Operations Manager

Carlisle Brake & Friction Inc; Lafayette Township (OH); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Health Savings Account (HSA)

401(k) Plan

Tuition reimbursement

Paid holidays and time off

Parental leave

Life insurance

Job summary

Carlisle Brake & Friction Inc is seeking an Operations Manager to lead the Medina facility's production operations, focusing on safety, quality, and cost efficiency. You will guide production teams, drive continuous improvement, and partner with cross-functional teams to achieve operational excellence.

The role emphasizes lean leadership, plant scheduling, and cost management, with accountability for performance, safety, and employee engagement in a manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

• Academic degree in operations, business management or engineering.
• 5–10 years of production management in a world-class manufacturing setting.
• Strong ethics, teamwork, analytical and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily production activities to meet safety, quality, delivery, productivity and cost goals.
• Coach and develop supervisors and frontline leaders for high performance.
• Drive lean improvement initiatives and reduce waste.
• Monitor schedules, labor, equipment, and workflow to meet demand.
• Collaborate with Materials, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance and Supply Chain to resolve issues.
• Use KPIs to drive improvements in safety, quality, delivery and productivity.

Skills

Operations management

Lean Six Sigma

Leadership

Problem solving

Communication

Safety

Teamwork

Planning/Organizing

Data-driven decision making

Education

Bachelor's degree in Operations, Business Management or Engineering

Tools

Metal stamping

Laser cutting

Manufacturing systems

Job description

Description

JOB PURPOSE OR JOB SUMMARY:

The Operations Manager is responsible for leading all production operations for the Medina facility, ensuring the safe, efficient, and cost-effective manufacture of products that meet customer quality and delivery requirements. This role provides leadership to production teams, drives continuous improvement initiatives, optimizes labor and equipment utilization, and partners with cross-functional departments to achieve operational excellence. The Operations Manager is accountable for production performance, safety, quality, delivery, productivity, employee engagement, and cost management.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead and manage daily production activities to achieve safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost objectives. 25%
• Coach, develop, and mentor production supervisors and frontline leaders to build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives utilizing Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and problem-solving methodologies to improve operational performance and eliminate waste.
• Monitor production schedules, labor utilization, equipment performance, and workflow to ensure customer demand is met efficiently and effectively.
• Collaborate with Materials, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, and Supply Chain functions to resolve operational challenges and improve plant performance.
• Utilize key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor production results and implement corrective actions that improve safety, quality, delivery, inventory, and productivity metrics.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:

• Academic Degree is required, with an emphasis on Operations, Business Management or Engineering
• Minimum of 5 -10 years of proven success in managing production in a world-class manufacturing organization
• Ethics - Treats people with respect; Keeps commitments; Inspires the trust of others; Works with integrity and ethically; Upholds organizational values
• Teamwork - Balances team and individual responsibilities; Exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Puts success of team above own interests; Able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; Supports everyone's efforts to succeed.
• Analytical - Synthesizes complex or diverse information; Collects and researches data; Uses intuition and experience to complement data; Designs workflows and procedures
• Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions; Works well in group problem solving situations; Uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics
• Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently; Sets stretch goals and objectives for the team
• Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events
• Interpersonal Skills – Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming; maintains confidentiality, listens to others without interrupting; keeps emotions under control; remains open to others’ ideas and tries new things. Maintains confidentiality of all payroll, medical, benefit and employee related information.
• Provide leadership in safety and foster a strong safety culture and safe working environment, ensure compliance with the company's EH&S programs, and proactively address safety issues. Ensure true root-cause analysis and follow through on corrective actions.
• Strong understanding of Metal stamping, Laser Cut, metal processing, assembly and cellular manufacturing environments, production management systems, operational excellence principles, continuous improvement practices, and sustainable cost-saving initiatives. Expertise in lean leadership and hands‑on implementation of lean techniques with proven results in a manufacturing environment.
• Business acumen to develop effective business strategies and successfully address people/organizational issues/opportunities to improve organizational performance.
• Demonstrated skill of building processes and teams in an environment that nurtures and embraces innovation.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills - both oral and written. Ability to effectively connect telephonically, electronically and face‑to‑face with varying audiences.
• Contribute to the development of the business strategy and plan by prioritizing operational value levels and defining cost management objectives – cost improvement and cost containment.
• Drive quality systems and processes to support continuous improvement and compliance with quality system requirements; ensure appropriate training, process support, and compliance, to achieve the quality objectives.
• Develop benchmarks and metrics including a standard scorecard to set baseline standards, and review for improvement opportunities.
• Create budget proposals, recommending budget changes, as needed
• Understand competitive trends in key geographic markets for manufacturing technologies and ensure the best competitive solutions.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience managing a team of production professionals and building capabilities in a decentralized organizational structure
• Ability to roll up sleeves and dig into the details including footprint plans, scenario development, and face‑to‑face negotiations
• Experience managing diverse cultures
• Lean Six Sigma certifications
• Experience with high performing SIOP processes, especially materials planning, and plant scheduling
• Experience with customers and purchasing

What We Offer:

• Comprehensive Health Benefits: Enjoy medical, dental, and vision coverage for positions of 30+ hours/week.
• Health Savings Account: Benefit from annual employer contributions to your HSA.
• Company-Provided Insurance: We offer life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment coverage, and short-term disability insurance.
• Voluntary Insurance Options: Choose additional coverage for yourself, your spouse, and your children, including critical illness, accident, hospital indemnity, and long-term disability insurance.
• 401(k) Plan: Take advantage of our 401(k) with matching contributions, fully vested from day one.
• Educational Support: Access tuition reimbursement and scholarship opportunities to further your education.
• Lifestyle Reimbursement: Receive a $150 Amazon gift card upon completion of your annual physical.
• Wellness Program: Participate in health coaching, monthly webinars, quarterly challenges, and earn gift card incentives for participation and earning points.
• Safe Work Environment: Work in a clean and safe environment.
• Generous Paid Time Off: Enjoy 14 paid holidays, including a holiday shutdown between Christmas and New Year’s, plus paid vacation available from day one.
• Paid Parental Leave: Take advantage of paid parental leave to support your family.