SVP of Ops

well-established ingredient juice processor operating out of Tulare, California - one of the most concentrated agricultural corridors in the country. We process citrus, stone fruit, pomegranate, kiwi, and specialty co-products including essential oils and essences, serving a national customer base across industrial ingredient channels. We're in an active growth phase - investing in capital expansion, building toward investment-grade operational standards, and assembling the leadership infrastructure to get there. We have strong plant-level talent in place and a Q4 2026 citrus line expansion coming online. What we need is an experienced operator who can step into the gap between ownership and the plant floor: own the budget, build the structure, drive performance, and help position this company for its next chapter.

This business operates in a supply-driven market where raw material costs and finished goods demand can be shaped by global forces - crop shortages, tariffs, logistics costs, and commodity volatility. The right leader understands that dynamic and knows how to run a processing operation that stays profitable and responsive regardless of what the market hands them. The right candidate will see this clearly: a well-capitalized processing business with all the ingredients for significant growth - and the room to build something. Title and compensation will reflect the experience and scope you bring.

Core Responsibilities

Financial & Budget Ownership

• Own and manage the annual plant production budget - build it, defend it, and perform against it
• Drive gross margin improvement through yield targeting, cost discipline, and value-added recovery - particularly citrus essence and oils
• Conduct ongoing risk-based analysis to prioritize capital allocation and operational investment decisions
• Report financial performance to ownership with clarity and regularity
  
  

Operations & Production Leadership

• Oversee all production operations across seasonal lines including citrus, stone fruit, pomegranate, kiwi, and toll processing
• Drive plant efficiency, throughput performance, and downtime reduction against established KPIs and historical baselines
• Lead labor management strategy - scheduling, cost control, and productivity optimization
• Champion quality systems, yield targeting, and rework minimization across all product lines
  
  

Supply Chain Integration

• Serve as the operational bridge between raw material supply and finished goods production - translating supply chain realities into actionable plant scheduling and budget decisions
• Coordinate closely with brokers and third-party supply partners; ownership maintains direct vertical relationships in the industry that require active management and alignment
• Monitor market dynamics - crop availability, tariffs, logistics costs, commodity pricing - and translate exposure into plant-level risk mitigation strategies
• Align raw material procurement timing with seasonal production windows to optimize yield, quality, and cost performance
  
  

Qualifications

Required

• 8 years of progressive operational leadership in food manufacturing - ingredient processing, juice, or beverage strongly preferred
• Demonstrated P&L ownership and budget management in a production environment
• Proven experience managing capital projects from planning through commissioning
• Strong labor management background - scheduling, cost control, and workforce development
• Experience integrating supply chain inputs with production planning and commercial commitments
• Ability to operate effectively as both an operator and a cross-functional integrator in a lean, entrepreneurial environment Preferred
• Direct experience in citrus, juice, or industrial ingredient processing
• Familiarity with organic certification requirements and quality compliance systems
• Experience with value-added co-product recovery (essential oils, essences, or similar)
  
  

All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, age, color, sex (including pregnancy), religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable laws or regulations.

GPAC (Growing People and Companies) is an award-winning search firm specializing in placing quality professionals within multiple industries across the United States since 1990. We are extremely competitive, client-focused and realize that our value is in our ability to deliver the right solutions at the right time.