Operations Manager

Hawkins HR Consulting, LLC; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary bonus potential

Relocation assistance

Career growth opportunities

Collaborative environment

Job summary

Hawkins HR Consulting, LLC seeks an experienced Operations Manager to lead a unionized, 300-employee production team in a fast-paced automotive environment. You will drive daily operations, safety, and quality while pushing continuous improvement initiatives.

Ideal candidates have 8-10 years in automotive manufacturing, a Bachelor’s degree in a related field, and strong leadership and communication skills to develop a robust leadership pipeline.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required (Business, Operations Management, Engineering or related field).
• Automotive industry experience required.
• 8-10 years progressive experience in automotive manufacturing.
• Proven experience leading medium to large teams in a manufacturing or operations environment.
• Strong preference for management experience in a unionized manufacturing environment.
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated success in process improvement and operational excellence.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, results-driven environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and manage a unionized workforce of approximately 300 employees, ensuring engagement, productivity, and performance.
• Oversee daily operations, ensuring efficiency, quality, and safety standards.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies.
• Partner cross-functionally with leadership, HR, quality, and supply chain teams to achieve operational goals.
• Monitor KPIs and implement strategies to improve operational performance and reduce costs.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, safety regulations, and industry standards.
• Coach and mentor managers, supervisors and team members to build a strong leadership pipeline.
• Manage budgets, staffing plans, and resource allocation.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Organizational skills

Process improvement

Lean/Six Sigma

Education

Bachelor’s degree (Business, Operations Management, Engineering or related field)

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and driven Operations Manager to lead and optimize day-to-day operations within a dynamic, fast-paced environment. This role is ideal for a hands-on leader with a strong background in managing medium to large teams and driving continuous improvement initiatives. Automotive industry experience is required.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and manage a unionized workforce of approximately 300 employees, ensuring high levels of engagement, productivity, and performance
• Oversee daily operations, ensuring efficiency, quality, and safety standards are consistently met
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies
• Partner cross-functionally with leadership, HR, quality, and supply chain teams to achieve operational goals
• Monitor KPIs and implement strategies to improve operational performance and reduce costs
• Ensure compliance with company policies, safety regulations, and industry standards
• Coach and mentor managers, supervisors and team members to build a strong leadership pipeline
• Manage budgets, staffing plans, and resource allocation

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required (Business, Operations Management, Engineering, or related field preferred)
• Automotive industry experience required
• 8-10 years progressive experience in automotive manufacturing
• Proven experience leading medium to large teams in a manufacturing or operations environment
• Strong preference for management experience in a unionized manufacturing environment
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills
• Demonstrated success in process improvement and operational excellence
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, results-driven environment

What We Offer

• Competitive salary range of $140,000 - $160,000 plus up to 25% bonus potential
• Relocation assistance available
• Opportunities for career growth and advancement
• A collaborative and high-performance work environment