Operations Manager (Tempo)

Overview

Founded in 2013, Home Chef is the leading meal solutions company with both a retail and online presence. Available online at homechef.com and in retail at more than 2,100 Kroger grocery stores, Home Chef is committed to inspiring and enabling more people to cook simple, delicious meals, no matter how busy they are. In 2023, Home Chef introduced a new brand, Tempo! Tempo features a rotating selection of ready-to-heat meals delivered directly to your door. These meals are better-for-you versions of familiar favorites, designed to save you time and reduce stress while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Our Tempo menu includes options that are protein-packed, fiber-rich, calorie and carb conscious, keto-friendly, and dietitian-approved.

Responsibilities

• Oversee Tempo Production and Kitchen Operations
• Ensure seamless execution of all RTH production operations, including prep, cooking, cooling, portioning, traying, sealing, and labeling.
• Cookery and production professionals including Executive Chefs and Production Kitchen Supervisors.
• Lead and Develop Cross-Functional Teams
• Directly manage Executive Chef and Production Kitchen Manager.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and professional development across kitchen and production teams.
• Foster a high-performance culture rooted in collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Drive strong communication across shifts and departments by ensuring huddles and daily communications are completed effectively.
• Drive Quality, Food Safety, and Compliance
• Ensure strict compliance with food safety programs (GMP, HACCP, SQF).
• Champion a “Safety First, Quality Always” culture across shifts.
• Act as escalation point for quality and food safety concerns, coordinating with Quality and FSQA teams.
• Partner with Corporate Teams
• Collaborate with R&D chefs to support recipe rollouts, menu improvements, and ingredient transitions.
• Partner with Procurement to address sourcing issues and ingredient changes.
• Align with HR, Quality, and Engineering on process and system improvements.
• Reporting, Tracking, and Continuous Improvement
• Own daily/weekly reporting of production KPIs, team performance, and quality metrics.
• Utilize Progress Tracker and other tools to track batch data, yields, and line performance.
• Identify process gaps and lead implementation of SOPs and efficiencies with Continuous Improvement.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of leadership experience in high-volume food production, culinary operations, or manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of HACCP and SQF requirements.
• Demonstrated success in managing cross-functional production and culinary teams.
• Experience with Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and production tracking tools.
• Ability to manage in a cold production environment (~38°F).
• Exceptional communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• General high school degree, or equivalent, (e.g. GED).