Operations Manager

L2x Talent Solutions; Downers Grove (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

L2x Talent Solutions is seeking an experienced manufacturing leader in Downers Grove, IL to drive operations strategy and oversee high-volume production teams. You will plan, schedule, and optimize workflows, while ensuring safety, quality, and on-time delivery.

The role requires 7+ years in manufacturing with 3+ years in a leadership position, plus strong Lean/Six Sigma experience. CNC machining exposure is preferred in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or related field; equivalent manufacturing leadership experience may be considered.
• 7+ years of manufacturing experience, including 3+ years in a production/operations/manufacturing management role, ideally CNC machining.
• 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.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to strategic planning to develop and implement operations strategy.
• Ensure operational performance metrics meet or exceed objectives.
• Conduct weekly GEMBA meetings with production teams to communicate performance and address issues.
• Direct planning of products and cells based on demand and delivery schedules.
• Review daily shop production schedules and create team plans accordingly.
• Meet with production manager, planner, supervisors, and leads to discuss action plans.
• Interpret specifications and assign duties to employees.
• Execute plans and monitor progress to meet weekly production demands.
• Develop, train, supervise, and motivate hourly production staff.
• Identify opportunities for cross-training to improve capacity and responsiveness.
• Develop and recommend improvements to safety, quality, and efficiency.
• Oversee capacity planning, reserve capacity, downtime, and maintenance planning.
• Analyze production, quality, maintenance reports to diagnose issues.
• Collaborate with engineering and quality teams on MRB and rework/repair.
• Consult with engineering to modify machines, tooling, fixtures to improve production or quality.
• Recommend and monitor changes to ensure consistent rate and throughput.
• Partner with Quality Control to establish self-auditing for conformance.
• Provide input for new product development and technology implementations.
• Own On Time Delivery (OTD) metrics and ensure QMS compliance.
• Maintain a work environment aligned with IATF requirements.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Kaizen

Production Planning

Capacity Planning

Inventory Management

Leadership

Team Development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Operations Management

Bachelor's degree in 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.