JOB TITLE: OPERATIONS SPECIALIST
Job Type: Full-Time
Department: Operations
Reports To: Production Manager
FLSA Status: Exempt (salaried)
Compensation Range: $80,000 – $92,000 annually, depending on qualifications and experience.
Summary:
The Operations Specialist serves as a key operational leader responsible for supporting and coordinating daily operations across the farm, packing house, warehouse, maintenance, and office environments.
This position partners closely with the Production Manager and Operations leadership team to ensure efficient production flow, inventory control, purchasing, equipment readiness, workplace safety, food safety compliance, and continuous operational improvement.
The Operations Specialist provides leadership and direction to assigned operational personnel, including maintenance staff and other support team members as assigned. This role is responsible for coordinating resources, supporting operational planning, maintaining inventory systems, overseeing purchasing activities, improving operational workflows, and driving communication and accountability across departments.
The ideal candidate is bilingual in English and Spanish, highly organized, resourceful, mechanically inclined, and comfortable working in both office and production environments. This position exercises independent judgment in operational decision-making, workflow prioritization, inventory management, vendor coordination, staffing support, and process improvement initiatives.
This position is designed as a developmental leadership role with opportunities for advancement into broader operational management responsibilities.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
LEADERSHIP & PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
- Provide day-to-day leadership and direction to assigned maintenance personnel and operational support staff.
- Assist management with hiring, onboarding, training, coaching, and employee development activities.
- Coordinate daily work assignments and staffing priorities to meet operational objectives.
- Monitor employee performance and provide ongoing feedback to support accountability and continuous improvement.
- Promote compliance with company policies, food safety requirements, safety procedures, and operational standards.
- Support workforce development and employee training initiatives.
- Assist in resolving operational issues, workflow challenges, and cross-department communication needs.
- Serve as a leadership resource for frontline employees and support a culture of safety, accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
OPERATIONS COORDINATION
- Lead daily operational coordination activities across the farm, packing house, warehouse, maintenance, and office environments.
- Coordinate operational planning and workflow activities with the Production Manager and Operations leadership team.
- Maintain efficient communication and collaboration between departments.
- Monitor operational needs and proactively address supply, staffing, equipment, or process gaps.
- Coordinate operational workflows to minimize downtime and production interruptions.
Analyze operational challenges and recommend practical solutions to improve productivity and efficiency.
- Assist in developing and maintaining operational procedures, work instructions, and process documentation.
- Support both conventional and organic mushroom production operations while maintaining required separation and compliance standards.
- Assist with implementation of operational improvement projects and continuous improvement initiatives.
INVENTORY, PURCHASING & RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
- Lead inventory tracking, purchasing coordination, and resource planning activities for:
- PPE and employee safety supplies
- Farm supplies and operational materials
- Packaging materials and consumables
- Warehouse operational supplie
- Cleaning and sanitation products
- Maintenance materials and equipment
- Laboratory testing supplies and related operational materials
- Maintain accurate inventory counts, inventory records, and inventory control systems.
- Monitor inventory levels and usage trends to reduce shortages, waste, and overstock situations.
- Coordinate purchasing activities and vendor relationships to ensure timely delivery of materials and supplies.
- Evaluate purchasing needs and provide recommendations to management regarding inventory levels and vendor performance.
- Lead receiving, organization, and tracking of incoming deliveries, materials, and equipment.
- Maintain organized storage areas and inventory systems throughout operational departments.
WORKPLACE SAFETY, FOOD SAFETY & COMPLIANCE
- Maintain a safe, clean, and organized work environment across all operational areas.
- Monitor PPE inventory and ensure employee safety supplies remain adequately stocked.
- Support workplace safety, food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance initiatives.
- Maintain compliance with OSHA, GMP, GAP, food safety, sanitation, organic certification, and company safety standards.
- Identify safety concerns, operational risks, equipment issues, or compliance concerns and communicate them promptly to management.
- Support implementation and monitoring of sanitation procedures, cleaning programs, and corrective actions.
- Maintain food safety, operational, compliance, inventory, and training documentation.
- Support organic integrity, material segregation, traceability, and certification compliance requirements.
- Participate in audits, inspections, and compliance verification activities as required.
OPERATIONAL REPORTING & ANALYSIS
- Maintain operational reports, inventory records, purchasing data, and performance tracking tools.
- Analyze operational data and identify opportunities for efficiency improvements.
- Assist leadership with KPI tracking, operational reporting, and performance monitoring.
- Develop and maintain spreadsheets, reports, and operational dashboards utilizing Microsoft Excel and other business systems.
DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY
This position exercises independent judgment regarding operational priorities, inventory management, purchasing recommendations, workflow coordination, vendor communications, staffing support, process improvements, and resource allocation while operating within established company policies and objectives.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bilingual in English and Spanish strongly preferred.
- Strong Microsoft Excel skills required, including formulas, reporting, analysis, and data management.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office
- Strong organizational, planning, and multitasking skills.
- Excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving abilities.
- Mechanical aptitude and experience working around production, warehouse, agricultural, packaging, or manufacturing equipment preferred.
- Ability to identify operational and equipment issues and communicate maintenance needs effectively.
- Experience in operations, agriculture, food production, manufacturing, warehouse operations, inventory management, purchasing, or related environments preferred.
- Familiarity with GMP, GAP, OSHA, food safety, sanitation, inventory control, and regulatory compliance programs preferred.
- Experience supervising or leading employees preferred.
- Experience with inventory management systems, ERP systems, or operational reporting tools preferred.
- Ability to maintain accurate records, reports, and inventory systems.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
SCHEDULE & WORK ENVIRONMENT
- Typical work schedule is Monday through Friday.
- Participation in a rotating Saturday coverage schedule shared among Operations leadership team members to support ongoing production and operational requirements.
- As an exempt leadership position, the Operations Specialist is expected to work the hours necessary to effectively fulfill the responsibilities of the role and support business operations.
- Additional evening, weekend, holiday, and emergency operational support may be required based on production schedules, equipment issues, staffing needs, audits, or other business demands.
- Combination of office, warehouse, packing house, maintenance, and farm environments.
- Exposure to varying temperatures, humidity, refrigeration, and agricultural production conditions.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Ability to lift up to 50 pounds as needed.
- Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
- Ability to bend, reach, climb, and move throughout operational environments.
- Ability to work in humid, refrigerated, and agricultural production environments.
- Ability to safely use basic warehouse, operational, and material-handling equipment.
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change atany time with or without notice.
An Equal Opportunity Employer EOE M/W/VET/DISABLE
Pay: $80,000.00 - $92,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- How many employees have you directly supervised?
- How manu years do you have in Food production, Agriculture/ Farming?
- Describe your experience troubleshooting or working around production, packaging, warehouse, agricultural, or manufacturing equipment.
- Have you been responsible for inventory management, purchasing, or ordering supplies?
- Are you able to communicate effectively in both English and Spanish in a workplace environment?
Work Location: In person
