Operations Manager

L2x Talent Solutions; Downers Grove (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

L2x Talent Solutions seeks an experienced Manufacturing Operations Leader in Downers Grove to guide strategic manufacturing initiatives, drive on-time delivery, and lead a high-volume team. You will oversee planning, scheduling, and continuous improvement efforts across CNC environments, ensuring safety, quality, and efficiency.

The role requires 7+ years in manufacturing with leadership experience, strong analytical skills, and a proven ability to optimize production processes and capacity

Qualifications

• 7+ years of manufacturing experience with 3+ years in production/operations management, preferably in CNC machining.
• Strong knowledge of production planning, scheduling, capacity planning, and inventory management.
• Experience driving Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or similar continuous improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the strategic planning of operations strategy.
• Ensure the team’s operational performance metrics meet objectives.
• Conduct weekly GEMBA meetings with production teams to communicate performance, discuss issues, and reinforce procedures.
• Direct planning of products and cells based on demand and delivery schedules.
• Review daily shop production schedules and create team plans.
• Lead meetings with the production manager, planner, and supervisors to discuss action plans.
• Interpret specifications and assign duties to employees.
• Develop, train, supervise, and motivate the hourly production team.
• Identify cross-training opportunities to enhance capacity and responsiveness.
• Recommend improvements to safety, quality, and efficiency.
• Oversee capacity planning and downtime allocation for maintenance.
• Review reports to determine causes of nonconformity and production issues.
• Collaborate with engineering and quality teams on MRB and rework.
• Advise on machine/process/tooling modifications to improve production quality.
• Ensure On Time Delivery (OTD) in compliance with QMS and IATF requirements.
• Coordinate with customer service on OTD inquiries and issues.
• Address employee issues with HR and enforce company policies.

Skills

Manufacturing leadership

Production planning

Scheduling

Continuous improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering / Industrial Engineering / Operations Management / Business

Job description

• Contribute to the strategic planning process of developing and implementing operations strategy.
• Ensure the team’s operational performance metrics meet or exceed objectives.
• Conduct weekly GEMBA meetings with production teams to communicate daily performance, discuss underperformance and quality issues, and remind employees of proper procedures.
• Directs planning of products and cells based on order demand and delivery schedules.
• Reviews daily shop production schedules and create team plans accordingly.
• Conduct meetings with the production manager, planner, supervisors, and leads to discuss the plan of action and execution.
• Interprets specifications, blueprints, and job orders to employees and assigns duties.
• Executes plans and monitors progress while providing expertise and assistance in areas needed to ensure the successful completion of weekly production demands.
• Develop, train, provide effective supervision, and motivate the hourly production team.
• Identify opportunities for cross-training to enhance capacity and responsiveness to customer requirements.
• Develops and recommends improvements of facility, equipment, or procedures to improve safety, quality, and efficiency.
• Oversees and directs overall capacity planning, allocation of reserve capacity, identification of planned shutdowns, and allocation of downtime for maintenance.
• Reviews and analyzes the production, quality, maintenance, and operational reports to determine causes of nonconformity with product specifications, and operating or production problems.
• Works with engineering and quality teams to review MRB and re-work/repair products.
• Consults with the engineering team relative to the modification of machines, processes, tooling, fixtures, and equipment in order to improve the production or quality of products.
• Recommends, implements, and monitors changes required to ensure consistent rate (PPH) and overall throughput through manufacturing cells.
• Works with Quality Control to establish a self-auditing process to check parts for conformance to print.
• Provides input and guidance for new product development, new technology implementation, and overall improvement strategies.
• Owner of On Time Delivery metric and process, in compliance with QMS.
• Takes accountability for the effectiveness of QMS within the production group.
• Establishes and maintains a working environment that follows IATF requirements.
• Works closely with customer service to respond to customer queries around OTD issues.
• Manage and direct team and work with HR to address employee issues as they arise.
• Manage disciplinary and progress reviews process.
• Enforce and monitor all company policies.
• Ensures health and safety guidelines set by the company.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related field; equivalent manufacturing leadership experience may be considered.
• 7+ years of manufacturing experience, including 3+ years in a production, operations, or manufacturing management role. Ideally in a cnc machining environment.
• Proven experience leading and developing production teams in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of production planning, scheduling, capacity planning, and inventory management.
• Experience driving continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or similar methodologies.