Invest your talents and values in a company where they “Do Things Right” for the business, its customers, and suppliers, making a meaningful difference in the lives of their employees and the communities they serve.

All employees at Rhino play an important part in crafting delicious food that brings joy to people's lives. This recently expanded leadership role is vital to upholding stringent food safety standards, ensuring top-notch product quality, and collaboratively achieving goals with other dedicated team members. Moreover, as a senior leader in this family-owned certified B corporation, the director will bring a strong focus to enhancing employee Foster satisfaction and fostering community engagement.

SUMMARY

The Supply Chain Director leads Rhino Foods' end-to-end supply chain operations, optimizing the flow of materials and products from suppliers to customers by serving as the central coordination hub for demand planning, order management, production scheduling, raw material supply, and customer fulfillment. Working collaboratively with Production, Finance, People & Culture, and Technical Services teams, the director develops production capacity plans, staffing strategies, and inventory policies that align with seasonal demand patterns while achieving high on-time-in-full (OTIF) performance and optimal cost management. They also build and maintain strategic supplier relationships that consistently deliver specification-compliant materials with favorable terms and pricing to enhance contribution margins. As a Senior Leadership Team member, the director contributes to company-wide strategic planning and vision development, ensuring supply chain capabilities align with broader organizational goals.

Reporting to the president/CEO, the director currently oversees a team of 20-25 employees, including 2 managers, in planning and scheduling, order fulfillment, purchasing, and distribution. Leadership peers include a Technical Services Director, a Director of People & Culture, Director of Operations, and the CFO.

Click here to access a 4-page PDF describing this leadership opportunity.

Application process: Applications will be considered on a rolling basis for interviews this summer and a fall start date. Prospective applicants seeking additional insights before applying are welcome to contact me at careers@bethgilpin.com

CORE AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Strategic Leadership and Management

• As a visible organizational leader, champion Rhino's Purpose, Principles and Vision while promoting employee-centric workplace practices that enhance engagement, retention, and performance. Foster strong partnerships with leadership peers to drive organizational alignment and execution, while providing strategic counsel to department managers.
• Develop and execute a scalable cost-effective supply chain strategy aligned with company growth goals and operational priorities, and supported by technologies, systems, and best practices that increase efficiency and transparency across operations. Lead data-driven planning initiatives, synthesizing market intelligence into actionable recommendations, and developing key performance indicators to track objectives and drive performance improvement.

Team Leadership and Development

• Foster a healthy values-led culture that demonstrates customer-focused and people-centric mindsets.
• Plan and support the professional growth of team members to align with company needs and implement solutions to streamline workflows and enhance efficiency.
• Oversee departmental roles and responsibilities, organize teams, lead projects, assign tasks and schedules, and ensure accountability for targeted results.
• Lead problem-solving for strategic and escalated issues while guiding staff in resolving routine problems, ensuring root cause analysis and effective corrective action implementation.

Production and Inventory Planning

• Collaborate with Sales and Marketing to build strong customer relationships and implement strategies, systems and processes across all time frames to ensure accurate demand forecasting that informs production planning,aligns supply and demand, supports successful customer fulfillment and forecasting accuracy, minimizes waste and downtime, and optimizes inventory policy.
• Maintain finished goods inventory levels to meet greater than 95% OTIF customer fulfillment objectives.
• Ensure inventory management systems follow best practices to preserve the integrity of required lot traceability, stock accuracy, FIFO, and product hold policies.
• Maintain optimal raw material inventory levels and safety stock to ensure uninterrupted production while balancing working capital requirements and procurement costs.

Procurement and Supplier Management

• Oversee supplier approval, sourcing, contract and pricing negotiation, purchasing of raw materials, ingredients, packaging, and supplies to ensure consistent supply, quality, and food safety while optimizing value, company profitability, and maintaining strong relationships with suppliers..
• In partnership with QA and R&D teams, maintain conformance with Rhino’s Food Safety & Quality Plans to ensure supplier and material compliance with food safety, quality, sustainability, and regulatory standards.

Logistics and Distribution

• Oversee all warehouse functions across facilities and shifts, ensuring consistent performance, food safety and quality compliance, and inventory accuracy.
• Direct logistics networks and operations, including 3PL relationships, national/local shipping carrier selection, and transportation cost optimization through strategic use of contract and spot rates.
• Establish systems and KPIs to optimize storage, transportation, and efficiency of material flow.
• Maintain readiness for internal and external audits through robust performance management, documentation, and training systems, and guide resolution of supply chain-related nonconformance issues and participate in cross-functional corrective actions teams.

