Director of Operations

Gate Gourmet is a leading provider in the airline catering industry, delivering exceptional food and service to travelers worldwide. With a strong presence at major airports, including Newark Liberty International Airport, Gate Gourmet specializes in preparing and delivering quality meals and support services to airlines, ensuring every journey begins with excellence. The company prides itself on operational excellence, continuous improvement, and a commitment to food safety and customer satisfaction. Established as one of the most trusted airline catering companies, Gate Gourmet combines advanced processes and experienced teams to provide seamless service in fast-paced environments. The Newark facility, designated as Gate Gourmet EWR2, plays a vital role in supporting airline partners through innovative catering solutions and impeccable operational standards. Gate Gourmet offers a collaborative, diverse, and safety-conscious work environment, valuing its employees as key contributors to its ongoing success.

This full-time leadership role at Gate Gourmet EWR2 focuses on overseeing the Wash & Pack and Pick & Pack operating areas within the Newark operations. The position offers a competitive salary range between $120,000 and $130,000 annually, reflecting the critical nature of the responsibilities involved. In this role, the individual provides overall leadership and tactical strategic direction for optimization and operational excellence across key processes. The person will ensure that all Wash & Pack processes comply with corporate standards and local continuous improvement initiatives, leveraging Lean and continuous improvement thinking. A strong emphasis is placed on productivity, efficiency, and labor planning, making use of tools such as the OPRS system and collaborating closely with supply chain and operations planning functions.

Additionally, the role demands a rigorous commitment to ensuring compliance with HACCP, customer specifications, and safety regulations to maintain the highest food hygiene and security standards. As a key member of the senior leadership team, this individual will actively contribute to the broader development and improvement of the entire unit, focusing on synergy with other operational areas and fostering strong teamwork. They will lead, coach, and develop the Wash & Pack leadership team through proactive engagement, feedback, and performance management. This role requires excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills to collaborate effectively within internal and external partnerships.

Occupying a pivotal management position, the role calls for overseeing a team ranging from 200 to 600 employees, with direct management of 3 to 12 supervisors or lower-level managers. The successful candidate will demonstrate resilience, empathy, and a strong passion for continuous improvement, adaptability, and strategic thinking. They will be responsible for budget indicators such as labor hours and quality compliance while actively participating in cross-functional initiatives and regulatory audits. The work environment includes physically engaging duties such as lifting and moving heavy items within a production setting that may involve temperature and noise considerations. Travel is limited but occasionally required.

Gate Gourmet is committed to equal opportunity employment and emphasizes values of excellence, integrity, passion, and accountability. The company fosters a respectful, collaborative work culture, encouraging open communication and teamwork. Employees are supported with a comprehensive benefits package, including paid time off, 401k with company match, medical, dental, and vision plans, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance, and more. The organization embraces continuous learning and development and offers free healthy meals to operational staff, embodying its commitment to employee well-being.

If you are motivated by leading operational teams in a dynamic and challenging environment and wish to be part of a team dedicated to enhancing travel and culinary experiences, this leadership opportunity at Gate Gourmet Newark EWR2 offers an exciting career path with significant impact.