Operations Manager

Position Summary

The Operations Manager is responsible for transforming business strategy into daily execution by aligning people, resources, processes, and cross-functional priorities to achieve safe, reliable, and profitable manufacturing performance.

The Operations Manager leads through Production Managers, Supervisors, and frontline leaders, stewarding operational systems, building capabilities, and managing accountability required to deliver stable, high-performing manufacturing operations. The role works closely with Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, EHS, Supply Chain, and Continuous Improvement to ensure resources, priorities, and actions are aligned with the plant's most important operational and strategic objectives.

Success in this role requires balancing short-term execution with long-term capability building, ensuring both operational performance and organizational growth. Through Leader Standard Work, tiered accountability, structured problem solving, and talent development, the Operations Manager builds the systems and leadership capability required to sustain operational excellence.

Role Purpose

The Operations Manager contributes to our purpose by connecting strategy to execution, developing production leaders, and aligning people, processes, and systems to deliver safe, reliable, and efficient manufacturing performance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Own daily plant execution through Tier visual management systems, ensuring alignment to safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people performance objectives.
• Translate business priorities into clear production plans, operating expectations, and resource allocation decisions.
• Lead efforts to improve safety performance, product quality, customer service, productivity, throughput, inventory performance, and operating costs.
• Utilize data, visual management, leader standard work, and tiered accountability processes to identify and eliminate operational losses.
• Drive structured problem-solving and root cause analysis to address chronic operational issues and reduce variation.
• Partner with Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Supply Chain, and EHS to remove barriers, improve process stability, and support long-term operational excellence.
• Ensure operational readiness, staffing plans, production scheduling alignment, and effective execution of business priorities.
• Lead escalation management and coordinate responses to significant production, quality, equipment, staffing, or customer service disruptions.
• Develop Production Managers, Supervisors, and frontline leaders while strengthening accountability, capability, succession, and leadership effectiveness.
• Utilize talent development tools & systems to support workforce capability and career growth.
• Govern operational standards, performance expectations, resource allocation, workforce planning, and operational decision-making processes.
• Manage departmental budgets, labor utilization, productivity initiatives, and operational improvement investments.
• Embed safety, environmental, quality, compliance, and business continuity requirements into daily operating practices.
• Advise plant leadership regarding operational risks, capacity constraints, workforce needs, performance trends, and strategic opportunities.

Leadership Expectations

The Operations Manager is expected to provide leadership that aligns organizational resources, develops talent, and delivers sustainable operational performance:

• Strategic Execution - Align operations with business objectives and drive effective execution of plant priorities.
• Cross-Functional Leadership - Coordinate resources and priorities across functions to achieve shared business objectives.
• Operational Excellence - Lead continuous improvement efforts to enhance safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.
• Talent Development - Build organizational capability through coaching, development, and succession planning.
• Accountability and Performance - Establish clear expectations and drive ownership of results through performance management and data-based decisions.
• Risk Management and Business Continuity - Manage operational risks and ensure continuity of safe, reliable manufacturing operations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Manufacturing, Industrial Management, Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain, or a related field OR 12+ years of progressive manufacturing, operations or industrial leadership experience .
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing, operations, or industrial leadership experience.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing managers, supervisors, or large manufacturing teams.
• Demonstrated success leading manufacturing operations in a complex industrial environment.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Continuous Improvement, Visual Management, Leader Standard Work, and operational excellence principles.
• Experience utilizing KPIs, tiered accountability systems, root cause analysis, and data-driven decision making to improve business performance.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives and driving organizational change.
• Experience managing labor resources, operational budgets, productivity programs, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Strong communication, coaching, presentation, and leadership skills.
• Ability to lead through influence and effectively collaborate across organizational boundaries.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident