General Manager

Universal Metal Products; Toledo (OH); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Universal Metal Products in Ohio seeks a General Manager to lead day-to-day manufacturing operations at our Pemberville facility. The role focuses on production, quality, safety, and maintenance, driving efficiency and reliability across departments.

You will set goals, monitor KPIs, and partner with engineering, sales, and service teams to meet customer needs and strategic targets. The ideal candidate has a track record in manufacturing leadership, strong financial acumen, and a commitment to

Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership and people-management skills, including team development, performance management, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Strong operations management experience in manufacturing, with a focus on production planning, process optimization, and quality assurance.
• Background in engineering or technical environments, ideally involving metal fabrication, precision components, or similar industrial processes.
• Solid business acumen, including budgeting, cost control, and data-driven decision-making to support profitability and growth.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with employees, customers, and executive leadership.
• Experience implementing continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, or similar methodologies is highly beneficial.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field; advanced degree or relevant certifications are a plus.
• Proven track record of maintaining a safe work environment and promoting an inclusive, respectful workplace culture.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operations to ensure efficient and reliable manufacturing performance.
• Manage departmental leaders, set operational goals, and monitor KPIs.
• Collaborate with engineering, sales, and customer service teams to align capabilities with customer requirements.
• Budget management and workforce planning to support growth and resource utilization.
• Foster a positive and inclusive work environment and ensure compliance with policies.

Skills

Leadership

Operations mgmt

Engineering background

Budgeting & cost control

Communication

Continuous improvement

Lean manufacturing

Safety culture

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business/Engineering/Operations

Job description

Company Description

Universal Metal Products is a long-established leader in custom metal manufacturing, with more than seventy-five years of industry experience. The company focuses on “solutions engineering,” using advanced capabilities to design, engineer, and re-engineer metal parts for specific customer applications. Rather than simply operating high-end machinery such as fourslide, multi-slide, and punch-press equipment, Universal Metal Products emphasizes deep expertise in what each machine can achieve with different metal grades. This approach allows the team to optimize the manufacturing process and deliver precise, high-quality components. Candidates joining the organization will be part of a company that values technical excellence, problem-solving, and continuous improvement.

Role Description

The General Manager role is a full-time, on-site position based in Pemberville, OH. The General Manager oversees day-to-day operations, including production, quality, safety, and maintenance activities, to ensure efficient and reliable manufacturing performance. This role is responsible for managing departmental leaders, setting operational goals, monitoring key performance indicators, and driving continuous improvement in processes and resource utilization. The General Manager collaborates closely with engineering, sales, and customer service teams to align operational capabilities with customer requirements and strategic objectives. Additional responsibilities include budget management, workforce planning, fostering a positive and inclusive work environment, and ensuring compliance with company policies and applicable regulations.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership and people-management skills, including team development, performance management, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Strong operations management experience in manufacturing, with a focus on production planning, process optimization, and quality assurance.
• Background in engineering or technical environments, ideally involving metal fabrication, precision components, or similar industrial processes.
• Solid business acumen, including budgeting, cost control, and data-driven decision-making to support profitability and growth.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with employees, customers, and executive leadership.
• Experience implementing continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, or similar methodologies is highly beneficial.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field; advanced degree or relevant certifications are a plus.
• Proven track record of maintaining a safe work environment and promoting an inclusive, respectful workplace culture.