Principal Food Manufacturing and Equipment Program Manager , Fresh Food Production - WWGS

Amazon is seeking an experienced Principal Commissary Manufacturing and Equipment Program Manager to lead complex, cross-functional programs that drive manufacturing excellence, equipment strategy, and operational scalability across our Fresh Food Production commissary network. This individual contributor role combines deep expertise in high-volume food manufacturing, light automation equipment, and commissary operations to deliver restaurant-quality food at scale across a distributed network of small production facilities. The ideal candidate will serve as the definitive internal expert on commissary manufacturing systems, partnering with both 1P and 3P commissary operations to standardize processes, optimize equipment utilization, and build the capabilities required to scale a best-in-class fresh food network. This role includes stretch leadership opportunities through mentoring, influencing cross-functional teams, and driving strategic initiatives across the Fresh Food Production organization.

Key Responsibilities
Program Leadership and Strategic Influence
• Own end-to-end program strategy and execution for commissary manufacturing and equipment initiatives across the Fresh Food Production network
• Define and drive program vision, mission, tenets, and objectives for commissary excellence and equipment standardization
• Lead large-scale, complex initiatives spanning multiple 1P and 3P commissary partners, geographies, and business units with significant network-wide impact
• Influence strategic direction and decision-making at the director and VP level through data-driven recommendations and subject matter expertise
• Build consensus across diverse stakeholder groups including culinary, operations, sourcing, engineering, quality, and food safety teams
• Serve as the principal thought leader and internal authority on commissary manufacturing systems, equipment capability, and production scalability
• Drive organizational change and process improvements that have measurable impact across the entire commissary network
• Contribute to OP1/OP2 narratives and own organizational goals related to commissary manufacturing excellence and equipment strategy
Commissary Manufacturing and Partner Engagement
• Develop and execute comprehensive manufacturing support programs for both 1P and 3P commissary partners, ensuring alignment with Fresh Food Production quality, safety, and output standards
• Establish manufacturing playbooks, standard operating procedures, and best practices that translate restaurant-quality culinary standards into repeatable, scalable production processes across small-format facilities
• Lead cross-functional readiness assessments for commissary partner onboarding, production ramp-ups, and new item launches, ensuring all technical, quality, and operational requirements are met prior to production
• Partner with 3P commissary operators to identify capability gaps, develop improvement plans, and drive execution against agreed timelines and performance targets
• Create and maintain governance frameworks and performance scorecards for commissary partner manufacturing quality, throughput, yield, and compliance
• Design and deploy training programs and change management strategies that build manufacturing excellence capabilities within both 1P operations and 3P partner teams
• Lead post-launch reviews and capture lessons learned to continuously improve commissary onboarding methodologies and production playbooks
• Monitor network-wide manufacturing performance and drive corrective actions to achieve quality, cost, and throughput targets across all commissary sites
Equipment Strategy and Expertise
• Serve as the primary equipment subject matter expert across the Fresh Food Production network, covering high-volume production equipment and light automation systems
• Define and own the equipment strategy including standardization frameworks, lifecycle management, qualification protocols, and future-state automation roadmap
• Lead equipment specification, evaluation, and selection processes for new commissary builds, capacity expansions, and line upgrades, partnering with equipment vendors, engineers, and operations teams
• Develop and maintain equipment qualification and validation protocols ensuring all commissioned equipment meets performance, safety, food safety, and sanitation requirements
• Build scalable equipment standards and design specifications that can be deployed consistently across a distributed network of small commissary facilities
• Identify opportunities to introduce light automation solutions that improve throughput, reduce ergonomic risk, and maintain food quality standards at scale
• Conduct equipment failure analysis and lead root cause and corrective action (RCCA) initiatives to resolve recurring equipment-driven production issues
• Partner with maintenance, engineering, and 3P partners to establish preventive maintenance standards and equipment reliability programs across the network
• Evaluate emerging equipment technologies and automation solutions for applicability within the commissary operating model
