The Operations Manager is a highly visible, hands-on leader responsible for driving day-to-day manufacturing performance. This role requires a strong presence on the production floor, working directly with supervisors, engineers, and maintenance teams to improve safety, quality, delivery, and cost. The ideal candidate is a change leader who can translate strategy into action, lead teams through operational transformation, and embed continuous improvement and Lean practices into daily operations. If this sounds like you apply today!
Salary: $120-$130k/year
Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm
Type: Direct Hire Opportunity!
Key Responsibilities
- Lead manufacturing operations with a strong, hands-on presence on the production floor, actively engaging with supervisors and hourly teams.
- Drive change management initiatives, ensuring new processes, systems, and behaviors are effectively adopted and sustained.
- Ensure efficient labor deployment, job scheduling, and workflow execution to meet production and on-time delivery targets.
- Partner with Production Supervisors to execute production plans, track planned vs. actual performance, and remove obstacles in real time.
- Analyze production, quality, downtime, and labor metrics to identify gaps and implement corrective actions.
- Monitor Guidewheel uptime/downtime and lead improvement efforts to increase equipment reliability and throughput.
- Collaborate closely with the Maintenance Manager to prioritize maintenance work, improve preventive maintenance execution, and reduce unplanned downtime.
- Oversee work order execution, validating accuracy and addressing variances in labor, materials, and cycle time.
- Work cross-functionally with Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, and Planning to align materials, schedules, and resources.
- Actively support and reinforce Quality Management Systems and standardized production planning processes.
- Foster a culture of accountability, safety, teamwork, and continuous improvement through daily coaching and visible leadership.
- Partner with Human Resources to support staffing, performance management, employee engagement, and workforce development.
- Lead by example in promoting safety, standard work, and disciplined execution.
Education & Experience
- Bachelor's degree required; technical or engineering field preferred
- 5–7 years of progressive manufacturing or production leadership experience
- Demonstrated experience leading operational change initiatives in a manufacturing environment
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt preferred
- Strong hands-on manufacturing leadership style with a willingness to be present on the shop floor
- Proven change management capability, including driving adoption of new processes and behaviors
- Ability to translate data and metrics into actionable improvements
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and manufacturing performance systems
- Mechanical aptitude and strong operational judgment