Director of Operations

At izzio Artisan Bakery, we believe great bread starts with great ingredients—and great people. As the #1 selling and fastest-growing sourdough brand, we craft our bread in small batches using time-honored techniques, simple ingredients, and a passion for quality. Naturally fermented and incredibly delicious, izzio is real artisan sourdough. Our team is at the heart of everything we do—and a key ingredient in our success.

We are looking for a results-driven and experienced Director of Operations to lead and optimize all aspects of our new commercial bakery’s production in Thornton. This key leadership role is responsible for overseeing daily operations, improving efficiency, ensuring quality standards, and supporting strategic growth initiatives. The ideal candidate brings a strong background in food manufacturing, a deep understanding of operational best practices, and a passion for building high-performing teams in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.

General Summary

The Director of Operations provides leadership and develops the abilities of the management team to achieve consistent production of high-quality products and deliver financial profitability for the bakery. Plans, directs, monitors, and coordinates through department managers and supervisors overall bakery operations activities, which include production, packaging, sanitation, and continuous improvement to achieve consistent production of high-quality products and deliver financial profitability for the bakery.

Essential Functions

• Establishes operational objectives and assignments. Delegates assignments to managers and ensures managers are accountable for the assignments.
• Develop and implement operating procedures that maximize efficiencies and control variances in daily production performance.
• Review current/establish KPI’s and analyze results of the department, determine variances from standard, and take corrective action as needed.
• Oversees the coordination and scheduling of production to meet demand levels.
• Develop procedures for inspecting, troubleshooting, and assessing any equipment problems.
• Supports Continuous Improvement programs.
• Ensure compliance with all safety, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), regulatory, and company policies.
• Perform plant walkthroughs, investigate problem areas, determine cause, and mitigate to ensure policy conformance.
• Ensure the department performs within budgeted operating standards.
• Resolve variances (waste, specs, labor utilization).
• Lead, as a role model, with integrity and empathy, communicate clear expectations, and consistently hold staff accountable to established performance standards. Manage co-workers to produce defined results. Provide timely and effective training, feedback, coaching, mentoring, and performance evaluation to drive excellence.
• Coordinates the selection, motivation, and development of the employees for the department to ensure all positions are highly staffed and future management is developed.
• Performs other duties as assigned to support the overall success of the team and organization.

Reports to: COO

Location: Thornton Facility

Compensation is based on the level of experience, other relevant experience, and the requirements of the position. The range provided serves only as a guideline and does not automatically qualify all candidates (internal or external) for the high end of the range.

Compensation Range - $125,000.00 to $155,000

Skills and Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations Management, Food Science, or related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and relevant experience will be considered.
• A minimum of 8 years or more years of experience in a high-volume food production environment with at least 5 years’ experience in an operations management position.
• Microsoft Office, Access, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook, educated and proficient.
• Proven experience successfully leading large, diverse operations teams in a fast-paced food manufacturing or bakery environment.
• Hands-on leadership style with a strong presence on the floor; leads by example and actively engages with team members to drive performance.
• Demonstrated ability to build, develop, and retain high-performing teams through coaching, mentorship, and clear accountability.
• Strong operational acumen with a focus on driving efficiency, productivity, and continuous improvement.
• Skilled in implementing and sustaining Lean Manufacturing principles, KPI management, and standardized work systems.
• Ability to create a positive, performance-driven culture that encourages teamwork, ownership, and open communication.
• Experience leading production planning, inventory management, and labor optimization to meet demand and cost targets.
• Track record of improving operational performance while maintaining high standards in food safety, quality, and compliance.
• Strong collaboration skills to work cross-functionally with engineering, quality, planning, maintenance, and HR teams.
• Deep understanding of regulatory requirements, including GMP, OSHA, FDA, and food safety certifications (SQF, BRC, etc.).
• Excellent problem-solving, decision-making, and conflict-resolution skills in high-pressure environments.
• Comfortable working in a dynamic and growing organization, with the flexibility to adapt quickly to change.

Physical Demands and Environmental Conditions

• In this position, there is a lot of walking, standing, and bending.
• Must be able to stand for prolonged periods of time.
• There is exposure to extreme temperatures (cold and hot).
• There is exposure to dust and food allergens.
• Personal protective Equipment is available upon request, but is not required for this position.
• Lifting to 50 pounds unassisted frequently.