Director of Operations

Who we are: The Human Connection is a company built by people that are passionate about cannabis and community, and dedicated to bringing quality, value, and education to the east coast cannabis market. We care about our employees, our products, and our consumers. While we are committed to working hard and doing our best, we also recognize the importance of a healthy work/life balance.

As a company, we are growing fast and are looking for employees who share our passions and priorities.

Who you are: You’re a seasoned operations professional with a data-driven approach and strong Lean manufacturing mindset. You excel in fast-moving environments, bring structure and consistency to complex processes, and use metrics to guide performance. You lead with clarity and accountability, drive continuous improvement, and bring teams with you as you elevate standards. You follow through on commitments, take initiative, and are eager to contribute to a growing, mission-driven company.

Job Summary

The Director of Operations leads day-to-day execution across cultivation, extraction, manufacturing, and packaging to ensure operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and efficiency at our licensed cannabis facility. This leader translates strategy into disciplined execution and drives continuous improvement initiatives to support growth and scalability.

Working as a key member of the leadership team, the Director of Operations ensures that people, processes, and systems are aligned to meet performance targets, maintain regulatory compliance, and deliver high-quality products consistently and efficiently.

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead and develop department heads across cultivation, processing, and production, creating a culture of accountability, safety, and performance.
• Establish structured communication rhythms including daily huddles, weekly metrics reviews, and monthly planning sessions.
• Evaluate and coach managers and supervisors to strengthen leadership capability and drive consistent execution.
• Build staffing plans and partner with HR to recruit and retain high-performing team members.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, safety, and compliance across all operational teams.

Compliance & Quality Assurance

• Ensure full adherence to Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) regulations and maintain audit-ready operations at all times.
• Oversee METRC compliance, seed-to-sale inventory integrity, and corrective action processes for discrepancies.
• Maintain a disciplined document control system and ensure all SOPs are current, accurate, and consistently implemented.
• Champion a proactive quality culture focused on preventing deviations, ensuring sanitation, and delivering product consistency.
• Lead operational readiness for regulatory inspections, internal audits, and third-party assessments.

Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement

• Champion Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies to enhance throughput, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
• Analyze workflows to identify opportunities to reduce waste, improve cycle times, and strengthen process capability.
• Oversee integration, accuracy, and utilization of operational systems including METRC, ERP platforms, and internal dashboards.
• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) efforts and implement corrective and preventative actions (CAPA).
• Monitor and refine production schedules and capacity planning to ensure consistent product availability and operational flow.

Financial & Operational Performance

• Own facility P&L performance, including production budgets, labor utilization, and cost-of-goods targets.
• Collaborate with Finance and Sales to forecast production needs and align operational capacity with demand.
• Drive cost-control initiatives, inventory efficiency, and yield optimization across all production verticals.
• Provide accurate, timely operational and financial reporting to the executive team to support data-driven decisions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Sales and Manufacturing to ensure production plans align with wholesale demand, timelines, and product mix.
• Coordinate teams to scale new products into full production efficiently and compliantly.
• Maintain clear, consistent communication across departments to support smooth handoffs, project execution, and issue resolution.
• Ensure all operational teams have the tools, training, and support required to meet performance expectations and regulatory requirements.

Required Skills & Experience

• Minimum 5–7 years of leadership experience in manufacturing, pharmaceutical, food/beverage, or another regulated industry.
• Minimum 3 years of leadership experience in cannabis manufacturing or cultivation strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to manage complex operations with direct and indirect reports.
• Deep understanding of cannabis operations including cultivation, extraction, and infused product manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of METRC, ERP systems, and data-driven operations management.
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement frameworks.
• Strong communication, leadership, and decision-making skills.
• Proficiency in Asana or comparable project management software, Google Suite and operational analytics tools.
• Must be at least 21 years of age.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• Experience leading vertically integrated cannabis operations.
• Track record of scaling operations or leading multi-site environments.

Benefits

• Competitive salary performance-based bonuses
• Health, dental, vision insurance, flexible savings plan
• Paid time off and holidays
• 401(k)

Pay: $90,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $90,000 - $120,000