QUALIFICATIONS

We recognize no candidate will have everything listed below and we welcome hearing from people who feel they offer a comparable set of qualifications. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application, even if you don't think you check all the boxes.

Rhino welcomes applications from both first-time and experienced Supply Chain Directors with the desired qualifications.

Knowledge and Experience:

• 10+ years in supply chain planning, procurement, operations research, distribution or other relevant roles, including 5 years leading people.
• Experience managing a $50MM+ supply chain spend in a growing manufacturing company. CPG preferred.
• Driving operational excellence through advanced problem-solving skills, continuous improvement initiatives, and application of methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, or other structured process improvement frameworks.
• Leading teams and leveraging the strengths of each team member to collaboratively produce results while maintaining a customer-focused and employee-centric culture.
• Establishing and intentionally managing respectful and collaborative relationships, both internally and externally.
• Collecting, synthesizing, and sharing data from an ERP using industry protocols.
• Utilizing common office software such as email, MS applications, Enterprise Resource Planning systems, for daily communication and data management between facilities, shifts, and departments.

Core Competencies:

SCM optimization | Distribution Management | Marketplace Analysis | Real-time data analysis and forecasting Automation | Production planning | Inventory management | Quality control | Customer Focus | Project management | Strategic planning| Negotiation | People management | Effective communication

Attributes:

Continuous learner | High EQ | Grounded in ethics and integrity | People-centric leader

WORK LOCATION AND SCHEDULE

The incumbent will primarily work on-site at our Queen City Parkway location and visit our Williston distribution center on a regular basis. While normal work hours are (insert typical days and hours), flexibility is essential to Rhino’s ability to respond to short-term demands and ensure smooth operations during busy times. Given this, you may be required to occasionally work nights or weekends in order to meet business needs.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Hiring Range: $165,000.00 – 180,0000.00

Benefits: In addition to the usual stuff listed below, Rhino offers an on-site Employee Support Coordinator, and a peer led recovery support group to assist you with obstacles in your path, and an on-site Physical Therapist to help you with those small aches and pains.

• Insurance: Medical (CBA Blue), dental (Delta Dental, vision (VSP), and life insurance.
• An H.R.A. (partially funded by Rhino) and FSAs for health and dependent care.
• 401(k) Plan with an employer match (100% of first 3%, 50% of next 2%)
• Paid time off: Combined Time Off, 10 holidays, VTO (volunteer time off), parental leave, and bereavement leave.

Rhino Foods is committed to the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity (“EEO”). We support employment opportunities for all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law. We welcome and encourage applications from a diversity of individuals.

MORE INSIGHTS ABOUT RHINO

Rhino Foods is a family-owned food manufacturer in Burlington, Vermont that creates bakery-style cookie dough, brownie pieces, and other mix-ins for the ice-cream and frozen-dessert industry. Founded in 1981 by Ted and Anne Castle, the company has spent more than four decades refining its processes, scaling production, and collaborating with leading CPG and scoop-shop brands to bring innovative inclusions from concept to pint.

Today the business is led by Rooney Castle, Ted’s son and second-generation CEO, who is expanding Rhino’s capacity, R & D capabilities, and customer partnerships while preserving the values his father embedded—quality craftsmanship, quick-turn innovation, and a genuine commitment to the people who make it all happen. Certified as a B Corp, Rhino pairs strong commercial performance with forward-thinking workforce practices that drive retention and productivity.

The result: a nimble, growth-oriented company trusted by ice cream makers nationwide to deliver consistent, crave-worthy inclusions that elevate every bite. Rhino is recognized not only for the quality of its products, but also for its forward-thinking approach to innovation and operations. With in-house R&D, a collaborative product development process, and a deep understanding of what drives consumer preference, Rhino helps its partners stay ahead in a competitive market. The company continues to pioneer new ingredient formats, improve production efficiencies, and lead with workforce practices that enhance stability, productivity, and retention. From its start as a small, family-run bakery to its current position as a national leader in mix-in inclusions, Rhino Foods combines craftsmanship, creativity, and a people-first mindset to shape the future of frozen desserts.