Operations Manager

Crafted Hardwoods; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Crafted Hardwoods in Adelaide seeks a production/operations leader to oversee the DPU and fabrication lines, ensuring on-time delivery and strong cost control. You will implement SOPs, lead a growing team, and drive continuous improvement across throughput and waste reduction.

The role requires experience in timber or engineered materials, hands-on people management, and accountability for safety, quality, and budget. A builder mindset and adherence to certifications are essential.

Qualifications

• Experience in production or operations management in timber or engineered materials.
• Direct people management experience with performance development.
• Budget accountability and financial literacy at a production level.
• Strong knowledge of WHS obligations in manufacturing.
• Experience with certified chain of custody systems (FSC/PEFC/ISO).
• Familiarity with CNC production environments and scheduling.
• Lean manufacturing or continuous improvement experience.
• Experience in a growth-stage business building operational processes.
• Builder mindset with ability to create structure and process.
• Honest, direct communication and accountability.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and manage all production operations across DPU, band-saw, and finishing processes.
• Manage production scheduling to meet customer commitments.
• Drive throughput, yield efficiency, and waste reduction.
• Develop, document, and embed SOPs across the facility.
• Directly manage production staff, rostering and performance management.
• Foster a positive workplace culture aligned with CHW's values and No Ego Policy.
• Conduct regular one-on-ones and support growth within the team.
• Support CHW's Chain of Custody obligations (FSC/PEFC) through production.
• Maintain WHS obligations per South Australian legislation.
• Own the operational budget and monitor monthly/annual targets.

Skills

Production management

People management

Budget accountability

WHS compliance

Quality/CoC systems

CNC production

Lean manufacturing

Continuous improvement

Growth-stage operations

Accountability

Job description

Key responsibilities

• Oversee and manage all production operations including the Digital Production Unit (DPU), horizontal band-saw, multi-ripping, dressing, profiling, finishing, and all associated processes.
• Manage production scheduling to meet customer commitments and maintain on-time delivery performance.
• Drive continuous improvement in throughput, yield efficiency, and waste reduction across all production processes.
• Develop, document, and embed standard operating procedures (SOPs) across the facility.
• Directly manage production staff, including rostering, performance management, and professional development.
• Foster a positive, respectful workplace culture consistent with CHW's values, with particular attention to the No Ego Policy standard.
• Conduct regular one-on-ones and contribute to a performance framework that supports individual growth alongside business outcomes.
• Support the execution of CHW's Chain of Custody certification (FSC® and PEFC) under the administration of the CoC Administrator, ensuring all obligations are met through the production process from raw material intake to finished product dispatch.
• Maintain all WHS obligations across the facility in accordance with South Australian workplace health and safety legislation.
• Own the operational budget, tracking expenditure against agreed monthly and annual targets.

About you

• Demonstrated experience in production or operations management within a timber, joinery, panel products, or closely related engineered materials environment.
• Direct people management experience, including performance management and team development.
• Operational budget accountability and financial literacy at a production management level.
• Strong understanding of WHS obligations in a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience working within a certified quality or chain of custody system (PEFC, FSC, ISO, or equivalent).
• Familiarity with CNC production environments, including understanding of workflow, throughput, and scheduling.
• Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or equivalent structured process improvement experience.
• Experience in a growth-stage business where operational processes were still being established, not simply inherited.
• Builder mindset: comfortable creating structure and process rather than simply operating within established systems.
• Honest and direct: able to surface problems early, speak plainly, and accept accountability without defensiveness.

About us

Crafted Hardwoods (CHW) is an Adelaide-based manufacturer of Solid Engineered Hardwood (SEH). We are bringing a world-first innovation to the Australian and New Zealand market: a proprietary engineered hardwood system that combines structural performance, zero-formaldehyde manufacturing, and industry-leading environmental credentials.

We are a young, ambitious business with a 10-year growth horizon. Everyone on the team is here because they believe what we are building matters: for the Australian manufacturing sector, and for global sustainability. We are not a steady-state operation. We are building something that has not been done before.