunity employer and comply with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. We strictly prohibit and do not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity and expression), marital or familial status, age, physical or mental disability, perceived disability, citizenship status, service in the uniformed services, genetic information, height, weight, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Applications from members of minority groups and women are encouraged.