Sr Manager, Special Operations

Farmer's Fridge Careers•Chicago, IL

About The Position

Farmer’s Fridge makes fruits and vegetables accessible and approachable for everyone. We offer a variety of fresh, healthy, ready-to-eat meals and snacks through our fresh food vending machines, wholesale partners, and our office pantry solution — providing chef-curated meals to customers within seconds. Today, we operate a network of Fridges and partner with clients nationwide in high-foot-traffic areas, such as airports, hospitals, universities, and large office buildings — where there is limited accessibility to fresh, healthy, grab-n-go options. We care deeply about what we’re creating and aspire to make sure our customers feel that through every touchpoint. This shows up in many ways across the business. We are committed to prioritizing food safety, we are passionate about product quality, we value our employees, we champion the best idea no matter where it comes from, and we’re committed to making an overall positive impact as we scale. About this Role: The Senior Manager of Special Operations is responsible for solving complex operational problems and driving high-impact improvement initiatives across the Supply Chain organization. This role partners with leaders across Fulfillment, Manufacturing, and other business functions to identify root causes, implement sustainable solutions, improve business processes, and strengthen operational execution. Reporting to the Director of Special Operations, this role is designed for someone who thrives in ambiguity and enjoys tackling difficult business challenges. The successful candidate combines exceptional analytical thinking with disciplined project management and a relentless focus on execution. They are equally comfortable diagnosing operational issues, building recovery plans, improving processes, leading cross-functional initiatives, or stepping into operational teams to provide temporary leadership and execution support when business needs require it. While this role has no direct reports, it requires the ability to lead through influence, quickly establish credibility, and drive results across multiple teams.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or a related field required.
5+ years of experience in operations, supply chain, consulting, project management, continuous improvement, or a related field.
Proven experience leading complex cross-functional projects from planning through execution.
Experience solving operational problems and implementing process improvements in fast-paced environments.
Experience driving organizational change and delivering measurable business results.
Exceptional analytical and structured problem-solving skills with the ability to quickly understand unfamiliar business challenges.
Strong project and program management skills with outstanding planning and organizational capabilities.
Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive execution without direct authority.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
Comfortable operating in ambiguous environments with changing priorities.
Willingness to travel as business needs require.
Naturally curious with a passion for solving difficult business problems.
Highly organized and execution-oriented.
Comfortable leading through influence and earning credibility quickly.
Adaptable, resourceful, and calm under pressure.
Thrives in fast-paced, high-growth environments.
Takes ownership and consistently delivers results.

Nice To Haves

MBA or equivalent experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Solve complex operational and business challenges across the Supply Chain organization.
Perform structured root cause analysis and develop practical, sustainable solutions.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives, corrective action plans, and cross-functional projects from planning through implementation.
Build project plans, timelines, milestones, and governance to ensure successful execution.
Coordinate cross-functional teams, manage project risks, and drive accountability throughout execution.
Partner with functional leaders to improve operational performance, service levels, productivity, quality, and cost.
Step into functional areas to provide temporary leadership, operational support, and execution capacity during periods of change, resource gaps, or major business initiatives.
Build alignment across teams, remove barriers to execution, and ensure lasting process improvements.
Travel to operating locations as needed to support projects and implementation.