Beverage Manager - Filling Operations

The Wonderful Company•Del Rey, CA

6h•$130,000 - $160,000•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a high-performing Beverage Operations Manager to lead day-to-day manufacturing operations for our cold-fill juice and tea production lines, while playing a key role in the startup and ramp-up of a new filling line. This role is ideal for a driven operations leader with strong people leadership skills, a passion for continuous improvement, and the potential to advance into broader leadership roles within the organization. The Beverage Operations Manager will be accountable for safety, quality, service, cost, and team engagement, while deploying Lean manufacturing and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) principles to build reliable, scalable operations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Operations Management, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
5+ years of manufacturing leadership experience, preferably in beverage, food, or consumer packaged goods.
Experience leading production teams in a high-volume, high-speed manufacturing environment.
Working knowledge of Lean manufacturing and TPM principles.
Strong people leadership skills with a proven ability to build engaged, accountable teams.
Ability to see the “big picture” business perspective but is willing to “roll up their sleeves” and do whatever it takes to get the job done.
Must be self-motivated and able to achieve high impact in an unstructured environment.
Excellent interpersonal skills with a demonstrated ability to provide guidance and assistance to all levels of employees.
Professional communication skills.
Strong organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines consistently.
Ability to perform efficiently and effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment.
Ability to be flexible and adaptable.
Demonstrated problem solving and conflict management skills.
Ability to employ creative and innovative thought processes.
Ability to perform analysis and communicate results effectively.
Intermediate to advanced skills in Microsoft Office Suite and Oracle software.

Nice To Haves

Experience with cold-fill beverage operations (juice, tea, or similar).
Direct experience with new line installation and startup.
Demonstrated success improving OEE, reducing downtime, and improving reliability.
Familiarity with food safety and quality systems (HACCP, GMPs).
Track record of career progression or readiness for expanded leadership roles.

Responsibilities

Lead daily production activities for cold-fill juice and tea filling lines to meet safety, quality, cost, delivery, and efficiency targets.
Own production performance metrics including OEE, throughput, downtime, waste, and labor efficiency.
Partner with Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, and Supply Chain to ensure consistent execution and issue resolution.
Build, coach, and lead high-performing teams of supervisors, technicians, and operators.
Create a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement.
Develop frontline leaders through structured coaching, feedback, and performance management.
Promote strong safety ownership and food safety culture across all shifts.
Deploy and sustain Lean manufacturing tools (standard work, visual management, problem-solving, kaizen, 5S).
Lead TPM implementation, including autonomous maintenance, planned maintenance, and equipment ownership.
Drive root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective actions to eliminate chronic losses.
Partner with Maintenance to improve equipment reliability and uptime.
Support the design, installation, commissioning, and startup of a new filling line.
Develop operating standards, staffing models, training plans, and ramp-up strategies.
Identify risks during startup and proactively mitigate issues related to safety, quality, and performance.
Transfer startup learnings into sustainable operating practices.
Identify and lead improvement initiatives that reduce cost, increase capacity, and improve quality.
Use data and structured problem-solving to drive decisions.
Actively develop skills and capabilities aligned with future leadership opportunities