Manufacturing Operations Executive

Upside Search; Lorain (OH); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Upside Search is seeking a Director of Operations for a 50,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility with Engineering, Machining, Fabrication, Paint, Assembly, and Final Testing.

The role reports to the COO and leads 6-7 Managers to drive day-to-day performance and continuous improvement. Responsibilities include developing people, improving processes, establishing KPIs, and implementing SOPs to support growth in a family-owned manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive plant operations and manufacturing leadership experience.
• Experience in industrial manufacturing and small-to-mid-sized organizations preferred.
• Proven ability to lead end-to-end manufacturing operations.
• Strong change leadership, process improvement, and KPI development.
• Experience with ERP systems such as NetSuite, SAP, JD Edwards, or similar.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and direction for the company's manufacturing operation, including Engineering, Machine Shop, Fabrication, Paint, Assembly, and Final Testing.
• Lead, coach, and develop 6-7 Managers and Supervisors while creating greater accountability.
• Serve as the senior day-to-day operations leader and trusted partner to the COO.
• Evaluate current manufacturing processes and identify opportunities to improve throughput, productivity, quality, and operating efficiency.
• Identify and eliminate operational bottlenecks while improving workflow and coordination between departments.
• Establish meaningful plant KPIs and operating metrics to improve visibility, accountability, and decision-making.
• Develop and implement stronger SOPs, standardized processes, and operating procedures to support growth.
• Improve communication and coordination across Engineering, Manufacturing, and other functions.
• Mentor and develop Managers and Supervisors to strengthen operational leadership capabilities.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives and foster a culture focused on problem-solving and accountability.
• Improve inventory management practices and identify opportunities to reduce inventory levels.
• Support NetSuite implementation and optimization for better visibility and reporting.
• Partner with leadership on capacity planning, operational strategy, and new product introductions.
• Maintain a visible hands-on presence on the manufacturing floor to identify challenges and implement solutions.
• Help build processes, systems, people, and structure to support growth.

Skills

Leadership

Operations

KPIs

Process improvement

ERP systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Operations

Tools

NetSuite

SAP

JD Edwards

Job description

Upside Search is seeking a Director of Operations for a 50,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility with Engineering, Machining, Fabrication, Paint, Assembly, and Final Testing.

The role reports to the COO and leads 6-7 Managers to drive day-to-day performance and continuous improvement. Responsibilities include developing people, improving processes, establishing KPIs, and implementing SOPs to support growth in a family-owned manufacturing environment.