Operations Manager

Lincoln Electric; Cleveland (OH); On-site; USD 111,000 - 139,000; Full time

Job summary

Lincoln Electric is seeking an Operations Manager to transform strategy into daily execution in a high‑performing plant. You will lead Production Managers, Supervisors, and frontline leaders, aligning people and processes to achieve safe, reliable, and profitable manufacturing performance.

You will collaborate across Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, EHS, and Supply Chain to ensure resources, priorities, and actions support the plant's objectives and drive continuous improvement,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in one of the listed fields or 12+ years of progressive manufacturing/ops leadership experience.
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing, operations, or industrial leadership experience.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing managers, supervisors, or large manufacturing teams.
• Experience leading manufacturing operations in a complex industrial environment.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Continuous Improvement, and related principles.
• Experience using KPIs and data-driven decisions to improve performance.
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and driving change.
• Experience managing labor resources, budgets, and productivity programs.

Responsibilities

• Own daily plant execution through tier visual management systems and safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people performance.
• Translate business priorities into clear production plans, operating expectations, and resource allocation.
• Lead efforts to improve safety, product quality, customer service, productivity, throughput, and costs.
• Use data and leader standard work to identify and eliminate losses.
• Drive structured problem‑solving and root cause analysis to address issues.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Supply Chain and EHS to improve stability and excellence.
• Ensure staffing, scheduling alignment, and execution of business priorities.
• Escalation management and response coordination for disruptions.
• Develop Production Managers and frontline leaders; strengthen accountability and leadership.
• Use talent development tools to support workforce growth.
• Govern standards, budgets, and decision-making processes.
• Embed safety, environmental, quality and business continuity requirements.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Continuous Improvement

Visual Management

Leader Standard Work

Operational Excellence

Cross-functional leadership

Data-driven decision making

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Manufacturing, Industrial Management, Engineering, Operations Management, or related field

Job description

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Lincoln Electric is a high-performance industrial machinery and technology leader who helps customers manufacture and maintain vital equipment and infrastructure. Lincoln Electric’s innovative solutions enable higher quality and productivity across a variety of processes including welding, cutting, brazing, machining, process automation, and field repair. The Company leverages proprietary technologies and expertise in materials science, power electronics, automation, and intelligent software to help customers build better and achieve resilience in their operations. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Lincoln Electric is the essential ‘Linc’ that keeps the economy running. The Company operates 71 manufacturing and automation facilities across 20 countries and serves customers in over 160 countries. For more information about Lincoln Electric and its products and services, visit the Company’s website at https://www.lincolnelectric.com .

Location: Euclid - 22801
Employment Status: Salary Full-Time
Function: Manufacturing
Pay Range: ($111,115.00 - $138,894.00)
Target Bonus: 15.0%
Req ID:30346

Position Summary

The Operations Manager is responsible for transforming business strategy into daily execution by aligning people, resources, processes, and cross-functional priorities to achieve safe, reliable, and profitable manufacturing performance.

The Operations Manager leads through Production Managers, Supervisors, and frontline leaders, stewarding operational systems, building capabilities, and managing accountability required to deliver stable, high-performing manufacturing operations. The role works closely with Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, EHS, Supply Chain, and Continuous Improvement to ensure resources, priorities, and actions are aligned with the plant's most important operational and strategic objectives.

Success in this role requires balancing short-term execution with long-term capability building, ensuring both operational performance and organizational growth. Through Leader Standard Work, tiered accountability, structured problem solving, and talent development, the Operations Manager builds the systems and leadership capability required to sustain operational excellence.

Role Purpose

The Operations Manager contributes to our purpose by connecting strategy to execution, developing production leaders, and aligning people, processes, and systems to deliver safe, reliable, and efficient manufacturing performance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Own daily plant execution through Tier visual management systems, ensuring alignment to safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people performance objectives.
• Translate business priorities into clear production plans, operating expectations, and resource allocation decisions.
• Lead efforts to improve safety performance, product quality, customer service, productivity, throughput, inventory performance, and operating costs.
• Utilize data, visual management, leader standard work, and tiered accountability processes to identify and eliminate operational losses.
• Drive structured problem-solving and root cause analysis to address chronic operational issues and reduce variation.
• Partner with Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Supply Chain, and EHS to remove barriers, improve process stability, and support long-term operational excellence.
• Ensure operational readiness, staffing plans, production scheduling alignment, and effective execution of business priorities.
• Lead escalation management and coordinate responses to significant production, quality, equipment, staffing, or customer service disruptions.
• Develop Production Managers, Supervisors, and frontline leaders while strengthening accountability, capability, succession, and leadership effectiveness.
• Utilize talent development tools & systems to support workforce capability and career growth.
• Govern operational standards, performance expectations, resource allocation, workforce planning, and operational decision-making processes.
• Manage departmental budgets, labor utilization, productivity initiatives, and operational improvement investments.
• Embed safety, environmental, quality, compliance, and business continuity requirements into daily operating practices.
• Advise plant leadership regarding operational risks, capacity constraints, workforce needs, performance trends, and strategic opportunities.

The Operations Manager is expected to provide leadership that aligns organizational resources, develops talent, and delivers sustainable operational performance:

• Strategic Execution - Align operations with business objectives and drive effective execution of plant priorities.
• Cross-Functional Leadership - Coordinate resources and priorities across functions to achieve shared business objectives.
• Operational Excellence - Lead continuous improvement efforts to enhance safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.
• Talent Development - Build organizational capability through coaching, development, and succession planning.
• Accountability and Performance - Establish clear expectations and drive ownership of results through performance management and data-based decisions.
• Risk Management and Business Continuity - Manage operational risks and ensure continuity of safe, reliable manufacturing operations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Manufacturing, Industrial Management, Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain, or a related field OR 12+ years of progressive manufacturing, operations, or industrial leadership experience .
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing, operations, or industrial leadership experience.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing managers, supervisors, or large manufacturing teams.
• Demonstrated success leading manufacturing operations in a complex industrial environment.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Continuous Improvement, Visual Management, Leader Standard Work, and operational excellence principles.
• Experience utilizing KPIs, tiered accountability systems, root cause analysis, and data-driven decision making to improve business performance.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives and driving organizational change.
• Experience managing labor resources, operational budgets, productivity programs, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Strong communication, coaching, presentation, and leadership skills.
• Ability to lead through influence and effectively collaborate across organizational boundaries.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident

Lincoln Electric is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to promoting equal employment opportunity for applicants, without regard to their race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to, lactation), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, and any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

Nearest Major Market: Cleveland
Job Segment: Machinist, Welding, Manufacturing