Operations Manager

Strategic Systems Inc; Cedartown (GA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Strategic Systems, Inc. near Cedartown, GA, seeks an experienced Operations Manager to lead daily production in a high-volume processing facility.

You will oversee production flow, throughput, labor performance, order fulfillment, and continuous improvement, reporting to the Plant Manager. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader with Lean experience, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to coordinate with maintenance, safety, and distribution.

Qualifications

• Five or more years of progressive operations leadership in manufacturing or high-volume processing.
• Experience leading supervisors, team leads, and hourly employees.
• Strong knowledge of production planning, safety, quality, and throughput.
• Proven ability to use KPIs to drive improvements.
• Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in operations, engineering, business, or related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Direct daily production to meet safety, quality, throughput, cost, and service goals.
• Develop and lead production supervisors and hourly staff.
• Manage material flow to complete orders on schedule.
• Monitor schedules, staffing, labor use, and capacity.
• Track KPIs for output, productivity, quality, and fulfillment.
• Identify bottlenecks and implement corrective actions.
• Coordinate with maintenance, distribution, HR, safety, and other functions.
• Lead daily production meetings and communicate priorities.
• Maintain visible leadership on the floor and reinforce standards.
• Lead continuous improvement using Lean, CI, and root-cause analysis.
• Improve workflow, layout, material movement, and staffing models.
• Develop standard operating procedures and ensure execution across shifts.
• Support training, performance management, engagement, and retention.
• Provide updates to Plant Manager on results, risks, and improvements.

Skills

Operations leadership

Lean manufacturing

Problem solving

KPIs and data-driven decisions

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in operations, engineering, business, or related field

Job description

Our customer is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead daily production within a high-volume processing facility near Cedartown, GA. Reporting to the Plant Manager, this individual will be responsible for production flow, throughput, labor performance, order fulfillment, and continuous improvement

.

This is a fast-paced operation with an exceptionally short inventory cycle and a high degree of operational urgency. Success requires strong floor leadership, disciplined production management, rapid problem-solving, and the ability to coordinate people and resources throughout each stage of the process.

The Operations Manager will lead production supervisors, team leads, and hourly employees. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who can improve operational efficiency, develop frontline leadership, and create accountability across the production floor.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct daily production activities to meet safety, quality, throughput, cost, and customer-service objectives.
• Lead and develop production supervisors, team leads, and hourly employees.
• Manage the flow of materials through each stage of production to ensure orders are completed accurately and on schedule.
• Monitor production schedules, staffing levels, labor utilization, and capacity throughout the shift.
• Track and improve KPIs related to hourly output, throughput, productivity, quality, order fulfillment, and labor efficiency.
• Identify bottlenecks, workflow interruptions, and performance gaps, then implement timely corrective actions.
• Coordinate with maintenance, distribution, HR, safety, and other plant functions to prevent disruptions and meet operating requirements.
• Lead daily production meetings and communicate priorities, expectations, and performance results to the team.
• Maintain a visible presence on the production floor and reinforce safety, quality, and performance standards.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, CI, root-cause analysis, standard work, and structured problem-solving methods.
• Improve workflow, plant layout, material movement, staffing models, and production processes.
• Develop sustainable operating procedures and ensure consistent execution across shifts and departments.
• Support employee training, performance management, engagement, and retention.
• Provide the Plant Manager with regular updates on production results, operational risks, staffing needs, and improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Five or more years of progressive operations or production leadership experience in manufacturing, industrial processing, co-packing, metal processing, automotive, or a comparable high-volume environment.
• Experience leading supervisors, team leads, and hourly production employees.
• Strong knowledge of production planning, workflow management, labor utilization, safety, quality, and operational performance.
• Demonstrated success improving throughput, productivity, labor efficiency, quality, or order fulfillment.
• Experience implementing Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, standard work, or structured problem-solving practices.
• Ability to use operational data and KPIs to identify performance gaps and drive corrective action.
• Experience building or improving processes within a growing, changing, startup, or turnaround environment.
• Strong leadership, communication, decision‑making, and organizational skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in operations, engineering, business, or a related field preferred. Equivalent operations leadership experience will be considered.

Preferred Experience

• Tier 2 or Tier 3 automotive manufacturing, metal processing, co-packing, or another high-volume processing environment
• Plant startup, turnaround, acquisition integration, or operational transformation
• Experience developing frontline supervisors and team leads
• Familiarity with ISO standards or certification initiatives

Physical Requirements:

The physical requirements for this office role include the ability to sit or stand for extended periods, typically up to 8 hours a day, and regularly operate standard office equipment such as computers and phones. Employees should be able to lift up to 15 pounds occasionally and frequently perform tasks that require typing, writing, and document handling. Effective verbal and written communication skills are necessary, along with adequate visual and auditory abilities to read materials and participate in meetings.

EEOC Statement:

Strategic Systems, Inc., and its affiliates, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic. We believe diversity drives innovation and we are dedicated to fostering a workplace that respects and values the contributions of all individuals.