Director, Production Optimization

The Role The Director, Production Optimization leads the packaging function across Green Thumb’s manufacturing network and serves as the operational owner of LEAN implementation across production. The role is accountable for how finished products are packaged — efficiently, compliantly, and to specification — and for driving the continuous-improvement discipline that raises throughput, yield, and quality at every site. Beyond packaging and process improvement, the role carries responsibility for production-scheduling alignment and packaging quality outcomes, making it a hub for cross-functional execution. The Director partners closely with the Project Specialist, Production and the Packaging Technical Engineer to track initiatives, maintain visibility across the improvement portfolio, and move projects from concept to sustained result. Responsibilities Packaging Operations & Product Packaging Own finished good packaging execution across all manufacturing sites, across all product forms, ensuring output meets specification, label accuracy, and finished-goods standards. Establish and enforce packaging standard work, line-clearance procedures, and changeover routines that maximize units-per-labor-hour (UPLH) without compromising safety and quality. Partner with Packaging Engineering and Procurement on component readiness and bill-of-materials (BOM) accuracy, holding materials-on-site-first discipline, so lines are not started without confirmed inputs. Partner with the Innovation and new-product team to bring new products and packaging formats into production; advising on packaging feasibility, component specifications, and launch readiness so new items transition cleanly into scaled operations Hold sites accountable to OEE and changeover targets established in partnership with Packaging Engineering. Monitor daily packaging-material consumption against production standards to control cost and trigger timely replenishment with the procurement and planning teams. Support the Technical Engineering team in driving IQ, OQ, PQ activities. Flower Packaging Serve as the single accountable owner for all flower packaging across the network from bulk finished flower through retail-ready units. Own fill-weight accuracy and net-weight compliance for every flower SKU Partner with cultivation to maintain set flower-handling standards that protect quality Define strain- and lot-specific packaging, labeling, and S2S tag reconciliation requirements unique to flower, ensuring traceability from bulk lot to finished unit. Own flower line changeovers, sanitation, and material readiness so runs start only with confirmed bulk, components, and approved labels — and drive UPLH and yield improvement specific to the flower line. Process Optimization & LEAN Execution Serve as the network-wide owner of LEAN deployment, embedding 5S, standard work, visual management, and Gemba practices across production and packaging. Lead value-stream mapping and kaizen events that target changeover time, scrap, rework, and flow constraints, translating findings into standard work and sustained gains. Implement and maintain a continuous-improvement pipeline with quantified savings and clear before/after metrics in partnership with the Continuous Improvement team. Coach site teams on LEAN behaviors so improvement becomes a daily operating habit rather than an event. Own the tiered-metric and daily-management-system structure that makes performance visible and drives accountability at the line, site, and network levels. Production Scheduling & Planning Leads the team responsible for production scheduling expertise across the network. Partners with the Primary Production Scheduler to build capabilities, standardization, and reliable, executable plans across sites. Align packaging capacity and staffing to the master production schedule and demand signals from S&OP so the schedule is realistic and achievable. Support MRP/ROP readiness and schedule-lock discipline across the 30/60…