Director of Operations

Position Summary: KND Labs is seeking a highly organized, hands-on, and results-driven Director of Operations to lead and optimize daily operations across our manufacturing platform. This individual will play a critical leadership role in ensuring operational excellence, driving continuous improvement initiatives, maintaining compliance with quality and regulatory requirements, and supporting the company’s continued growth. The Director of Operations will oversee multiple departments, including Quality Control/Quality Assurance, Liquid Filling, Formulation, Powder Blending & Filling, Inventory Management, Fulfillment, and Shipping. This individual must be both strategic and operationally engaged, maintaining a strong presence with department leaders and production teams while ensuring alignment with company objectives, quality standards, and customer expectations. About KND LabsKND Labs is an industry leader in quality, certifications, and compliance, operating state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities spanning approximately 20,000 square feet, with continued expansion underway. We specialize in ingredient manufacturing and finished goods production for both human and animal health markets across food, dietary supplement, nutraceutical, functional wellness, and specialty ingredient categories. Our certifications and registrations include ISO 9001:2015, NSF, cGMP, Kosher, EU GMP Cosmetic, FDA Food Facility Registration, FDA Drug Establishment Registration, and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) manufacturing compliance. We are committed to delivering exceptional quality, regulatory excellence, and scalable manufacturing solutions for innovative brands throughout North America and beyond.

Essential Responsibilities: * Provide leadership and oversight for all manufacturing and operational departments.* Develop and maintain KPIs, production metrics, and operational reporting systems.* Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on efficiency, quality, throughput, and profitability.* Work closely with Quality, Regulatory, R&D, Sales, and Executive Leadership teams to ensure alignment and execution.* Ensure compliance with all applicable GMP, quality, safety, and regulatory requirements.* Lead capacity planning, workforce planning, and resource allocation initiatives.* Identify operational bottlenecks and implement scalable solutions.* Support facility expansion projects, equipment implementation, and process optimization efforts.* Develop, mentor, and strengthen department leadership teams.* Foster a culture of accountability, ownership, quality, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications: * 5–10+ years of operations leadership experience within food, dietary supplement, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, animal health, or related manufacturing environments.* Proven experience managing production teams and manufacturing operations.* Strong understanding of GMP-regulated environments and quality systems.* Experience with inventory management, production scheduling, and supply chain coordination.* Demonstrated ability to lead through growth, change, and operational complexity.* Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.* Excellent communication and leadership abilities.* Bachelor’s degree preferred but not required based on experience. Success Profile The ideal candidate is a builder, problem solver, and leader who thrives in fast-paced manufacturing environments. They are highly organized, comfortable making decisions, and passionate about developing teams and improving systems. Most importantly, they understand that operational excellence is achieved not from behind a desk, but through active engagement with department leaders, employees, and processes throughout the facility. This individual will be expected to maintain close working relationships with teams on the production floor while providing the strategic leadership necessary to help KND Labs continue its growth trajectory.