NPT Process & Operations Manager

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

The NPT Process & Operations Manager will own daily manufacturing operations, safety, quality, and continuous improvement for the Non-Pneumatic Tire (NPT) building cell. Serving as the primary floor leader, this role bridges the gap between engineering theory and production reality. You will manage daily throughput, stabilize a highly manual assembly process, enforce strict quality gates, and optimize labor and material resources. The ideal candidate will transform the Monitor facility's 'incubator' cell into a disciplined, data-driven, and highly efficient manufacturing department primed for future scale.

Benefits:

• Generous Pay commensurate with experience and/or education.
• Benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, life, accident, critical care, and short-term & long-term disability insurance.
• 401K retirement program with employer match.
• Paid holidays, sick and vacation time.
• Employee purchase pricing on auto, power sport, and bicycle tires.

Education and/or Work Experience Requirements:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Industrial, Mechanical, or Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical management discipline preferred.
• Experience: 3-5+ years of hands-on experience managing a manufacturing cell, assembly line, or production department, ideally within the automotive, tire, or heavy industrial sectors.
• Process Improvement Expertise: Strong background in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma methodologies, Kaizen events, and root-cause analysis (5-Why, Fishbone diagrams).
• Leadership Style: A hands-on, floor-first leader with a high appetite for solving operational friction. Exccptlonal cornmunicaliun ::1kills lo lead local labor teams while presenting clear operational data to executive leadershiµ.
• Technical Acumen: Experience m,mr1ging r.nmplex process variables (e.Q., chemical bonding, humidity/tP.ml')P.rnhire curing, pneumalii.;, i::li::clrical, mechanical press systems). Proficient in utilizing manufacturing execution software, MRP and ERP systems, and digital SOP tools.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Daily Operations & Throughput Management: Oversee daily production schedules, staffing allocation, and equipment uptime to consistently hit targeted units-per-day metrics. Maximize workflow efficiency within a space-constrained foolµrinl.
• Process Stabilization & Controls: Standardize a highly manual, high-touch assembly process. Identify and eliminate environmental and mechanical variables (such as air pressure inconsistencies, adhesive repeatability, and cure time fluctuations).
• Quality Assurance & Corrective Actions: Own the department's quality metrics. Implement strict inline quality checks to drive a target of 300 PPM or better. Lead root-cause investigations for field returns (RGAs) or internal events, executing immediate corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Cost Optimization & Material Flow: Partner with program leadership to execute cost-reduction initiatives. Monitor material scrap rates, optimize the consumption of chemical adhesives and web materials, and audit labor hours to drive down the total cost-per-unit burden.
• Supply Chain & Inventory Coordination: Manage raw component supply lines (tread bands, webs, hubs, and steel wheels) into the building cell. Maintain critical safety stock levels to prevent 'line down' events while avoiding excess inventory buildup.
• Digital Workflow & Training Implementation: Champion the adoption of digital standard operating procedures (SOPs) via platforms like Dozuki. Author, update, and enforce work instructions to minimize human error and accelerate operator onboarding.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Act as the on-site liaison between floor operations, local plant engineering, and the Kenda American Technical Center (KATC) to seamlessly transition product updates from R&D into routine production.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EOE)