Chief Operations Officer

Optim Recruiting; Riverside (CA); On-site; USD 220,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESOP shares

401(k) match

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Optim Recruiting is seeking a Chief Operating Officer for a Riverside-area manufacturer overseeing operations across 10 sites. You’ll report to the President, present to the Board, and lead production, engineering, procurement, and R&D. Bring Lean and Six Sigma discipline to a floor built on experience and instinct.

Your first months will be about learning the operation before you drive change. The role offers a $220,000-$250,000 base plus a 20% bonus, ESOP, and a 401(k) match; relocation is

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, Engineering, or related field.
• MBA is preferred for this role.
• Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma on the production floor.
• Turnaround track record with measurable results.
• Experience leading multiple functions in a high-mix, low-volume environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead 4 direct reports across Production, Engineering, BOM, and R&D.
• Ensure projects stay within bid hours and protect margins.
• Design a system to identify roadblocks and ensure on-time delivery.
• Close the quality loop between field service, engineering, and floor.
• Build KPIs and reporting for the operation.
• Scale production behind major contracts.
• Develop leadership and cost-management with the CFO.
• Present to the Board.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business/Operations/Engineering

MBA (preferred)

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Turnaround leadership

Job description

Sales is bringing in the work. Production needs a leader who can deliver it.

A manufacturer in the Riverside area is hiring a Chief Operating Officer to oversee operations for 10 sites.

You’ll report to the President and present to the Board regularly. You’ll lead the managers over production, engineering, procurement, and R&D. Your job is to bring Lean and Six Sigma discipline to a floor that has run on experience and instinct.

Your first months will be about learning the operation before you change it. The hardest part of this job is that nothing repeats. Every contract is different, and a manufacturing process built for a hundred-million-dollar projectstill has to flex for an order of two million.

But if you lead by pulling people up, not pushing them, and want to own a turnaround with real backing, this one is worth a look.

What you’ll own

• Leading 4 direct reports across Production, Engineering, Bill of Materials, and R&D
• Ensuring projects are within bid hours and protecting the margins they were priced at
• On-time delivery and designing a system to identify potential roadblocks before they happen
• Closing the quality loop between field service, engineering, and the floor
• Building the KPIs and reporting the operation doesn’t have yet
• Scaling production behind one of the largest contracts in company history
• Developing a homegrown leadership team into managers who run to a standard
• Budgeting, forecasting, and cost management alongside the CFO
• Presenting to the Board

What you bring

• Senior operations leadership as a COO or VP of Operations within manufacturing
• Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma experience applied on a production floor, not just on a certificate
• A turnaround track record with results you can measure
• Experience leading multiple functions in a high-mix, low-volume environment
• You’re as comfortable with the production night crew as you are in front of the Board
• You build accountability without building fear
• A bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, Engineering, or a related field; an MBA is preferred

Why this one is worth a look

• $220,000-$250,000 base, plus a 20% annual bonus target
• Employee ownership: ESOP shares every year, plus a 401(k) with a 3% match
• Real backing. The President wants this turnaround and has set a realistic 12-18 month window.
• The work is already there. Sales has a strong pipeline, with 18 contracts close to signing.
• Work that doesn’t repeat, with high-profile clients such as Disney, and exciting projects such as electrifying large fleets
• Relocation candidates welcome

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled
To read our privacy policy, please go to optimrecruiting.com/privacy. We are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.
We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and/or security clearance requirements, including as applicable: The California Fair Chance Act, Los Angeles City Fair Chance Ordinance, and the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance.