Manufacturing Operations Manager

FUCHS LUBRICANTS CO.; Harvey (IL); On-site; USD 125,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

FUCHS Lubricants Co. in Harvey, IL, is seeking an Operations Manager to lead manufacturing, safety, and continuous improvement initiatives at the Harvey facility. You will oversee three supervisors and about 35 production staff, driving accountability and a culture of ownership.

The role emphasizes leadership development, KPI-driven decision making, and cross-functional collaboration to meet customer demand while improving safety, quality, and productivity in a regulated environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Chemistry, or related STEM field.
• 5+ years of manufacturing leadership experience.
• Experience leading supervisors and developing frontline leaders.
• Proven ability to drive accountability and operational execution.
• Lean Manufacturing or Continuous Improvement experience; regulated environment experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead safe, efficient, high-performing manufacturing operations at the Harvey facility.
• Oversee three supervisors and ~35 production employees.
• Develop leadership capability and culture of ownership and continuous improvement.
• Establish daily management systems with KPI reviews and action tracking.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to align priorities and meet customer demand.

Skills

Leadership

KPIs

Change management

Communication

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Manufacturing/Science

Tools

SAP

Job description

MOVING YOUR WORLD By Focusing On Your Success
FUCHS offers a challenging and rewarding working environment where employees are encouraged to develop and grow. We stand behind our core values: trust, creating value, respect, reliability, and integrity. Ours is a culture that fosters creativ- ity and empowerment, values work/life balance, and gives you the freedom to excel. At FUCHS we aim to nurture your ca- pabilities, ideas and career.
Salary
FUCHS offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience in a similar position. The salary range for this position is $125,000 - $140,000 per year, but actual salary will vary depending upon a new hire’s experience and qualifications as well as internal equity.
Your Responsibilities
The Operations Manager, reporting to the Plant Manager, is a key member of the South Plant leadership team and is responsible for leading safe, efficient, and high-performing manufacturing operations at the Harvey facility. This leader oversees three supervisors and approximately 35 production employees while driving operational excellence through leadership development, accountability, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration. Success in this role will be measured not only by operational results, but by developing people, strengthening leadership capability, and creating a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement.

• Perform as a transformational leader and agent of change that fosters a culture of continuous improvement.
• Strengthen leadership accountability by creating a culture of ownership, respectful performance management, disciplined execution, and consistent follow-through across all levels of the organization.
• Drive a culture where commitments are owned, issues are escalated appropriately, and actions are completed with urgency and discipline.
• Establish and sustain daily management systems including KPI reviews, action tracking, communication routines, and performance follow-up to improve operational discipline and execution.
• Develop supervisors and frontline leaders through coaching, mentoring, succession planning, and performance development while fostering a positive, high-performing work environment built on FUCHS' core values.
• Establish sustainable management systems that improve operational discipline, KPI ownership, schedule execution, production performance, and standard work while reducing reactive firefighting.
• Partner with Planning, Scheduling, Warehouse, Procurement, Maintenance, Quality, Laboratory, and other functional teams to align priorities, improve communication, and ensure customer demand is met safely and efficiently.
• Lead root cause problem-solving and continuous improvement initiatives that optimize safety, quality, productivity, process flow, scrap reduction, and manufacturing efficiency while creating sustainable operational improvements.
• Champion a safety-first culture by leading employee engagement, change management, EHS initiatives, housekeeping standards, and continuous improvement while building trust, accountability, and organizational alignment.
• Collaborate with plant leadership to establish safety, quality, production, and financial objectives while supporting budget development and cost control initiatives.
• Analyze production performance, operational KPIs, and quality metrics to identify root causes, implement corrective actions, and prevent recurring issues.
• Lead manufacturing improvement projects focused on process optimization, quality improvement, equipment reliability, production efficiency, and waste reduction.
• Develop, document, implement, and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and process documentation to support operational consistency and standardization.
• Partner with vendors to evaluate equipment, materials, and product specifications while supporting purchasing decisions and continuous process improvement.
• Serve as the technical liaison between Laboratory and Operations to ensure manufacturing processes, product specifications, and new methods are effectively implemented.
• Build strong relationships across all levels of the organization through effective communication, collaboration, coaching, and emotional intelligence.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable safety, environmental, regulatory, quality, and company standards.

What We Expect

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Chemistry, Manufacturing, or another STEM-related discipline.
• Five (5)+ years of manufacturing leadership experience, preferably within a batch manufacturing environment.
• Experience leading supervisors and developing frontline leaders.
• Proven ability to drive accountability, operational execution, and organizational change.
• Strong communication, coaching, and influencing skills.
• Experience utilizing KPIs to improve operational performance.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Preferred Qualifications
• Chemical manufacturing experience.
• SAP experience.
• Lean Manufacturing or Continuous Improvement experience.
• Experience with process control systems.
• Experience working in a highly regulated manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of EPA, OSHA, ISO, TS, IATF, or similar industry standards.
• Experience working in a visual factory environment with strong housekeeping standards.

What We Offer
Fuchs offers a challenging and rewarding working environment where employees are encouraged to develop and grow as professionals. In this role, you will have the opportunity to work on projects that will expand your experience and challenge your abilities in the global marketplace. The position also offers an excellent compensation package and a comprehensive suite of benefits. To review the company benefits, you can follow this link: https://fuchs.com/us/en/benefits .
Fuchs Lubricants Co. is an equal employment opportunity (EEO)/AA employer and strongly supports diversity in the workplace (m/f/d/v).