External Manufacturing Manager

As the External Manufacturing Manager, you serve as the primary liaison between Tru Fru and its contract manufacturing partners, working cross-functionally to ensure operational excellence, supply continuity, and cost competitiveness. You lead supplier performance, sustainability, and value leadership initiatives while supporting innovation, new product launches, and ongoing productivity improvements. With ownership of manufacturing budgets and supply agreements, you help build a resilient, high-performing external manufacturing network aligned with Tru Fru's quality, service, and growth objectives.

What you will do

• Serve as the primary liaison between Tru Fru and contract manufacturing partners, aligning priorities across Quality, R&D, Marketing, Product Supply, Finance, and Manufacturing.
• Develop and execute strategies to build a resilient, responsive external manufacturing network, balancing service, cost, inventory, and risk mitigation.
• Own operational performance of contract manufacturers, ensuring adherence to quality standards, food safety requirements, service levels, and contractual obligations.
• Lead supplier performance management, including reviews of quality, yield, reliability, and service, and drive corrective actions as needed.
• Drive cost competitiveness and efficiency improvements through waste reduction, yield optimization, throughput gains, and value leadership initiatives.
• Manage manufacturing P&L ownership, including budget accountability, cost control, and financial performance of external manufacturing.
• Oversee execution of supply agreements, including volume commitments, material usage, and cost recovery mechanisms.
• Partner with Procurement and Finance to track, manage, and optimize spend across contract manufacturing and co-packing services.
• Lead sustainability initiatives at manufacturing sites in partnership with internal and external stakeholders.
• Support new product introductions by ensuring operational readiness and launch execution across co-manufacturers.
• Manage operational aspects of innovation, renovation, and productivity projects, acting as project manager for key co-manufacturing initiatives.
• Partner with Quality to continuously improve food safety, compliance, and operational excellence.
• Identify operational, supply, and financial risks and implement mitigation plans to ensure continuity and performance.
• Ensure compliance with agreed ways of working, including Standards of Work (SOWs) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

What you'll bring to Tru Fru

You are...

• Knowledgeable in food manufacturing and operational best practices.
• Experienced in managing and influencing internal and external stakeholders.
• Skilled in supplier relationship management and KPI-driven performance monitoring.
• Effective in problem-solving, project management, and clear, concise communication.
• Adaptable to fast-changing market conditions, priorities, and business needs.

You have...

• 5+ years of relevant experience, preferably within CPG.
• A Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• Experience applying continuous improvement frameworks such as Lean and Six Sigma.
• Experience leading or supporting sustainability programs within manufacturing environments.
• Experience working with frozen and/or temperature-controlled food manufacturing.
• Internal manufacturing experience, with potential to expand scope in the future.

Certain states and localities require employers to post a reasonable estimate of salary range. Actual salary will be based on a variety of factors, including location, experience, skill set, performance, licensure and certification, and business needs. The range for this position in other geographic locations may differ.