What are the responsibilities and job description for the Chief Operating Officer position at Cerius Executives?
We are seeking an experienced Contract COO to support a food manufacturing and distribution client on a defined project basis. The role focuses on strengthening procurement, optimizing seasonal production planning, and evaluating/executing product line extensions to improve operational efficiency, cost control, and growth readiness.
Key Responsibilities
- Procurement: Assess and optimize sourcing strategies for raw materials, ingredients, and packaging; negotiate supplier agreements; improve cost structure, lead times, and supplier performance while maintaining quality and food safety standards.
- Seasonality Production Planning: Review current seasonal demand forecasts, production schedules, capacity utilization, and inventory strategies; identify gaps and recommend improvements to better align production with peak demand periods while minimizing waste and excess inventory.
- Line Extensions: Evaluate proposed product line extensions (new SKUs, packaging formats, or variants); assess operational feasibility, supply chain impact, production requirements, and go-to-market readiness; support cross-functional execution planning as needed.
- Provide high-level operational recommendations and implementable action plans; partner with leadership, production, supply chain, and commercial teams.
- Deliver clear reporting on findings, risks, opportunities, and progress against project objectives.
Ideal Qualifications
- Prior COO, VP of Operations, or equivalent leadership experience in food manufacturing, CPG, or distribution.
- Strong hands-on expertise in procurement/supply chain, production planning, and new product introduction.
- Familiarity with seasonal demand dynamics, food safety/regulatory requirements, and cost optimization in a manufacturing environment.
- Ability to drive results quickly in a contract/project setting with limited ramp-up time.