Senior Manager, Operations

Role Purpose

The Senior Manager of Operations is responsible for leading day-to-day manufacturing activities across all functional areas of the site, including production, sanitation, maintenance, and warehousing. This role ensures the safe, efficient, and high-quality production of Hain Celestial products through effective people leadership, process optimization, and collaboration across departments.

 

This position is highly hands-on, serving as the on-site operational leader for our Mountville, Pennsylvania Snacks Facility, where we produce a variety of snack products. The Senior Manager of Operations will directly lead all front-line supervisors and drive daily execution against safety, quality, and performance targets.

 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead all daily plant operations to ensure production schedules are met safely, efficiently, and in full compliance with quality and food safety standards.
• Inspire, supervise and coach front-line leaders, setting clear performance expectations and fostering a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with Safety, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and HR to ensure seamless coordination across all site functions.
• Ensure compliance with safety, food safety, and regulatory requirements, including HACCP, GMP, OSHA, and environmental standards.
• Track, analyze, and communicate key performance indicators (KPIs) for safety, quality, productivity, cost, and engagement; develop and execute corrective action plans where needed.
• Drive operational excellence by implementing lean manufacturing principles and identifying opportunities for waste reduction, efficiency improvement, and cost control.
• Lead and participate in daily operations reviews and production meetings, providing real-time problem-solving and support to supervisors and production teams.
• Partner with the Maintenance and Engineering teams to ensure proper equipment performance, preventative maintenance scheduling, and minimal downtime.
• Ensure all employees receive proper training, tools, and support to perform their roles safely and effectively.
• Support workforce planning, hiring, and performance management for hourly and supervisory employees.
• Reinforce Hain Celestial’s core values through visible leadership, communication, and recognition of team achievements.
• Serve as acting site lead in the absence of the Sr. Director of Operations .
• Perform other duties as assigned to support the success of the site and broader organization.

Qualifications

Education and/or Experience

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing, Engineering, Business, or a related field; equivalent combination of education and experience considered.
• Minimum of 8 years of progressive leadership experience in food or beverage manufacturing.
• Demonstrated success leading front-line supervisors and large production teams in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Strong understanding of safety, sanitation, food safety, and quality systems (GMP, HACCP, SQF).
• Proven track record in achieving production goals while driving continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills with the ability to engage and motivate diverse teams.

Preferred:

• Experience in food/snack  manufacturing operations.
• Lean Six Sigma or related continuous improvement certification.
• ERP system experience (e.g., SAP). 

Competencies and Proficiency Requirements

• Operational Execution: Demonstrates deep understanding of plant operations and ability to lead teams in meeting production and quality goals.
• Safety Leadership: Promotes a strong, proactive, culture of workplace and food safety through visible actions and accountability.
• People Leadership: Coaches and develops supervisors and hourly employees to reach their full potential.
• Continuous Improvement: Identifies and implements process enhancements that improve performance and reduce waste.
• Decision Quality: Uses data and sound judgment to make timely, effective decisions.
• Collaboration: Builds strong relationships w