Contract Manufacturing Director

Company: David creates tools to increase muscle and decrease fat. Our first product is a protein bar. More broadly, David is a platform to develop high-protein, low-calorie, blood-sugar-friendly foods that are craveable. This is a rare opportunity to join a breakout food brand at a pivotal stage of growth. Led by CEO Peter Rahal, Cofounder and Former CEO of RXBAR, David is working to become the leading consumer food brand focused on high-protein foods in North America and beyond. Role & Responsibilities: As a Director on the Manufacturing team at David, you will own the relationship and performance of key co-manufacturing partners. You will be responsible for building strong partnerships while holding a high bar for service, quality, cost, yield, throughput, and capacity. You will develop a deep understanding of each partner’s operations, use data to drive performance, and ensure risks and opportunities are acted on quickly. Internally, you will represent your partners’ capabilities and constraints, aligning cross-functional teams around clear priorities and decisions. In this role you will: Own relationships with key co-manufacturing partners, serving as the primary point of contact for performance, priorities, risks, and escalations. Lead performance reviews and quarterly business reviews, establishing clear metrics, commitments, owners, and accountability. Own manufacturing KPIs including production attainment, OTIF, RFT, throughput, yield, scrap, cost per pound, quality performance, and complaint rates. Identify performance gaps, lead root cause analysis, and drive corrective actions through measurable and sustained resolution. Drive continuous improvement across throughput, yield, quality, service, and cost in partnership with co-manufacturers. Develop a deep understanding of partner capabilities, constraints, processes, and economics to inform production allocation and manufacturing strategy. Partner with Planning to manage short- and long-term capacity, ensuring the manufacturing network can reliably support David’s growth. Represent manufacturing partners internally, clearly communicating capabilities, constraints, risks, and tradeoffs to drive effective decision-making. Partner cross-functionally with Quality, R&D, Procurement, Finance, Fulfillment, and Commercialization to execute operational priorities and product launches. Build the analytical tools and reporting required to create visibility, identify opportunities, and drive manufacturing performance. Lead high-impact operational initiatives from problem definition through execution, with clear ownership for results. Requirements 8+ years of experience in a fast-paced, high-accountability environment; manufacturing, operations, supply chain, high-growth startup, or similarly rigorous experience preferred. Strong relationship management skills with the ability to build trust while holding external partners to a high bar for performance. High motor and strong…