Chief Operating Officer Recruitment
Chief Operating Officer Recruitment for US Food Manufacturing
A COO in US food manufacturing has to deliver plant performance, food safety, capital deployment, and people development at the same time — across multiple sites, often multiple business units, and under sustained margin pressure. Our COO search identifies operationally credible leaders with EBITDA-improvement track records and the regulatory fluency required for FDA, USDA, and customer-audited environments.
Typical Requirements:
15+ years operations leadership in US food manufacturing. Multi-site P&L ownership at $100M+ scale. Track record of EBITDA improvement and OEE expansion. Capital project execution and capacity build-outs. Comfortable in FDA, USDA, and GFSI-audited environments. Strong on safety culture, food safety, and labor relations. MBA or equivalent operating depth preferred. PE-backed or family-owned experience a strong plus.
Base Salary Ranges (2026):
Northeast: $300,000 – $450,000Midwest: $260,000 – $400,000Southeast: $250,000 – $375,000West Coast: $310,000 – $475,000Add 30–50% target bonus, 401(k) match, full benefits, and meaningful LTI / equity at PE-backed firms.
Typical Benefits:
Annual bonus 30–50%. 401(k) with 4–6% employer match. Full medical, dental, and vision. Life and disability insurance. 20–30 days PTO. Relocation and sign-on package. RSUs, performance shares, or LTI participation at PE-backed and pre-IPO firms. Executive coaching budget.
Sectors We Recruit For:
Bakery and Snacks. Dairy and Cheese. Meat, Poultry, and Seafood. Ready Meals and Refrigerated Foods. Frozen Foods. Beverages and Functional Drinks. Confectionery. Plant-Based and Alternative Protein. Pet Food. Ingredients and Co-Manufacturing.
Why Our Search Works:
COOs in US food manufacturing operate at the intersection of margin, food safety, and people — every quarter. Our candidates have direct, recent experience leading multi-site operations through PE ownership transitions, capacity expansions, recall events, and customer-audit cycles. Every COO placement is backed by Williams365 — a full 12 months of protection covering at least one complete operating year before the guarantee expires.
Recent Placements:
Group COO — National Snacks Manufacturer, 6 plants ($600M revenue, EBITDA up 280bps in year one)COO — PE-backed Frozen Foods Platform (post-acquisition operations integration across 3 newly acquired sites)VP Operations stepping into COO — Family-owned Bakery Group, 4 sites ($180M revenue, full continuous-improvement turnaround)COO — Plant-Based Protein Manufacturer ($95M revenue, scale-up from startup to at-scale commercial operation)
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