Manager, Co-Manufacturing

About the role

The Manager, Co-Manufacturing leads the partnership with third‑party manufacturers to ensure that Hickory Farms’ products are produced efficiently, delivered on time and meet quality standards. Reporting to the Sr. Director of Operations Strategy and Technology, this role works across Supply Chain, Operations, Quality, Procurement, Sales and external partners to drive successful outsourced production initiatives.

Key responsibilities

• Manage relationships with co‑packers and third‑party manufacturers, ensuring service, quality, compliance and performance expectations are met.
• Serve as primary liaison, conduct site visits, performance reviews and hold partners accountable.
• Oversee outsourced production to achieve on‑time‑in‑full (OTIF) delivery and compliance with regulatory and customer requirements.
• Identify, evaluate and onboard new manufacturing partners, negotiating favorable pricing.
• Monitor vendor performance using KPIs, scorecards and regular business reviews.
• Collaborate with quality and product teams to guarantee outsourced items meet specifications.
• Lead end‑to‑end execution of co‑manufacturer programs and maintain comprehensive project plans.

Required profile

• Proven experience managing third‑party manufacturing or co‑packing relationships.
• Strong ability to negotiate pricing and contracts.
• Experience tracking vendor performance through KPIs and scorecards.
• Effective cross‑functional collaboration skills with Supply Chain, Quality, Procurement and Sales teams.
• Project‑management capability to oversee complex outsourced initiatives.

Required skills