• Develop and own the short and long-term commissary engineering and equipment plan, building ROI-based business cases tied to process standardization, operational improvement, and commissary production flexibility
• Serve as the primary engineering authority working directly with site Engineering Managers to standardize processes, equipment specifications, preventive and predictive maintenance programs, and CMMS systems across the commissary network
• Lead the WFM Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) Planned Maintenance (PM) Pillar, setting the strategy, driving adoption, and ensuring consistent implementation across all commissary sites
• Define, track, and report WFM engineering and maintenance metrics, providing regular performance visibility and executive-level reporting on network-wide equipment health, uptime, and maintenance program maturity
Operational Scalability and Process Optimization
• Design and implement scalable manufacturing processes that enable consistent, restaurant-quality food production across a distributed network of small-format commissary facilities
• Lead process validation activities from pilot through full commercial production, troubleshooting formulation, process, and equipment challenges to ensure successful scale-up
• Conduct capacity planning analysis across the network to identify throughput constraints, equipment gaps, and labor efficiency opportunities
• Develop and deploy continuous improvement initiatives using lean manufacturing and process engineering principles to reduce waste, improve yield, and lower cost per unit
• Build mechanisms to capture and share manufacturing best practices across 1P operations and 3P commissary partners
• Establish production performance KPIs and create dashboards and reporting tools that provide real-time visibility into commissary manufacturing performance
• Partner with analytics teams to design data-driven models that forecast network capacity needs and identify investment priorities
Quality, Food Safety, and Compliance
• Ensure all manufacturing operations and 3P partner facilities comply with food safety regulations including HACCP, GFSI-certified standards (SQF, BRCGS, FSSC 22000), GMP, and applicable FDA and USDA requirements
• Lead commissary-specific food safety risk assessments, establishing critical control points and preventive controls appropriate for high-volume, small-facility production environments
• Partner with quality and food safety teams to design audit frameworks and corrective action programs for commissary partner compliance management
• Ensure equipment design, installation, and sanitation protocols meet food safety and sanitary design standards across all commissary sites
• Drive manufacturing yield improvement and quality consistency initiatives with measurable impact on product standards and waste reduction
Stakeholder Management and Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Partner with culinary, commercialization, sourcing, supply chain, quality, and food safety teams to align commissary manufacturing capabilities with product development and launch timelines
• Work closely with 1P operations leaders and 3P commissary partners to understand site-specific constraints and ensure programs are tailored and executable at the facility level
• Engage with equipment vendors, co-manufacturers, and industry experts to access gold standard manufacturing knowledge and emerging automation capabilities
• Build strong relationships with leadership at all levels to drive alignment, remove barriers, and accelerate decision-making across the commissary network
• Communicate progress, challenges, and outcomes through narratives, presentations, and status reports tailored to technical and executive audiences
Leadership and Mentorship (Stretch Responsibilities)
• Serve as a mentor and coach to program managers, operations leaders, and commissary partner teams on manufacturing excellence and equipment management
• Lead knowledge-sharing sessions and capability-building initiatives that elevate commissary manufacturing standards across the Fresh Food Production organization
• Guide and develop others on complex manufacturing scenarios, equipment troubleshooting, and stakeholder management approaches
• Act as a thought leader in commissary operations and food manufacturing automation, sharing insights and innovations with the broader Fresh Food Production team
• Take ownership of cross-functional initiatives requiring influence without direct authority
• Represent commissary manufacturing expertise in strategic discussions with senior leadership


Key job responsibilities
The Principal Commissary Manufacturing and Equipment Program Manager owns the strategy and execution of manufacturing excellence and equipment standardization across WFM's Fresh Food Production network. This role serves as the definitive internal authority on commissary manufacturing systems, partnering with both 1P operations and 3P commissary partners to scale restaurant-quality food production across a distributed network of small-format facilities.

