Director of Operations

About Schweid & Sons

Schweid & Sons is a family-owned and operated premium ground beef company with a proud heritage spanning four generations. We supply top-quality beef to Retail, Foodservice, and National Account customers across the U.S. and are committed to quality, customer service, and innovation in protein manufacturing.

About the Role

We’re looking for a proven Director of Operations ATL to lead our high-volume meat manufacturing facility in College Park, GA, that includes a unionized workforce. We’re seeking a strategic, hands-on leader who can deliver operational excellence, inspire teams, and drive results through a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

In this critical leadership position, you will oversee all aspects of production, maintenance, and warehouse operations, ensuring alignment with our corporate goals and regulatory requirements. You will lead a cross-functional team to meet and exceed KPIs related to safety, fill rate, yield, labor, cost, and quality, all while maintaining strong union relations and driving employee engagement. We’re looking for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, metric-driven environment and is passionate about developing talent and building a resilient, high-performance culture.

Essential Responsibilities

The essential job functions of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Lead full plant operations for the College Park, GA facility and drive performance in production, warehousing, and maintenance.
• Own and manage plant budgets and ensure alignment with financial targets (labor, yield, plant expenses).
• Ensure the facility meets or exceeds a 99.75% case fill rate by achieving daily/weekly production attainment goals.
• Oversee execution of the production schedule to maximize labor and equipment utilization while maintaining customer service levels.
• Ensure products meet the highest quality and food safety standards to exceed customer expectations.
• Champion readiness and compliance for all quality audits and customer visits.
• Communicate and coordinate production requirements and performance with contracted maintenance and sanitation departments to maximize uptime and line efficiency.
• Implement a continuous improvement strategy and actions to accomplish plant production and warehousing goals.
• Develop and activate contingency plans during unplanned downtime or operational disruptions.
• Foster strong working relationships with cross-functional partners in Sales, Finance, and Supply Chain
• Responsible for the selection, development, and performance management of 3–5 direct reports and a larger team of hourly associates.
• Makes sure new policies and programs are being followed.
• Ensure proper documentation and records are maintained in accordance with established regulatory, company, or plant requirements, including downtime collection, batching data, & training documentation.

Lead daily and weekly team huddles to review performance metrics, align goals, and drive action.

• Be a champion for coaching, development, and accountability of all team members in the facility.
• This role requires >50% of work on production floor while standing on your feet for multiple hours throughout the day.
• Travel expectation 5-10%
• Other tasks and projects may be assigned.

What You Bring

Experience

• 10 years of food/beverage manufacturing experience required, with 3 years in fresh, short shelf-life manufacturing/warehousing leadership experience preferred.
• 5 years protein experience, 3 years of ground beef experience
• Familiarity with quality systems, food safety protocols, and regulatory compliance (USDA, OSHA, etc.)
• Experience leading plant-wide teams in high-throughput operations.
• Ability to navigate through Microsoft Software (Teams, Excel, Power BI, etc.)

Core Competencies

• Business and financial Acumen - Strong understanding of plant cost drivers (labor, market cost/lb.), budgeting, and P&L decision-making.
• Strategic Execution - Ability to translate corporate goals into actionable operational plans.
• Talent Development - Skilled in building high-performing teams through coaching, training, and succession planning.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration - Works effectively with HR, Quality, Maintenance, and Supply Chain teams.
• Continuous Improvement - Experience with “Lean Manufacturing” and driving plant-wide efficiency initiatives.

Leadership & Communication - Clear, confident communicator with the ability to influence at all levels. Strategic thinker who ensures day-to-day execution aligns with broader company goals and is understood across all levels of the organization. Comfortable utilizing tools such as PowerPoint and other visual aids for communication.

• Accountability - Demonstrates strong follow-through and holds team members accountable to high standards of safety, quality, and performance. Enforces policies and SOPs consistently and ensures that compliance and best practices are embedded in the facilities’ daily routines.

Personality Traits

• Hands-on and action-oriented: Willing to get into the details and lead by example.
• Data-driven: Uses KPIs and metrics to measure success and guide decisions.
• People-focused leader: Invests in team development and drives a culture of engagement and ownership.
• Adaptable and calm under pressure: Excels in fast-paced, high-change environments.
• Solutions-oriented: Quickly identifies challenges and develops effective, scalable solutions.
• Integrity-driven: Holds self and others accountable to high ethical and performance standards.

What We Offer

• Time Off: PTO, Safe & Sick Time, and Paid Holidays.
• Health Benefits: Medical, vision, dental, HRA and voluntary disability benefits.
• Financial Benefits: 401(k) employer match and life insurance.
• Location: This is an on-site role located in College Park, GA.
• Environment: Our facility is refrigerated. In this role you will be exposed to < 40 degrees for multiple hours of the day.