Manufacturing Manager

Lakeside Book Company; Kendallville, Northern (IN, KY); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Lakeside Book Company is seeking a results-oriented manufacturing leader to guide our Kendallville, IN operation. You will shape strategy, drive safety, quality, and productivity, and lead Lean and continuous improvement initiatives across pressroom and digital operations.

You will oversee staffing, production scheduling, and cross-functional projects to achieve performance and budget targets, fostering a high-performance culture in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a related field.
• Strong knowledge of Lean tools, data, KPIs, and structured problem-solving methods.
• Experience leading manufacturing teams to safety, quality, productivity, and cost objectives.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and strategic direction for manufacturing operations.
• Lead staffing plans, production schedules, quality initiatives, and operational changes to meet performance and budget goals.
• Drive Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives to improve efficiency and reduce waste.
• Lead and influence employees and front-line leaders through cultural change to build a high-performance environment.
• Oversee preventive maintenance, work orders, equipment installations, and project execution.
• Monitor KPIs and operational data, partnering cross-functionally to drive improvements.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Continuous Improvement

Leadership

Project Management

Data-driven decisions

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Engineering/Operations

Job description

Location: 3094 Lester Drive, Kendallville, IN 46755

Hours: Monday - Friday (40 hours work week, flexibility as needed)

What You’ll Do

• Provide leadership and strategic direction for manufacturing operations, driving performance across safety, quality, productivity, downtime, cost, and operational goals
• Lead staffing plans, production schedules, quality initiatives, and operational changes to ensure the team meets or exceeds performance and budget expectations
• Drive Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives to improve efficiency, reduce waste and downtime, strengthen quality, and optimize overall operational performance
• Lead and influence employees and front-line leaders through organizational and cultural change, building accountability and a high-performance manufacturing environment
• Oversee key operational and maintenance priorities, including preventive maintenance, work orders, equipment installations and upgrades, maintenance costs, and project execution
• Monitor KPIs and operational data across pressroom and digital operations, partnering cross-functionally to identify priorities, resolve performance gaps, and successfully execute improvement projects

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant manufacturing experience
• 5+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, including responsibility for production teams and ideally the development of Production Supervisors or other front-line leaders
• Demonstrated success leading teams to achieve safety, quality, productivity, delivery, cost, and operational performance objectives
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement, with experience using Lean tools, data, KPIs, and structured problem-solving methods to improve performance
• Strong project management and cross-functional leadership skills, with experience managing operational initiatives, process changes, equipment installations, capital projects, or facility improvements
• Strong communication, coaching, decision-making, and team-building skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and lead effectively in a fast-paced, complex manufacturing environment