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Food and Beverage Executive Search in Production and Operations
Bristol Associates’ Food & Beverage Manufacturing division is a leader in placing top candidates in production & operations management and executive positions in food industry jobs nationwide. Our practice recruits for Retail including consumer packaged foods within grocery, club, mass merchandise, drug and specialty channels. In addition, we also specialize in Food Service and Industrial Ingredients. Our practice is led by Vice President David Alford.
Featured Clients
We have completed searches for a wide array of industry clients including:
- Amy’s Kitchen
- Odwalla Juices (Coca-Cola)
- Ready Pac Produce
- Monster Beverage Co.
- POM Wonderful
- Rich Foods
- Natural Balance (Big Heart Pet Products)
- Unilever–Best Foods
Examples of Positions Placed
Our Food and Beverage Division has placed successful candidates in a variety of Production & Operations positions including VP Operations, Operations Director, Plant Manager and Production Manager.
Below is a sampling of positions placed.
Vice President of Operations
The placed candidate led a team of 750 employees in a $145MM company. They improved manufacturing, purchasing, inventory control, distribution, engineering, and research and development. They also enhanced customer service functions to supply a full range of premium-quality high-margin items in an emerging category.
Operations Director
The candidate is accountable for all manufacturing and warehousing operations for two manufacturing plants and five warehouses. They direct eleven managers in a non-union environment with 800 employees, and produced $150MM in sales with annual double-digit top-line increases.
Plant Manager
The placed candidate modified and documented processing procedures and implemented direct purchasing of raw materials from newly selected suppliers, resulting in substantially lowered costs. They also designed and installed processing equipment and developed a safety program which reduced workers compensation claims to less than $1,000 over two years. Additionally, they developed and implemented long, medium, and short -term manufacturing plans, created an annual operating budget, and established strategies to achieve business objectives.
Qualities of a Great Plant Operations and Production Executive
With over 50 years of experience placing food and beverage executives, we know what makes a great Plant Operations and Production executive. Below are some of the qualities and experience we look for:
- Experience in capacity planning and control, supply chain management, and new product and service development
- Ability to manage technology, projects, and quality for operations
- Demonstrated track record in human resource management in operations and managing technological and organizational change
- Demonstrated track record in operations strategy, planning, scheduling, and control
- Ability to successfully implement plant location, design, and layout
- Proven track record with supplier and customer relationship management
- Demonstrated attention to sustainability
Division Leader
