Job Description
Job Description
2nd Shift Operations Manager
Location: Timonium, MD
Reports to: Director of Operations
Shift: Second Shift (Primary Leadership Presence on Off-Shift)
Range: $88,000 – $105,000 depending on leadership experience
Why This Role Exists
We are not hiring a shift supervisor.
We are hiring the person who will eventually help run the plant.
This position is the operational owner of second shift and the leadership extension of the Director of Operations. You will be responsible for delivering results through people, stabilizing performance, and building systems that scale. If successful, this role progresses into senior operations leadership within 2–4 years.
This role is for someone who wants responsibility, not just a schedule.
What You Will Own
Leadership
- Lead and develop shift leads and frontline employees into accountable operators
- Set performance expectations and enforce standards consistently
- Address attendance, behavior, and performance issues directly and professionally
- Build a team that can operate without constant supervision
- Serve as the acting plant leader during your shift
Operations Execution
- Deliver the production plan safely and predictably
- Run prep, baking, and packaging as one coordinated system
- Make real-time decisions when labor, materials, or equipment constraints occur
- Ensure clean shift handoffs and next-shift readiness
- Reduce chaos, firefighting, and last-minute schedule breakdowns
Systems & Metrics
- Manage performance using KPIs (throughput, yield, downtime, labor utilization)
- Identify problems early and escalate appropriately
- Maintain accurate production documentation and shift reporting
- Operate in an ERP-driven environment (SAP or similar mindset required)
Continuous Improvement
- Lead root cause investigations
- Eliminate recurring issues, not just fix them temporarily
- Improve line efficiency and labor usage over time
- Work cross-functionally with maintenance, quality, planning, and materials
Culture
- Create a predictable, professional work environment on second shift
- Set the tone for accountability and respect
- Develop future leaders from within the shift
- Build trust across shifts and departments
What Success Looks Like
- Production becomes predictable, not reactive
- The team runs standards without constant reminders
- Problems get solved permanently
- Other shifts trust your handoffs
- You become the obvious internal promotion candidate
Required Experience
- Leadership experience in manufacturing (food or high-volume production preferred)
- Proven ability to run operations independently
- Strong decision making under pressure
- Track record of improving performance, not just maintaining it
- Comfort holding people accountable
Strongly Preferred
- ERP production environment (SAP mindset strongly preferred)
- Multi-line or batch processing manufacturing
- Continuous improvement exposure (Lean, CI, problem solving systems)
- Experience managing off-shift teams
This role is best suited for a leader who wants to grow into plant leadership, not remain a career supervisor.
This role is essential to ensuring Michele’s Granola meets its production goals while upholding the highest standards of product quality, safety, and team performance. If you're a hands-on leader passionate about food production and building high-performing teams, we’d love to hear from you.
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