Senior Operations Manager
Make a Difference at Ramar Foods: Cultivating Strengths and Nourish Futures
Location: Pittsburg, CA
About Us
Ramar Foods doesn't just create food; we create experiences, nourishing communities with authentic Filipino cuisine while nurturing our employees; strengths and aspirations. Founded over 50 years ago by the Quesada family, our journey from a local treasure to a North American sensation is rooted in tradition, innovation, and a commitment to excellence. With locations in California, Nevada, and Hawaii, we are not just expanding our market—we are expanding our family, embracing a Strengths-Based culture that empowers every team member to thrive.
Join Our Team and Shape the Future as Our Senior Operations Manager
About the role
The Senior Operations Manager provides strategic oversight of the day-to-day functions across multiple departments within our food manufacturing facility, including raw food production, ready-to-eat (RTE) production, maintenance, and logistics. This leader manages and mentors the department managers who run these areas, ensuring operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and consistent product quality. The role requires deep experience in food manufacturing, food safety, logistics, supply chain, exceptional leadership skills, ability to build trust and to drive cross-functional collaboration.
Bilingual English/Spanish/Tagalog skills are strongly preferred to enable effective communication across the workforce. For the right candidate, this position offers significant growth opportunities within our expanding organization.
What you'll do
- Department Oversight & Leadership:
- Provide strategic direction and leadership to the managers of raw production, RTE production, maintenance, and logistics departments.
- Establish clear performance expectations for departmental managers and hold them accountable for results in safety, quality, cost, and execution.
- Serve as a bridge between departmental leadership and executive management, ensuring alignment with company goals and priorities.
- Operational Excellence:
- Oversee production and maintenance plans developed by department managers to ensure they meet or exceed operational targets.
- Support and guide managers in implementing best practices for scheduling, staffing, preventive maintenance, and material flow.
- Champion operational efficiency and cross-departmental collaboration to optimize plant performance.
- Food Safety & Compliance:
- Ensure all departments under your oversight adhere to FDA, USDA, HACCP, GMP, SQF, and other applicable food safety and regulatory requirements.
- Partner with Quality Assurance and departmental managers to maintain audit readiness and continuously improve food safety programs.
- Promote a proactive, organization-wide food safety culture.
- Leadership Development & People Management:
- Mentor and develop departmental managers, providing guidance, training, and feedback to strengthen leadership capabilities.
- Foster an environment of trust, accountability, and engagement across all departments.
- Support bilingual communication to ensure clarity and inclusivity across teams.
- Strategic Growth & Continuous Improvement:
- Work with managers to identify opportunities for operational innovation and cost optimization.
- Lead cross-functional improvement initiatives using Lean manufacturing and other continuous improvement tools.
- Actively contribute to strategic planning and capital projects to support the company's growth trajectory.
Who You Are:
You're an accomplished operational leader who thrives in a fast-paced, high-stakes food manufacturing environment. You have a proven ability to lead other leaders, foster alignment across multiple departments, and drive measurable business results while keeping food safety and quality at the forefront. You bring:
- Visionary Leadership – Ability to set a clear direction, inspire confidence, and hold managers accountable for results.
- Strong Operational Acumen – Deep understanding of food manufacturing processes, with hands-on familiarity in raw and RTE production, maintenance, and logistics.
- Food Safety Expertise – Expert knowledge of FDA, USDA, GMP, HACCP, and audit standards, with a track record of fostering a culture of compliance.
- Data-Driven Mindset – Proficiency in using KPIs, performance metrics, and analytics to guide decisions and continuous improvement efforts.
- Intuitive understanding of evolving technologies - Comfortable using software of various types, and a curiosity of how to optimize existing resources to innovate new solutions.
- Change Agent Skills – Adept at leading through change, building buy-in, and implementing Lean manufacturing or other continuous process improvement methodologies.
- Relationship Builder – Skilled at building trust across all levels of the organization, from the plant floor to the executive suite.
- Bilingual Advantage – English/Spanish bilingual skills strongly preferred to strengthen communication across a diverse workforce.
- Growth-Oriented – Ambitious, adaptable, and eager to take on greater responsibility as the company expands.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Operations Management, Food Science, Engineering, or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
- 7+ years of progressive leadership experience in food manufacturing operations, including managing multiple departments through direct reports.
- 25% travel.
Work Environment
- Operates primarily in a manufacturing plant environment with exposure to varying temperatures, noise, and production equipment.
- Requires the ability to walk, stand, and move through the facility for extended periods.
Why Ramar?
- Strengths-Based Culture: Thrive in an environment that recognizes and builds on your unique strengths.
- Impactful Work: Play a pivotal role in our mission to nourish communities and enrich lives, both locally and globally.
- Growth and Development: Enjoy opportunities for professional and personal growth, supported by a leadership team committed to your success.
- Competitive Compensation: Benefit from a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and a supportive work-life blend.
Our Values
At Ramar Foods, we're about making it the best, treating everyone like family, and being remarkable. We embrace change, value creativity, and believe in nurturing our team's growth. Our leaders invest in people, fostering a culture where everyone can thrive.
Join Our Family
If you are ready to lead with your strengths and make a meaningful impact, we want to hear from you, apply now! Let's nourish communities and build a future together at Ramar Foods, where we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
Ramar Foods is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
The pay range for this role is:130,000 - 140,000 USD per year(Central)
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