National Operations Director

The Common Market • Chicago, IL

23h • $120,000 - $130,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Common Market is a nonprofit local food distributor working to build a more resilient and equitable food system. We connect small and mid-scale family farms to schools, hospitals, and other institutions while upholding rigorous standards for food safety, operational excellence, and values-driven procurement.
We operate multiple warehouse and trucking operations across regions and are entering a phase that requires strong, experienced operational leadership.
The Vice President of Operations is the senior leader responsible for end-to-end execution of warehouse, trucking, food safety, and operational performance across multiple sites.
This is a hands-on executive role. The VP of Operations will spend significant time in warehouses and on the road, working directly with Operations Managers, drivers, warehouse associates, and sanitation teams—while also serving as a core member of the executive leadership team responsible for strategy, systems, and performance.
This role is ideal for a seasoned operations leader who has personally owned food safety, fleet, and multi-site execution and is comfortable moving between the warehouse floor and the senior leadership team.
Highly skilled and experienced operations leader with hands-on warehouse, food safety, and fleet management. Adept in process and people management and business analytics that drive both performance and operational excellence through KPIs. The ideal candidate will have the aptitude and commitment to advance to VP of Operations within 12-18 months.

Requirements

• 10+ years of progressive operations leadership in food distribution, food manufacturing, logistics, or supply chain
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-site warehouse operations
• Direct ownership of food safety programs (SQF, FSMA, PCQI)
• Experience leading a fleet of 10+ trucks
• Strong Excel skills and ability to build and interpret operational reports and KPIs
• Proven ability to lead hourly teams and develop managers
• Willingness to travel approximately 40% of the time
• Bachelor’s degree required

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degrees welcome but not required.

Responsibilities

• Lead operations across multiple warehouses, including trucking, warehouse, sanitation, and facilities
• Manage and develop Operations Managers and ensure consistent execution of SOPs across sites
• Spend regular time working out of regional warehouses when not traveling
• Own the organization’s food safety program across all sites, including SQF, FSMA, and PCQI requirements
• Lead audit readiness, corrective actions, and continuous improvement across warehouses
• Manage and support site-level SQF Practitioners and ensure backup coverage
• Oversee supplier food safety documentation and compliance systems
• Lead oversight of a fleet of 20+ trucks, including PM, compliance, safety, and utilization
• Ensure effective use of telematics, temperature monitoring, and maintenance systems
• Oversee facilities, refrigeration, docks, and material-handling equipment across sites
• Provide direct leadership, coaching, and accountability for hourly warehouse and driver teams (through managers)
• Ensure strong safety culture, performance management, and clear expectations
• Partner with HR on hiring, training, performance evaluations, and corrective actions
• Develop and execute operations strategy aligned with organizational goals
• Build and maintain operational KPIs for warehouse, trucking, and food and workplace safety
• Use Excel and data from operational platforms to generate reports and dashboards
• Lead operational planning, budgeting inputs, and performance reviews

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (SIMPLE IRA with 100% employer match)
• Life Insurance (100% Employer Paid Life, AD&D, Short Term and Long Term Disability)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive