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Job Summary

The Ripening Operations Manager has direct oversight of the overall strategy and execution of ripening programs and activities across the assigned banana ripening facilities, by translating demand forecasts into operational plans, leading teams and coordinating with cross‑functional partners to ensure facilities, equipment, and processes meet quality, food safety, and regulatory SOPs, accomplishing this while driving financial performance, inventory integrity, quality compliance and customer satisfaction, in order to consistently deliver high‑quality products, strengthen service reliability, and timely issue resolution.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Ripening Operations & Execution

• Leads the strategy and daily ripening operations by converting demand forecasts into operational plans and directing teams to process and release products according to quality, food safety, and SOP standards, to ensure safe, efficient, and cost-effective operations that meet customer requirements and support business performance.
• Maintains ripening room readiness by overseeing sanitation, preventative maintenance, and equipment functionality, while enforcing food safety, regulatory compliance and documentation, to ensure facilities operate reliably.
• Drives operational performance by setting goals, monitoring KPIs, resolving risks, and serving as the key operational contact with warehouse and cross‑functional partners, enabling timely issue resolution, stronger service reliability, and improved customer satisfaction.

Employee Supervision & Workforce Management

• Develops and strengthens the ripening team by coaching and mentoring the Ripening Lead and ripeners, guiding their skill growth and leadership capability through structured development activities and succession planning, ensuring bench strength for key ripening roles.
• Directs the ripening workforce by managing schedules, assigning tasks, ensuring labor coverage, and providing day‑to‑day guidance while monitoring productivity and overtime, enabling efficient staffing, consistent execution, and a safe, well‑coordinated operation that meets daily ripening demands.
• Leads performance management by setting goals, conducting evaluations, enforcing SOP, quality, and food safety compliance, and fostering a safe work environment, applying structured oversight and corrective actions to ensure operational discipline, employee accountability, and a culture that protects product integrity and team wellbeing.

Financial, Inventory & Forecasting Accountability

• Improves ripening planning and fruit utilization by evaluating demand patterns, shrink trends, sales behavior, and inventory flows, using operational and historical data to strengthen forecasting, guide fruit allocation, and support more accurate ripening decisions in order to optimize product availability and waste reduction.
• Supports profitability by tracking labor and operational costs, reviewing billing data, coordinating with Finance to verify accuracy and applying financial cost-control initiatives and data validation processes to ensure correct revenue capture and stronger financial performance.
• Ensure end‑to‑end inventory accuracy from port arrival through ripening operations by analyzing discrepancies, partnering with internal and external stakeholders to resolve issues, and developing business cases for capital investments and process improvements, enabling continuous improvement across ripening facilities.

Quality Assurance & Continuous Improvement

• Provides oversight and governance of ripening SOPs, food safety protocols, and regulatory requirements by owning operational procedures, enforcing adherence across teams, and executing documented sanitation and preventative maintenance programs, to maintain compliant, safe, and high‑quality ripening operations.
• Oversee product quality and customer satisfaction by investigating quality issues and customer complaints, identifying root causes, and implementing corrective actions in collaboration with internal teams, ensuring timely resolution, prevention of recurring problems, and consistent delivery of products that meet program and customer expectations.
• Standardize the best practices across facilities and participating in trials related to ripening, packaging, and quality improvements, applying insights from testing and cross‑facility learnings to reduce costs, enhance performance, and optimize ripening programs for long‑term efficiency.

Customer & Cross-Functional Engagement

• Communicates ripening performance, quality results, and operational updates with customers and QA teams, to support customer visits, audits, and retail assessments.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional stakeholders while managing third-party warehouse, logistics, and transportation partners to ensure consistent operational execution.
• Shares operational risks, changes, and improvement opportunities with site leadership and peer managers and travels to provide on‑site support to other facilities as needed.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Operations, Business Administration, Food Science, Agriculture, or a related field or equivalent experience required.
• 7+ years of experience in banana ripening, produce operations, quality standards, or related warehouse environment.
• 5+ years of experience leading leaders and managing performance through others.
• ERP system experience (e.g., D365) preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office – Word, Advanced Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams
• Knowledge of inventory control, labor management, and basic financial analysis.
• Advanced problem‑solving and root‑cause analysis capabilities.
• Excellent oral and written communication Skills
• Ability to lift and move 50lbs.
• Ability to stand for long periods of time.
• Stooping, bending, twisting, lifting, pulling, pushing, and reaching may be required in completion of job duties.
• Ability to work safely in a warehouse setting or field location, including working around heavy equipment, such as forklifts.
• Ability to work in cold environments. Occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid locations.
• Exposure to food grade chemicals.
• Ability to work in high places and climb ladders.
• Banana rooms are long/narrow with only a front opening – incumbent must be able to perform some duties in confined spaces.
• Ability to determine and distinguish color variation.
• Bilingual Spanish is a plus.
• Ability to perform all work functions of a Banana Ripener.
• Perform work outside of normal business hours as needed and required. Ability to work weekends, holidays, and overtime.
• Travel required.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. This job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.
Dole Fresh Fruit Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, age or any other federally protected class.