Job Title: Manager Operations - Cold Food
Job Location: Dallas-USA-75261
Work Location Type: On-Site
Salary Range: $69,579.07 - 86,973.83
About us
LSG Sky Chefs is one of the world’s largest airline catering and hospitality providers, known for its outstanding reputation and dynamic approach in the industry. Voted “Airline Caterer of the Year in North America” for 2023 and 2024, we are committed to excellence and innovation, driven by the dedication and expertise of our talented employees. Our team members are the heart and soul of our success, consistently delivering exceptional culinary experiences and outstanding service to our clients and their passengers across North and Latin America.
Role Purpose Statement
LSG Sky Chefs is seeking a hands-on, people-first Operations Manager to lead our Cold Food Department — a vital part of our high-volume catering operation. This role is perfect for a proven production leader who thrives in fast-paced environments and is ready to make a tangible impact while growing into senior operational roles.
In this role, you will leading a team of supervisors and frontline employees across multiple shifts in a fast-paced, production-driven environment. Your leadership will ensure food safety, efficiency, and service excellence while managing labor budgets, performance, and compliance standards. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with strong production leadership experience looking to make a tangible impact and grow into senior operational roles.
Main Accountabilities
- Ensure on-time and accurate production in the preparation of food/equipment and catering of flights
- Lead daily operations in the Cold Food production area, overseeing 4 supervisors and their teams per shift
- Drive productivity, scheduling, food safety, and quality to meet airline customer expectations and regulatory compliance (FDA, HACCP, GQS)
- Monitor department KPIs and performance metrics, ensuring production accuracy and on-time flight catering
- Partner with internal teams (Procurement, HR, Quality, Safety) to align staffing, inventory, and production schedules
- Investigate and resolve quality or customer service issues with corrective actions and process improvements
- Actively participate in daily operations briefings to align priorities and communicate department performance
- Ensure compliance with customer specifications, quality standards, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), safety, health, environmental and other regulations
- Investigate customer quality issues, develop and implement corrective actions
- Participates in coaching the expanded Global Performance System (GPS) process, as well as additional career development activities to enhance the effectiveness and potential of the team
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
- 5+ years of leadership experience in high-volume food production, manufacturing, or cold kitchen operations
- Proven success managing hourly workforce in a union or similar structured environment
- Strong knowledge of HACCP, food safety, and FDA requirements
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Demonstrated ability to lead through influence, inspire high performance, and manage change
- Proficient in Microsoft Office and production planning systems
Financial & Labor Oversight
- Manage labor budgets, cost control, and resource deployment for efficient shift coverage
- Track labor and material costs; analyze variances and recommend adjustments to optimize departmental performance
- Support the development of the annual business plan and department budget
Team Leadership & Culture
- Motivate, coach, and develop a diverse team in a high-paced, team-oriented kitchen environment
- Provide real-time feedback, drive employee accountability, and support career growth through mentoring and development planning
- Champion safety culture and employee engagement initiatives across all shifts
- Support implementation of lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and performance management tools
LSG Sky Chefs is an EEO and Affirmative Action Employer of Women/Minorities/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities.
