Cold Food Production Manager

Description Position Summary Abby’s Catering is seeking a hands-on Cold Food Production Manager to lead our cold food production operation in a fast-paced aviation catering environment. This role is responsible for directing daily production activities, leading supervisors and production teams, maintaining the highest food safety standards, and ensuring every order is completed accurately, efficiently, and on schedule. This is not a desk job. The successful candidate will spend the majority of the day on the production floor, coaching employees, removing operational roadblocks, monitoring quality, and driving continuous improvement. We’re looking for a leader who enjoys being where the work happens. What You’ll Do Lead the Operation Direct all daily cold food production and assembly activities. Ensure production schedules are executed safely, efficiently, and on time. Monitor workflow and adjust staffing throughout the shift to meet production demands. Identify bottlenecks and resolve issues before they impact service. Maintain a visible leadership presence on the production floor. Deliver Operational Excellence Drive productivity while maintaining exceptional quality standards. Ensure recipes, portion sizes, presentation standards, and specifications are consistently followed. Monitor production metrics and identify opportunities for improvement. Reduce waste through effective planning and execution. Maintain organized, efficient production processes. Champion Food Safety Ensure compliance with FDA, USDA, HACCP, TSA, customer, and company standards. Partner with Food Safety & Quality Assurance to maintain audit readiness. Reinforce sanitation, GMPs, allergen awareness, and personal hygiene requirements. Address food safety concerns immediately and implement corrective actions. Develop Great People Lead, coach, and develop supervisors, leads, and production employees. Build a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement. Conduct performance coaching and support employee development. Assist with hiring, onboarding, and training new team members. Communicate clearly in both English and Spanish. Drive Results Plan labor to meet changing production volumes. Monitor labor efficiency, productivity, and operational KPIs. Partner with Culinary, HR, Operations, and FSQA to achieve departmental goals. Complete production reporting and administrative responsibilities accurately and on time. Requirements Five or more years of leadership experience in high-volume food production, airline catering, commissary operations, or food manufacturing. Proven success leading large production teams. Strong knowledge of HACCP, FDA, USDA, and food safety regulations. Bilingual English/Spanish. ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification (or ability to obtain). Strong Microsoft Office and Excel skills. Excellent leadership, organization, and communication skills. Preferred Airline catering experience. Experience leading operations in a 24/7 production environment. Lean Manufacturing or Continuous Improvement experience. ? Work Environment Fast-paced, high-volume aviation catering operation. Majority of the day spent leading on the production floor. Regular work in refrigerated production areas (approximately 41°F). Rotating schedule that may include nights, weekends, and holidays. Relocation assistance for qualified candidates. Why Abby’s Catering? At Abby’s Catering, every meal represents our commitment to quality, safety, and exceptional service. Our leaders set the standard by working alongside their teams, solving problems in real time, and creating an environment where people can succeed. If you’re an operational leader who enjoys building teams, improving processes, and delivering results in a fast-moving production environment, we’d love to meet you. At Abby’s Catering, our mission is to be the leading in-flight and corporate catering company serving the Houston and Dallas metro markets by delivering exceptional service, maintaining operational excellence, and upholding the highest standards. We live this mission through C.A.T.C.H.: Customer Service Accountability Teamwork Competitiveness Honesty