Operations Manager

If you’re ambitious, love food, and want to be part of a company filled with opportunities, keep reading.

Marley Spoon is a direct-to-consumer manufacturing business with a waste free supply chain. We deliver top quality fresh ingredients in the exact quantities required with chef-designed easy-to-cook recipes, to thousands of households across the globe. Together we build brands customers love. Currently we operate various brands that are serving households in the US, Europe, and Australia: Marley Spoon, Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon, and Dinnerly.

So, ready to cook up an application?

Marley Spoon is now looking for a dynamic and experienced Operations Manager to lead and optimize our operations. This role is essential for ensuring efficient, high-quality production and seamless end-to-end processes across all operational functions. As the Operations Manager, you will play a key role in driving continuous improvement, optimizing material usage, enhancing production workflows, managing maintenance schedules, and ensuring excellence and support regarding packaging initiatives. Your leadership will be crucial in building a high-performing team and fostering a culture of safety, quality, and efficiency.

This is a full-time position for a 1 year contract contract.

Responsibilities

Operational & Strategic Leadership:

• Lead daily operations, ensuring alignment with organizational goals across production, quality, maintenance, materials, and packaging.
• Set and monitor performance metrics to ensure operational success, focusing on efficiency, productivity, and product quality.
• Establish and enforce standards across departments, fostering a commitment to safety, quality, and operational excellence.
• Prepare and present regular reports on operational performance, quality metrics, and improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate in strategic planning, advising on investments, resource allocation, and improvement opportunities.
• Drive budget adherence across departments, with a focus on balancing quality and cost efficiency.

Continuous Improvement & Lean Initiatives:

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to streamline processes and eliminate waste, utilizing Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies.

• Conduct root-cause analyses and implement solutions to resolve operational challenges, reducing cost and improving output quality.
• Lead initiatives to improve product quality and reliability, ensuring products meet both internal standards and customer expectations.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to establish and track quality metrics, identifying opportunities for continuous improvement and implementing best practices. Additionally, lead cross-functional projects to optimize workflows, minimize downtime and boost productivity.

Production, Packaging & Quality Management:

• Champion a quality-focused culture by embedding quality practices into all stages of operations.
• Oversee production schedules to ensure timely delivery of high-quality products.
• Oversee packaging processes to ensure quality, consistency, and compliance with safety and industry standards.
• Remain updated on innovations in packaging technology and regulatory changes, implementing improvements to enhance quality and sustainability.
• Collaborate closely with quality assurance teams to ensure adherence to regulatory and company quality standards, using data-driven approaches to detect and address quality issues proactively.

Maintenance & Equipment Reliability:

• Oversee preventive and corrective maintenance programs, ensuring all equipment is functioning optimally to minimize downtime.
• Work with the maintenance team to resolve equipment-related issues swiftly, maintaining seamless production flow.
• Keep updated on equipment upgrades and technologies to enhance productivity, safety, and quality.

Materials & Inventory Management:

• Ensure efficient and sustainable material usage, minimizing waste and managing inventory levels effectively.
• Coordinate with supply chain teams to ensure materials are available in alignment with production needs.
• Optimize materials usage and explore sustainable alternatives where possible to meet quality and cost goals.

• A degree in fields such as Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Business Administration, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in operations management, manufacturing, or supply chain roles, with progressive responsibility.
• Experience working in various functions (e.g., production, quality, maintenance, logistics) can provide valuable insights into the operations process.
• Familiarity with industry-standard software and tools (e.g., ERP systems, project management software, data analysis tools).
• Proficiency with Google Sheets, Microsoft, ERP/MRP and quality management software.
• Understanding of specific industry standards and regulations related to manufacturing, safety, and quality.
• Strong knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, and quality management methodologies.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills are essential for effective interaction with teams, stakeholders, and senior management.
• English fluency at a native (or equivalent) level.
• Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and develop strategies to improve operational efficiency and quality.
• Proven experience in leading teams and managing cross-functional projects, demonstrating strong leadership and people management skills..