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

Join the launch team at our SFO Hub supporting United Airlines.     We are looking for a hands-on, people-first Operations Manager to lead the Cold Food Department — a critical component of our high-volume catering operation. 

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.  This position reports to teh Director of Operations and located near SFO International Airport. 

Main Accountabilities

• 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

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 

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

Work Environment & Shifts

• Full-time on-site role; must be comfortable spending extended time in a cold room/kitchen environment
• Shift schedules typically run 9–10 hours with a 1-hour lunch break
• Flexibility to work weekends and holidays required (e.g., typical days off: Fri/Sat or Sun/Mon)
• Strong presentation, communication, training and interpersonal skills
• Proven success in improving work processes and leading change in a complex, fast environment
• Excellent analytical and conceptual skills
• Demonstrable record of understanding and meeting customer expectations
• Proven track record of understanding the drivers of product and labor cost variances
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office and Windows-based computer application