Vice President of Operations bei Prime Source Foods

Description

Prime Source Foods, the Northeast’s premier food distributor providing center-of-the-plate proteins and provisions, is currently seeking a highly qualified Vice President of Operations for a dynamic role leading our distribution operations in New England. This role is based in our state-of-the-art facility in Londonderry, NH.

The Vice President of Operations (VP OPS) will lead and oversee the operational performance of Prime Source Foods, ensuring excellence in service delivery, safety, efficiency, and profitability. This executive role will be responsible for developing and executing strategic initiatives, optimizing distribution operations, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability. The VP OPS will play a critical role in scaling operations, driving innovation, and supporting growth across a multi-site organization.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement short- and long-term operational strategies aligned with company goals and growth targets.
• Lead efforts to expand distribution capacity, territory coverage, and infrastructure.
• Establish and manage key performance indicators (KPIs) to track and improve operational efficiency, safety, customer satisfaction, and financial performance.

Operational Oversight 

• Partner with the OpCo leadership on all aspects of food distribution operations across multiple locations, including warehousing, transportation, logistics, inventory, procurement, and fleet management.
• Standardize and improve processes across cross-functional departments to ensure consistency in quality, compliance, and service delivery.
• Implement food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance programs in accordance with FDA, USDA, and other relevant agencies.
• Shape company’s operational direction through operational insights, market data, and performance metrics.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and implement systems that improve visibility, automation, and efficiency across the organization.
• Develop scalable systems, teams, and infrastructure to support expansion.

Team Leadership & Development

• Provide leadership and mentor a high-performing operations leadership team.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement and safety.
• Champion professional development, succession planning, and employee engagement across operations teams.
• Develop talent through coaching, training, and succession planning.
• Mentor and coach department heads and promote cross-functional alignment.

Financial Management

• Partner with OpCo leadership to develop and manage operational budgets, control costs, and drive profitability through smart resource allocation and waste reduction.
• Identify and implement cost-saving opportunities, process improvements, and operational efficiencies.
• Evaluate and justify capital expenditures for facility upgrades, technology, and equipment.
• Partner with Finance to track operational expenses, ROI on capital investments, and cost-saving initiatives.

Technology & Innovation

• Lead operational digital transformation, including implementation of ERP and warehouse management systems & related technologies including, but not limited to, Demand Planning, ELDs, Geo-Fence applications, Route Optimization programs, and CRM.
• Leverage data and analytics to inform decisions and drive performance improvements.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Food Science or related field, or equivalent experience; Master’s degree or equivalent advanced degree preferred.
• 10-15 years of progressive leadership experience in operations, logistics or supply chain in food distribution, food service or consumer packaged goods sectors.
• Demonstrated success leading large-scale, multi-site teams in fast-paced, high-volume environments with a proven track record of managing teams, scaling operations and driving growth. 
• Deep understanding of food industry compliance, safety standards, cold chain, and perishable inventory management.
• Strong financial acumen, with experience managing budgets and driving operational efficiencies.
• Proven ability to lead teams through change, integrate acquisitions, and scale operations in a growth environment.
• Experience with ERP and warehouse management systems & related technologies including, but not limited to, Demand Planning, ELDs, Geo-Fence applications, Route Optimization programs, and CRM.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong background across sales, customer service, logistics, inventory, warehousing, and supply chain. 
• Strategic thinker with strong executional capabilities.
• Data-driven decision-making and analytical acumen.
• Excellent leadership, interpersonal and communication skills. 
• Ability to build relationships at all levels of the organization.

 Core Competencies:

• Operational Excellence: Deep understanding of distribution, logistics, supply chain, and warehouse best practices. Track record of driving efficiency, process standardization, and continuous improvement across multi-site operations.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Skilled at working with executive peers (e.g., Sales, Finance, HR, Procurement) to align goals and drive enterprise-wide initiatives. Able to navigate matrixed or multi-brand environments effectively.
• Strategic Thinking & Execution: Ability to develop and translate high-level business strategy into actional operational plans and KPIs. Skilled at aligning operations with business objectives to support growth, scalability, and profitability. Experience with expansion into new markets, M&A integration, or facility rollouts.
• Leadership & People Development: Strong leadership presence with ability to inspire, engage, and develop high-performing teams. Skilled in change management, performance management, and building a culture of accountability, empowerment, and continuous improvement.
• Financial & Business Acumen: Proficient in P&L management with strong understanding of cost structures, margins, and operational levers for profitability. Experience in budgeting, forecasting, and managing large operational P&Ls. Ability to assess ROI on capital and technology investments. Ability to make data-driven decisions to improve margins and operational KPIs.
• Food Industry & Regulatory Knowledge: Comprehensive knowledge food safety standards (e.g., FDA, USDA, HACCP, SQF, etc.). Understanding of industry-specific regulations, traceability, and product recall procedures. Knowledge of customer requirements in food service, retail, and institutional markets. Experience leading compliance and safety audits, including training programs and continuous monitoring.
• Customer & Service Orientation: Focused on delivering consistent, high-quality service to customers and internal stakeholders. Ability to identify and scale new business segments that align with the company’s profitability goals. Commitment to service excellence and reliability in customer fulfillment. Understands how operational reliability impacts customer satisfaction and retention. 
• Supply Chain & Inventory Management: Expertise in demand planning, procurement, cold chain logistics, and perishable goods handling. Strong command of inventory accuracy, shrink control, and replenishment optimization.
• Technology & Systems Proficiency: Proficiency in ERP, WMS, and related technologies including, but not limited to, Demand Planning, ELDs, Geo-Fence applications, Route Optimization programs, and CRM. Able to leverage technology for automation, visibility, and performance tracking. Data-driven decision-making mindset, using dashboards, metrics, and automation.
• Adaptability & Resilience: Thrives in dynamic, fast-paced environments with frequent change, acquisitions, or seasonal demand shifts. Demonstrates composure, decisiveness, and adaptability under pressure.
• Communication and Influence: Demonstrates exceptional communication skills and the ability to influence at all levels, both internally and externally, to drive alignment, inspire action, gain buy-in for initiatives, change efforts and resource allocations to support business goals. Tailors messaging to different audiences to ensure clarity and impact. Builds strong, trust-based relationships with internal teams, suppliers, vendors and customers. Acts as a visible and credible leader during change, uncertainty, or operational disruption.