Facility Director

Facility Director

The Facility Director is responsible for leading the buildout, commissioning, startup, and ongoing operations of a licensed cannabis processing and manufacturing facility in Maryland. Reporting directly to the CEO and working collaboratively with the leadership team, this role serves as the primary on-site leader responsible for transitioning the facility from construction through regulatory approval and into a fully operational, cGMP-compliant manufacturing operation.

During the buildout and startup phases, the Facility Director will independently manage day-to-day owner-side project execution, coordinating contractors, vendors, consultants, equipment installation, timelines, budgets, compliance requirements, and regulatory milestones while working within the established responsibilities of the general contractor and design professionals. This individual will ensure that facility infrastructure, equipment, workflows, documentation, supply-chain relationships, and operational systems are established in accordance with cGMP standards, company requirements, and applicable Maryland cannabis regulations.

The Facility Director will also play a hands-on role in building the operating infrastructure needed for launch, including identifying and evaluating equipment and vendors, developing supplier relationships, sourcing biomass and other production inputs, assisting with negotiation of commercial terms, and helping establish relationships with dispensaries and other wholesale customers.

Once operational, the Facility Director will oversee all aspects of facility operations, including extraction, refinement, formulation, packaging, quality, compliance, inventory and logistics, security, and facility maintenance. Phase 1 operations will initially focus primarily on hydrocarbon extraction and live-resin production, with additional manufacturing capabilities, including edible products and other product categories, expected to be added as the facility expands.

The Director is responsible for executing production plans, developing and maintaining effective operational systems, ensuring product quality and workplace safety, supporting product development and commercialization, and leading multidisciplinary teams across the facility.

The successful candidate will combine strong project management and operational leadership with a thorough understanding of regulated cannabis manufacturing. This role requires the ability to independently drive projects from planning through execution, establish scalable systems and processes, develop high-performing teams, and continuously improve safety, quality, compliance, efficiency, and production performance within a highly regulated environment.

ResponsibilitiesProject Management & Oversight

• Serve as the on-site lead and primary owner-side point of contact during the facility buildout lifecycle.
• Coordinate with contractors, architects, engineers, consultants, vendors, and company leadership to ensure buildout phases are executed according to plan.
• Track project milestones and timelines to ensure the facility is delivered on time and within scope.
• Monitor site activity daily, identify potential issues or delays, and coordinate with the appropriate contractor, consultant, architect, engineer, or company representative as necessary.
• Maintain documentation necessary for certification audits and regulatory inspections.

Stakeholder Communication

• Report directly to leadership with regular updates on progress, risks, schedule, and budget.
• Communicate regularly with leadership to incorporate revisions and ensure alignment with operational and compliance needs.
• Facilitate meetings, document progress, and escalate issues requiring strategic input.

Procurement & Installation Oversight

• Coordinate procurement and installation of facility infrastructure and equipment, including HVAC, lighting, extraction equipment, processing equipment, kitchen equipment planned for future phases, and laboratory fixtures.
• Identify, evaluate, and coordinate with equipment manufacturers, suppliers, and service vendors.
• Assist leadership in evaluating proposals and negotiating pricing, commercial terms, lead times, and other vendor arrangements.
• Ensure proper commissioning, calibration, and placement of equipment to match approved facility design and production needs.
• Track vendor deliveries, manage inventories, and maintain secure site conditions.

Startup Sourcing & Commercial Development

• Help establish the supply chain required for launch and ongoing production.
• Identify and develop relationships with biomass suppliers and other sources of cannabis raw material.
• Assist with sourcing packaging, ingredients, consumables, production materials, and other operational supplies.
• Work with leadership and consultants to evaluate pricing, quality, availability, payment terms, and other commercial considerations.
• Help develop and maintain relationships with Maryland dispensaries and other potential wholesale customers.
• Support product commercialization, market readiness, and coordination between production capabilities and customer demand.

Problem Solving & Adaptability

• Anticipate, troubleshoot, and resolve onsite challenges, delays, or conflicts.
• Adapt to evolving requirements and revise implementation strategies to stay aligned with deadlines and compliance.
• Take initiative to identify and escalate bottlenecks to executive or consultant teams as needed.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead hiring, onboarding, training, and performance evaluation of facility operations staff.
• Create a positive, compliant, and safety-first work culture.
• Foster interdisciplinary collaboration across extraction, packaging, compliance, quality, inventory, and other operational functions.

Operations Management

• Oversee daily operations across extraction, post-production, packaging, order fulfillment, transportation, and related facility activities.
• Develop, implement, and improve SOPs for processing and manufacturing operations.
• Ensure timely execution of production schedules and quality standards.
• Facilitate site security and logistics for incoming and outgoing deliveries.
• Monitor workflows and equipment performance and implement process-optimization strategies.
• Manage departmental budgets, labor plans, and resource allocation.

Regulatory & Quality Compliance

• Ensure facility compliance with Maryland Cannabis Administration requirements and applicable federal standards, including OSHA and cGMP.
• Maintain meticulous records including batch logs, testing data, SOPs, and inventory systems such as METRC.
• Lead internal audits, address deviations, and prepare for inspections from regulators.
• Implement robust QA/QC protocols for manufactured products.

Product Development & R&D

• Support development and commercialization of concentrates and other manufactured cannabis products.
• Initially focus on hydrocarbon extraction and live-resin products, with involvement in additional product categories as the facility expands.
• Conduct and support R&D to improve cannabinoid yield, flavor profiles, product quality, stability, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Stay informed on scientific advancements, extraction methods, and cannabis manufacturing trends.

Inventory & Resource Management

• Maintain appropriate levels of cannabis raw material, reagents, ingredients, packaging, and other production supplies.
• Oversee tracking of all inventory through regulatory-compliant systems.
• Coordinate with procurement and finance teams to align material needs with company goals and budgets.

Facility & Equipment Oversight

• Ensure maintenance, cleanliness, and safe functioning of all processing, packaging, and related facility equipment.
• Manage equipment logs, calibrations, and preventive maintenance schedules.
• Enforce PPE policies and hazardous-material-handling procedures.

Qualifications

• Degree in Chemistry, Food Science, Biochemistry, Life Sciences, or related field; or 3 years of direct cannabis manufacturing experience preferred.
• Minimum 2 years of management experience in a regulated manufacturing environment.
• Proven expertise in cannabis extraction methods, with hydrocarbon extraction experience strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with additional extraction methods such as CO2, ethanol, and solventless, as well as infused-product manufacturing, is desirable.
• Familiarity with regulatory systems such as METRC and documentation standards including cGMP and GLP.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical-thinking, project-management, leadership, and communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and digital inventory platforms.
• Previous experience in FDA-regulated, pharmaceutical, food/beverage, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments is valuable.
• Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary range as listed in this posting, commensurate with experience.

No employer-sponsored benefits are currently offered.

Pay: From $80,000.00 per year

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location: In person

Salary : $80,000