Position Overview
The Director of Manufacturing & Commercialization is responsible for leading the successful launch and ongoing performance of products across a network of co-manufacturing partners. This role sits at the intersection of Product Development, Operations, and Supply Chain, driving commercialization, sourcing, and manufacturing strategy.
This individual will act as a manufacturing expert and key technical resource, supporting scale-up and troubleshooting, while partnering closely with the Product Development Manager who owns formulation. The focus of this role is execution, co-manufacturer performance, and building a scalable manufacturing network.
Key Responsibilities
Commercialization & Launch Execution
- Lead end-to-end commercialization of new products from pilot through full-scale production
- Project manage all new item launches, ensuring timelines, costs, and deliverables are met
- Partner with the Product Development Manager to support scale-up and ensure manufacturability
- Coordinate plant trials, first productions, and post-launch optimization
Co-Manufacturer Sourcing & Management
- Identify, evaluate, and onboard new co-manufacturing partners based on capability, capacity, and cost
- Build and manage strong relationships with co-mans to drive accountability and performance
- Serve as a key operational and technical partner during trials and production
- Support negotiations around pricing, capabilities, and production requirements
Manufacturing Strategy
- Develop and execute manufacturing strategies aligned with growth, cost targets, and capacity needs
- Advise on equipment capabilities and potential investments to improve efficiency and scalability
- Evaluate trade-offs between co-man vs. internal capabilities where applicable
Cost, Procurement & Efficiency
- Support procurement efforts across ingredients and packaging in partnership with Supply Chain
- Contribute to product costing, margin optimization, and pricing discussions with co-manufacturers
- Identify and execute cost-saving opportunities through process improvements and sourcing
Technical Support & Troubleshooting
- Act as a manufacturing expert to support scale-up and ongoing production
- Troubleshoot issues related to yield, throughput, and product performance
- Partner with co-mans to implement practical, scalable solutions
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner closely with Product Development Manager to ensure smooth handoff to manufacturing
- Collaborate with Quality to ensure alignment on food safety and compliance standards
- Work with Supply Chain on production planning, capacity, and inventory strategy
- Serve as a central connector between internal teams and external manufacturing partners
Qualifications
- 8–12+ years of experience in food manufacturing, commercialization, or co-manufacturer management
- Proven experience sourcing and managing co-manufacturers
- Strong track record of launching and scaling food products
- Solid understanding of food manufacturing processes (frying, baking, forming, freezing, etc.)
- Experience in frozen or refrigerated CPG strongly preferred
- Experience with cost modeling, pricing, and procurement support
- Strong project management and cross-functional skills
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Engineering, or related field preferred
Additional Requirements
- Position is based out of the New York City office
- Travel required up to 50%
