Manager, Co-Manufacturing

Kinder's•Walnut Creek, CA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

As Contract Manufacturing Manager, you will be responsible for managing key relationships with our co-manufacturing partners to support the production of Kinder’s premium products. You’ll serve as the daily liaison between Kinder’s and our co-manufacturers, ensuring quality production, reliable supply, and strong vendor performance. Working cross-functionally with teams across Quality, R&D, Supply Planning, and Commercialization, you’ll help optimize operations, resolve supply issues, and implement process improvements that support Kinder’s rapid growth.

Requirements

Minimum 5+ years of experience in co-manufacturing, supply chain, or food manufacturing operations.
Strong understanding of end-to-end CPG supply chain, including quality, procurement, and commercialization.
Familiarity with manufacturing KPIs including OEE, throughput, MOQs, and production cost analysis.
Proven ability to manage vendor relationships and resolve issues in dynamic environments.
Ability to analyze data and use insights to drive decision-making and performance improvement.
Excellent cross-functional communication and interpersonal skills.
You are passionate about operations and collaboration.
You understand the nuance of co-manufacturing partnerships and take pride in building win-win relationships that are efficient, ethical, and results-driven.
You're comfortable in the middle of cross-functional decision-making and take initiative to spot and solve operational gaps.
You’re a strong collaborator with high empathy, respect, and problem-solving agility.
You are motivated by continuous improvement and thrive in fast-paced environments.
You value teamwork, flexibility, and bring a solutions-oriented mindset to challenges.
Self-starter who takes initiative and speaks their mind.
Excited to be part of a fast-moving team with the ability to be a leader and a follower.
Enjoy making decisions and finding ways to say ‘yes’ as often as possible to impactful and important priorities.

Responsibilities

Manage co-manufacturing relationships to ensure daily performance on quality, supply, and cost is aligned to expectations.
Lead regular performance reviews (monthly/quarterly) with vendors using scorecards and KPIs to drive accountability and results.
Coordinate with internal teams (FSQA, Planning, Commercialization, and Finance) to evaluate production capabilities, identify risks, and propose adjustments for new and transitioning products.
Support commercialization efforts by working with vendors to evaluate manufacturability of new products and propose improvements to optimize production.
Monitor capacity constraints and production efficiency, using metrics such as OEE and throughput to support demand planning and identify overflow opportunities.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives, collaborating with partners to reduce cost, improve quality, and streamline operations.
Conduct audits and maintain quality standards to ensure co-manufacturing facilities meet Kinder’s expectations and industry best practices.