Head of Manufacturing Strategy

Job Description

About CookUnity :

Food has lost its soul to modern convenience. And with it, it has lost the power to nourish, inspire, and connect us. So in 2018, CookUnity was founded as the first-of-its-kind platform that connects the world with the source of truly great food : chefs. Today, CookUnity delivers 50 million meals a year from the industry's best chefs to homes all over the country. Fresh. Ready-to-eat. And crafted with the passion that nourishes body and soul.

Unwilling to stop there, CookUnity is expanding beyond delivery to become an ever-innovating marketplace focused on our singular mission : empower Chefs to nourish the world.

If that mission has you hungry in more ways than one, you've found the right job posting.

The Role

CookUnity is growing at an extraordinary pace, with more than one million square feet of new facilities coming online in the next few years. Every 1% optimization in how we design and run our operations translates into millions of dollars saved and happier customers .

We are looking for our first senior technical individual contributor in manufacturing —a proven process excellence leader who can bring a unifying, systems-level approach to food production. Today, our specialist teams (culinary, FSQA, procurement, operations, logistics, etc.) each contribute valuable solutions. This role will knit those perspectives together, ensuring that layouts, processes, and tools work as one integrated system built for scale.

This leader will act as both a strategic architect and a hands-on change agent , driving continuous improvement and operational excellence across all manufacturing sites. They will also hold ownership of integral recommendations to the CEO and COO on all operations and manufacturing design decisions.

This position can start as a consulting or project-based engagement with the potential to evolve into a full-time leadership role, offering the opportunity to make an immediate impact while also influencing the future of our manufacturing and operations strategy. Open for candidates based in NY, LA or Chicago area.

Responsibilities

• Own high-impact, cross-functional projects that improve throughput, reduce costs, and optimize workflows across Culinary, Marketplace, Supply Chain, Fulfillment, and Logistics.
• Champion continuous improvement by deploying Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to eliminate waste, reduce variability, and drive productivity gains.
• Build and scale food manufacturing processes to support rapid company growth while maintaining uncompromising food safety and regulatory compliance.
• Apply plant-level expertise — layouts, material flows, drainage / flooring design, utilities, regulatory standards — to ensure world-class facility design and operations.
• Leverage data-driven insights and Six Sigma methodologies to prioritize and measure improvement initiatives.
• Partner with executive leadership to define and execute the long-term manufacturing strategy, including facilities design, automation, process design, and technology enablement.
• Develop, coach, and mentor high-performing manufacturing leaders, fostering a culture of safety, quality, ownership, and innovation.
• Act as a change leader, influencing cross-departmental alignment and ensuring seamless execution of projects across the broader organization.

Qualifications

Success in This Role Looks Like

Benefits

#ENGHP

Compensation All final pay rates will be determined by candidates experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data.

Pay Range for this position

$180,000—$240,000 USD

If you're interested in this role, please submit your application, and if we think you might be a fit, we'll get in touch with you. Thank you for your time!

CookUnity is an Equal Opportunity Employer . We are dedicated to creating a community of inclusion and an environment free from discrimination or harassment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship status, protected veteran status, genetic information, or physical or mental disability.

A quick note for all candidates

We've recently seen an increase in recruitment scams across the industry, and we want to make sure you (and your data) stay safe while applying to CookUnity. We also want you to know that we take this seriously — sometimes, as part of our process, we may ask for a brief “proof of humanity” to confirm that we're connecting with a real person, not an impersonator. Here are a few tips to help you protect yourself and know what to expect from us :

If something ever feels off or you're unsure about a message, we'd much rather you double-check with us. You can always contact us directly through any of our social media channels. We appreciate your interest in joining CookUnity — and we care about keeping your experience (and safety) as genuine as possible.