NPT Operations Lead: Lean, Quality & Throughput

Kenda Tires; Cartersville (GA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Accident & critical care insurance

Short/long-term disability

401K with employer match

Paid holidays, sick leave, vacation

Job summary

Kenda Tires is seeking an NPT Process & Operations Manager to own daily manufacturing operations for the Non-Pneumatic Tire cell. You will lead a highly manual, data-driven production environment, enforce strict quality gates, optimize labor and materials, and drive continuous improvement toward scalable, disciplined manufacturing.

The role requires hands-on leadership, expert Lean/Six Sigma capabilities, and close collaboration with engineering and KATC to translate R&D into stable production.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial, Mechanical, or Manufacturing Engineering or related technical management discipline preferred.
• 3–5+ years managing a manufacturing cell, assembly line, or production department in automotive, tire, or heavy industrial sectors.
• Strong background in Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen events, and root-cause analysis (5-Why, Fishbone).
• Hands-on, floor-first leader with ability to lead labor teams and present data to executives.
• Experience managing complex process variables and manufacturing equipment; proficiency with MES, MRP/ERP, and digital SOP tools.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily production schedules, staffing allocation, and equipment uptime to meet units-per-day targets.
• Standardize a highly manual, high-touch assembly process and identify variable causes (air pressure, adhesive repeatability, cure times).
• Own quality metrics and implement inline checks; lead CAPA investigations and corrective actions.
• Partner with program leadership to drive cost-reduction and monitor material scrap and labor hours.
• Coordinate supply of raw components and maintain safety stock to prevent line downs.
• Champion digital SOP adoption and author/update work instructions for onboarding.
• Liaise with engineering, plant operations, and KATC to transition R&D updates to production.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Kaizen events

Root cause analysis

Floor leadership

Data-driven decision making

Education

Bachelor's degree in Industrial/Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

Manufacturing execution systems (MES)

MRP/ERP systems

Digital SOP tools

Job description

Kenda Tires is seeking an NPT Process & Operations Manager to own daily manufacturing operations for the Non-Pneumatic Tire cell. You will lead a highly manual, data-driven production environment, enforce strict quality gates, optimize labor and materials, and drive continuous improvement toward scalable, disciplined manufacturing.

The role requires hands-on leadership, expert Lean/Six Sigma capabilities, and close collaboration with engineering and KATC to translate R&D into stable production.