LAURA HICKS — Program Manager

01.

About

With over 14 years of experience in operations and program management, I excel in dynamic settings where precision and accountability matter. I am passionate about leading cross-functional teams and implementing rigorous processes that deliver measurable results and foster a culture of compliance and continuous improvement.

02.

Experience

07/2025

Project Manager/Sanitation · Automatic Rolls of New England

05/2026

● Lead end-to-end sanitation program for a high-volume food manufacturing facility, overseeing scheduling, execution, and compliance across all production lines
● Develop, implement, and maintain SSOPs in compliance with FDA, USDA, BRC, and GMP standards, reducing audit findings
● Own KPI reporting dashboard; track and present performance metrics to senior leadership on a weekly cadence
● Partner cross-functionally with Quality, Maintenance, and Operations teams to align on program goals and drive continuous improvement initiatives
● Manage, coach, and develop a team of sanitation technicians, driving accountability and performance standards

05/2024

Assistant Maintenance Manager · CW Services

02/2025

● Co-managed facilities maintenance programs for multiple client sites, coordinating vendor relationships, scheduling, and preventive maintenance workflows
● Supported project planning and execution for capital improvement initiatives, tracking timelines and budgets against established milestones
● Served as point of contact for client stakeholders, communicating program status and resolving escalations in a timely and professional manner
● Maintained compliance documentation and inspection readiness across all assigned facilities

08/2019

Operations Manager/Project Manager of Training programs and SQF · Americold

Missouri/Massachuttes

● Managed full warehouse operations for a temperature-controlled logistics facility, overseeing inbound, outbound, and inventory management programs serving major CPG clients
● Led cross-functional teams of 30+ associates and supervised leads across multiple shifts, consistently driving productivity and safety KPIs
● Spearheaded continuous improvement projects that measurably improved throughput efficiency and reduced operational errors
● Implemented structured onboarding and training programs that reduced time-to-productivity for new hires
● Collaborated with client program managers to align operational capacity with evolving project demands and changing volume forecasts

03.

Selected work

A

Audit Recovery Program

This project exists to systematically address every audit finding, implement sustainable corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs), close all nonconformances within the defined recovery window, and build a compliance culture that prevents future audit failures. The project is not a reactive patch — it is a structured, leadership-endorsed remediation program designed for lasting operational change.

T

Trainer development and Retention Program

Facility turnover rate of 110% — meaning the entire workforce was turning over more than once per year. This was creating continuous hiring pressure, elevated onboarding costs, inconsistent training quality, and operational instability. No structured program existed to address the root causes. Laura Hicks identified the gap independently and proposed building a program from scratch.

04.

Skills & tools

AgileWaterfallLean6 Sigma5SSMARTOSHA 511

05.

Education

Southeast Missouri State University

Bachloer of Science

2005

06.

Certifications

OSHA 511

OSHA · 2022

Program Management Professional

2026

07.

Interests

Kayakingpaddle boardingbackpackingcampinganything outdoors

08.

Get in touch

Have a role or a project in mind? I'd love to hear from you.

lkhicks320@gmail.com 5738384866