Director Operations Manager Jobs in Riverside, NJ

Why you will love working at Maola:

• Built on over a century of dedication, Maola is always looking ahead—investing in our people, strengthening our communities, and securing fresh, local dairy for the future.
• Join a farmer-owned cooperative rooted in integrity, sustainability, and a passion for providing fresh, high-quality Maola dairy products.
• We prioritize your well-being with competitive pay and a comprehensive benefits package, including Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k) with employer match, Life Insurance, paid time off, and more—available within your first month.
• Our employees are an integral part of who we are — what you do and what you think matters.

Starting Annual Salary Range: $175,000 - $235,000

SUMMARY

The Director of Operations is responsible for leading and overseeing all manufacturing and operations activities at the Maola Local Dairies™ Philadelphia plant. This role ensures safe, efficient, and highquality operations while driving continuous improvement, employee engagement, and operational excellence across the facility.

The Director of Operations provides strong leadership in team development, lean manufacturing, and performance management, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. Working closely with the EVP and senior leadership, the Director evaluates operational performance and makes strategic recommendations related to efficiency improvements, capital investments, workforce development, and facility enhancements to support current operations and longterm business objectives.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Leads operational budget planning and management, ensuring cost control, financial discipline, and alignment with plant performance goals.
• Leads capital planning and execution for the facility, ensuring projects are delivered within approved budgets and timelines while supporting operational efficiency and long-term asset strategy.
• Ensures full compliance with all regulatory, safety, and environmental requirements, fostering a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous compliance throughout the facility.
• Oversees accurate and timely production reporting across departments to support performance monitoring, decision making, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Leads resolution of complex operational and manufacturing challenges, partnering cross functionally with finance, sales, and marketing to ensure alignment and timely solutions.
• Leads union relations and collective bargaining activities, ensuring effective labor relations, contract compliance, and productive engagement with union leadership and represented employees.
• Champions innovation and continuous improvement initiatives, leading and supporting projects that enhance efficiency, quality, and operational capability across the facility.
• Supports and executes multiyear network strategies focused on improving product quality, optimizing capacity, and reducing production costs.
• Oversees hiring, performance management, and workforce planning for operations, maintenance, sanitation, quality assurance, and related operational teams.
• Leads, coaches, and holds the onsite leadership team accountable for achieving customer, employee, quality, safety, and financial performance targets.
• Partners with department leaders to establish clear, measurable goals aligned with plant and organizational objectives.
• Oversees development and execution of training programs for all operational staff, partnering with Corporate HR to strengthen capability, compliance, and performance.
• Coaches and mentors emerging leaders and junior management and leads succession planning efforts to ensure leadership continuity and long-term operational capability.
• Actively participates in and drives strategic planning with senior leadership, translating strategy into effective execution through the operations team.
• Strong technical knowledge of UP/UHT and ESL filling operations.
• Understands and drives continuous improvement in shrink reduction year over year.
• Ability to use shrink and reconciliation data to continuously improve through local tactical planning and execution.
• Other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBLITES

• Provides overall leadership, direction, and performance management for the Plant Manager; Project Managers supporting Operations and Manufacturing; and Technical Services teams, including Engineering and Quality personnel related to facility operations.
• Holds ultimate responsibility for the coordination, evaluation, and effectiveness of all operational leadership roles, exercising supervisory authority in accordance with organizational policies and applicable laws.
• Maintains overarching leadership accountability for all Philadelphia plant employees across all shifts.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

• At least a bachelor’s degree, MBA preferred, with at least 10 years OR at least 15 years of plant management experience in dairy or food manufacturing environments, preferably in a Director-level plant leadership role.
• Extensive experience leading complex plant operations within multifunctional manufacturing environments, including production resources, capacity, labor relations, and employee relations across all organizational levels.
• Proven leader of continuous improvement and change initiatives, leveraging Lean Manufacturing, data, metrics, and financial analysis to drive efficiency, cost reduction, performance improvement, and disciplined execution of strategic and operational plans.
• Demonstrated ability to engage and develop hourly, supervisory, and crossfunctional teams; resolve complex operational problems; navigate dynamic business environments; and align plant operations and assets with divisional, enterprise, and valuechain strategies.

COMPETENCIES

• Communication
• Communicate clearly and effectively through multiple channels – oral, written, visual, and non-verbal – ensuring our messages are understood and delivered appropriately, whether in-person or digitally.
• Accountability
• Take responsibility for actions and anticipate challenges before they arise.
• Solve problems both within and outside of departments, proactively addressing issues as they occur. 
• Customer Focused
• Prioritize understanding and meeting both internal and external customer needs.
• Ensure high levels of satisfaction and loyalty by anticipating customer requirements and striving for exceptional service.
• Initiative
• Proactive in identifying opportunities and addressing potential threats.
• Act independently and decisively, rather than waiting for situations to demand action.
• Problem-Solving
• Possess the ability to identify and address complex issues with minimal guidance.
• Skilled at analyzing challenges and finding practical, effective solutions. 
• Collaboration
• Take responsibility for deliverables while also supporting others to ensure that collective goals are met.
• Able to work harmoniously with others toward a common goal, recognizing and valuing each person’s contributions, is fundamental to successful collaboration. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to type; and talk and hear.  The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms.  The employee must occasionally lift and or move up to 40 pounds.  The employee is required to travel by car to company sites and off site meetings.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and peripheral vision. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud. 
• Work is performed in climate-controlled manufacturing environments. 

Maola Local Dairies™ is a farmer-owned cooperative sustainably producing a full suite of nutritious dairy products. Maola processes milk, cream, butter, and dry milk powders through our network of six dairy processing plants. With a keen eye on quality, freshness, and love for the environment, Maola delivers dairy products that are both nutritious and sustainable to our local communities. For more information about Maola, please visit www.maolamilk.com.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.