DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS- WI & IL

Daybreak Foods•Lake Mills, WI

About The Position

The Director of Operations leads the operational and financial performance of the company’s Wisconsin and Illinois facilities. The role oversees conventional caged and cage-free layer production, assigned pullet operations, shell egg grading and packing, egg breaking and liquid egg processing, feed mills, and supporting operational functions. The Director translates company strategy into site-level priorities, develops leaders, and holds teams accountable for safe operations, animal welfare, food safety, customer service, and profitability. This is a visible, hands-on leadership role focused on consistent execution, improved operating practices, and collaboration across locations and corporate functions. The position leads regional operations against production, processing, quality, service, and financial goals; sets expectations and performance measures; and maintains a regular presence at facilities. It oversees live production and animal welfare, shell egg and breaking operations, feed mills, financial and business performance, maintenance and supporting operations, and people, safety, and culture. The Director reports performance, risks, resource needs, and recommendations to executive leadership and has assigned General Managers and Site Managers as direct reports. The role requires frequent travel between Wisconsin and Illinois facilities and availability to support operations outside normal business hours when necessary. Work takes place in poultry houses, processing plants, feed mills, and outdoor environments, with adherence to site biosecurity, food safety, and personal protective equipment procedures.

Requirements

Typically 10 or more years of progressive agricultural or food manufacturing experience, including significant leadership responsibility across multiple facilities.
Strong knowledge of commercial layer production, including conventional caged and cage-free systems.
Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, interpret financial results, and improve operational performance.
Working knowledge of animal welfare, biosecurity, food safety, employee safety, and environmental requirements.
Proven ability to develop leaders, manage change, resolve problems, and hold teams accountable.
Strong communication, planning, analytical, and decision-making skills.
Ability to travel frequently between Wisconsin and Illinois facilities and support operations outside normal business hours when necessary.
Adherence to site biosecurity, food safety, and personal protective equipment procedures.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in poultry science, agriculture, operations management, business, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience is considered.
Experience overseeing shell egg processing, egg breaking, and feed mill operations.

Responsibilities

Lead regional operations to achieve production, processing, quality, service, and financial goals.
Set facility expectations, performance measures, and operating plans; hold General Managers and operational leaders accountable for results, corrective actions, and follow-through.
Visit facilities regularly to evaluate conditions, coach leaders, address operational barriers, and standardize effective practices across locations.
Communicate performance, risks, resource needs, and recommendations to executive leadership.
Oversee conventional caged and cage-free layer operations and assigned pullet rearing and replacement flock readiness.
Drive flock performance, including production, mortality, livability, egg quality, feed conversion, body weight, and flock uniformity.
Ensure execution of ventilation, lighting, water, feeding, litter, and manure management programs; partner with veterinary and nutrition teams on flock health, disease prevention, vaccination, pest control, and nutrition.
Ensure compliance with animal welfare standards, certification and customer requirements, and biosecurity expectations.
Oversee shell egg receiving, grading, packing, storage, shipping, egg breaking, and liquid egg processing, including pasteurization where applicable.
Improve egg recovery, saleable yield, throughput, labor efficiency, equipment utilization, and product quality; reduce losses, rework, downtime, and customer complaints.
Coordinate production and processing schedules with sales, planning, and logistics to meet customer commitments and manage inventory.
Partner with Quality Assurance on sanitation, traceability, food safety programs, audit readiness, and corrective actions; ensure production and inventory results are accurate and supported by records.
Oversee assigned feed mills for safe, reliable, cost-effective feed manufacturing and delivery, aligning capacity and schedules with flock requirements.
Partner with nutrition and procurement teams on ingredient quality and availability, formulation implementation, and inventory management; maintain controls for batching, mixing, receiving, storage, sanitation, and traceability.
Monitor feed manufacturing costs, shrink, downtime, maintenance needs, delivery performance, and feed quality concerns.
Own regional operating performance against approved budgets and business plans; lead annual budgeting, forecasting, labor planning, and capital planning.
Review site financial results and operating metrics, identify variances and root causes, and implement corrective actions to improve costs, asset utilization, and profitability.
Ensure purchasing discipline, accurate inventory controls, and compliance with spending authority; develop justified capital requests and implementation plans.
Oversee maintenance, preventive maintenance, equipment reliability, utilities, facility condition, and assigned logistics activities.
Ensure effective manure handling, storage, and removal, environmental stewardship, and housekeeping.
Coordinate contractors, construction, equipment installations, and facility improvement projects; maintain emergency response and business continuity plans.
Build and develop the regional leadership team through coaching, succession planning, and performance management.
Partner with Human Resources on staffing, retention, training, employee relations, and leadership development; promote professional communication, teamwork, and respectful treatment.
Partner with EHS and site leadership to improve workplace safety, investigate incidents, and close corrective actions; ensure employees have appropriate training and resources.
Support performance across financial, live production, processing, feed mill, people and safety, compliance, and execution measures.