Operations Readiness Manager

Winland Foods • Oak Brook, IL

2d • $93,000 - $140,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Operations Readiness Manager is responsible for leading and coordinating all activities required to successfully transition new food products from development into full-scale manufacturing. This role acts as the bridge between R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and Commercial teams to ensure launches are on time, cost-effective, and meet quality standards.

Requirements

• 3–7 years of experience in manufacturing, operations, or product commercialization
• Bachelor’s Degree in Project Management, Supply Chain, Business or related field is preferred
• Knowledge of food manufacturing processes and plant operations is highly preferred
• Experience with new product launches or plant trials preferred
• Experience with ERP systems (SAP)
• Experience with stage-gate or commercialization processes
• Understanding of food safety standards (e.g., HACCP, FSMA)

Nice To Haves

• PMP Certification is preferred
• Lean / Six Sigma experience is a plus

Responsibilities

• Lead complex, enterprise-wide projects through disciplined project management practices, overseeing detailed schedules, critical paths, deliverables, stakeholder communications, risk mitigation, and cross-functional alignment to achieve business objectives.
• Lead cost and feasibility response for all new and reformulated products, as well as network moves. This involves coordination with R&D, Procurement, Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Operations, and others.
• Develop and manage detailed project timelines for new product introductions (NPIs) and network moves
• Ensure all critical milestones are met (ingredient sourcing, packaging readiness, line trials, etc.)
• Coordinate multiple simultaneous plant trials, scale-ups, and first production runs
• Partner with plant teams to ensure materials, equipment, labor, and capacity are ready and available
• Identify and mitigate production risks prior to launch
• Ensure BOMs (Bill of Materials), routing, and specifications are accurate in systems
• Ensure all products meet food safety, regulatory, and quality standards, as well as customer standards
• Track and manage launch-related costs (waste, trial runs, overtime, etc.)
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency during scale-up
• Support post-launch cost optimization efforts
• Proactively identify risks to timelines, cost, or quality
• Lead problem-solving efforts during trials and initial production
• Escalate issues appropriately with recommended solutions

Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• 401(k) with match
• STD/LTD/AD&D/Life
• HSA
• FSA
• EAP
• Hospital indemnity
• Accident Insurance
• Identity and Fraud Protection Plan
• Legal
• Critical Illness

What This Job Offers

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