Operations Manager

Morgan Advanced Materials; Elkhart (IA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Morgan Advanced Materials seeks an Operations Manager to lead a manufacturing site, driving safety, quality, output and cost performance. You’ll sit under the Regional Site Manager as the site’s operational backbone, building strong teams and shaping daily practices.

You will run day-to-day operations across EHS, Quality, Supply Chain and Production, balance demand with standards, coach the management team, and ensure compliance with health, safety and regulatory requirements while embedding

Qualifications

• Solid experience leading in a manufacturing or industrial setting.
• At least 3 years managing teams and 5+ years in manufacturing overall.
• Track record of improving operations.
• Strong safety, quality, and operational standards knowledge.
• Experience in fast-paced environments with shifting priorities.
• Confident communicator from shop floor to senior leadership.
• Hands-on leadership style.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Comfortable with data, reports, and performance metrics.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Run site operations across safety, quality, supply chain, and production.
• Drive efficiency and output across manufacturing processes.
• Manage budgets and keep spend within limits.
• Plan and adjust production schedules to changing demand.
• Lead, hire, and develop your management team.
• Ensure compliance with health & safety, environmental, and internal policies.
• Roll out Lean and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Monitor performance metrics and take corrective actions.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to align operations with business objectives.
• Lead employee engagement, performance, and development.
• Support ISO management reviews and maintain audit readiness.

Skills

Manufacturing leadership

Team management

Safety & quality focus

Data-driven decision making

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Job description

Overview

Morgan Advanced Materials is a world leader in advanced materials science and engineering of ceramics, carbon and composites. We operate in a series of well-defined markets where our applications expertise offers our customers a valuable differentiator, engineering high-specification materials, components and sub-assembly parts that solve their challenging technical problems.

The Thermal Ceramics division designs, manufactures and installs a broad range of thermal insulation products that significantly reduce energy consumption and emissions in a variety of high temperature processing applications. Our product offering is extensive and covers application needs from Industrial to Commercial markets.

Group Key Figures: Revenue £1b, ~9,000 employees, manufacturing in 30+ countries, and customers in 100+ countries. A UK PLC with head office located in Windsor, Berkshire UK. Listed on London Stock Exchange; Member of the FTSE 250 Index.

Responsibilities

Operations Manager This is a hands-on leadership role at a manufacturing site where what you do has a direct impact on output, safety, and how people show up to work every day. You won’t just be keeping things ticking—you’ll be setting the tone, driving standards, and making sure the operation runs the way it should.You’ll sit just under the Regional Site Manager, acting as the site’s operational backbone. If you like taking ownership, fixing what’s not working, and building strong teams (not just talking about it), you’ll feel right at home here.

The Role

You’ll lead the day-to-day running of the site across EHS, Quality, Supply Chain, and Operational Excellence. That means balancing production demands with safety, quality, and cost—without letting one fall over while you fix another.You’ll also be responsible for building and developing your leadership team, keeping operations on track, and making sure standards—both company and regulatory—are met consistently.

Key Responsibilities

• Run site operations across safety, quality, supply chain, and production
• Drive efficiency, productivity, and output across manufacturing processes
• Manage budgets and keep spend within agreed limits
• Plan and adjust production schedules around changing demand
• Lead, hire, and develop your management team
• Ensure compliance with health & safety, environmental, and internal policies
• Roll out and embed Lean and continuous improvement initiatives
• Monitor performance metrics and take action where needed (not just report on them)
• Work cross-functionally to align operations with business objectives
• Lead on employee engagement, performance, and development
• Support ISO management reviews and maintain audit readiness

Qualifications

About You / What You’ll Bring

• Solid experience leading in a manufacturing or industrial setting
• At least 3 years managing teams and 5+ years in manufacturing overall
• A track record of improving operations—not just maintaining them
• Strong understanding of safety, quality, and operational standards
• Experience working in fast-paced environments where priorities shift
• Confidence communicating with everyone from shop floor to senior leadership
• A practical, hands-on leadership style—you lead from the front
• Strong organisational and problem-solving skills (you’ll need both daily)
• Comfortable working with data, reports, and performance metrics
• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience)

Nice to Have

• Engineering degree (mechanical, chemical, industrial, etc.)
• Lean manufacturing or Operational Excellence experience
• Experience in highly regulated environments (ITAR, EAR, NRC)

What You’ll Get

• A leadership role with real ownership and influence
• The chance to shape site culture, performance, and team capability
• Exposure to senior leadership and broader operational strategy
• A stable environment with clear expectations (and plenty to get stuck into)

Note: This role requires eligibility to work under ITAR/EAR/NRC regulations (U.S. citizenship, permanent residency, or protected status).

Morgan Advanced Materials is an EEO/AA/M/W/D/V Employer