Core responsibilities include:

Defining and driving equipment strategy, including standardization frameworks, lifecycle management, qualification protocols, and automation roadmap

Leading complex, cross-functional programs spanning multiple commissary partners, geographies, and business units with network-wide impact

Establishing manufacturing playbooks and SOPs that translate culinary standards into repeatable, scalable production processes

Conducting capacity planning, equipment specification and selection, and production scale-up validation

Building governance frameworks and performance scorecards for partner manufacturing quality, throughput, and compliance

Leading the WFM TPM Planned Maintenance Pillar and engineering metrics across all sites

Ensuring compliance with HACCP, GFSI-certified standards, GMP, and FDA/USDA requirements

Influencing strategic direction at director and VP level through data-driven recommendations

This role requires 50% travel to commissary facilities, 3P partner sites, and equipment vendors.

A day in the life
• Ability to travel up to 50% to commissary facilities, 3P partner sites, equipment vendors, and industry events
• Significant time on commissary production floors observing operations, validating equipment performance, and engaging with partner teams
• Ability to work in food manufacturing environments including temperature-controlled and production areas
• Occasional evening or weekend work during critical commissary launches, equipment commissioning, or production ramp-up activities
• Flexibility to work across time zones supporting commissary partners in multiple geographies
• Alignment with Whole Foods Market's higher purpose, core values, and leadership principles


About the team
The Worldwide Global Store Support (WWGS) Fresh Food Production team owns the strategy, operations, and continuous improvement of Whole Foods Market's manufacturing facilities. We produce high-quality, artisan fresh food products at scale, ensuring every item meets WFM's standards for craft, food safety, and operational excellence. Our team partners cross-functionally with commercialization, process engineering, quality assurance, and supply chain to bring new products from concept through full production, while driving efficiency and consistency across our facility network. - 7+ years of working cross functionally with tech and non-tech teams experience
- 7+ years of program or project management experience
- 7+ years of managing, analyzing and communicating results to senior leadership experience
- Bachelor's degree
- Experience implementing repeatable processes and driving automation or standardization
- Experience defining program requirements and using data and metrics to determine improvements
- 3+ years of managing food safety and quality in a large-scale retail or manufacturing environment experience
- Experience with process improvement techniques such as Kaizen, Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma
- Experience influencing senior leaders/stakeholders
- Experience in written and verbal communication with the ability to present complex technical information in a clear and concise manner to executives and non-technical leaders
- Experience managing multiple projects and priorities across teams in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
- • Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Culinary Science, or related technical field
- • 10+ years of progressive experience in food manufacturing, commissary operations, or CPG production environments with demonstrated success leading manufacturing and equipment programs at scale
- • 7+ years of experience leading complex, cross-functional programs across multiple facilities or production sites
- • Demonstrated expertise in high-volume food production equipment and light automation systems, including specification, qualification, and lifecycle management
- • Proven experience supporting or managing 3P manufacturing or commissary partner relationships
- • Deep understanding of small-format, high-volume food production operations and the unique challenges of maintaining quality and consistency across distributed facility networks
- • Excellent analytical skills with experience using data to drive decisions, build performance dashboards, and measure program outcomes - Experience delivering projects within scope, time, budget and quality
- Experience with Six Sigma, lean manufacturing, or experience in planning, scheduling and auditing maintenance activities
- • Master's degree in Food Science, Engineering, Operations Management, or MBA
- • HACCP certification or Preventive Control Qualified Individual (PCQI) certification
- • Experience specifically in commissary, ghost kitchen, central kitchen, or restaurant-scale food manufacturing operations
- • Demonstrated track record deploying light automation solutions in food production environments
- • Experience with contract manufacturing and 3P partner management including onboarding, auditing, and performance management
- • Knowledge of sanitary design principles and equipment standards for food manufacturing
- • Experience with stage-gate product development processes and commissary item launch methodologies
- • Familiarity with ERP systems, manufacturing execution systems (MES), and production planning tools
- • Track record delivering measurable cost savings, yield improvements, or throughput gains through equipment or process optimization
- • Experience building and launching new food production facilities or commissary sites
- • Demonstrated thought leadership through internal publications, industry presentations, or recognized contributions to manufacturing best practices
- • Experience with Industry 4.0 technologies and digital transformation initiatives in food manufacturing environments

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, TX, AUSTIN - 137,600.00 - 186,200.00 USD annually