Operations Manager

Top Echelon LLC; New Milford (CT); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Top Echelon LLC in New Milford, CT, seeks an experienced Operations Manager to lead day-to-day plant operations including production, quality, purchasing, maintenance, logistics, and safety. You will drive efficiency, cost control, and continuous improvement.

You will manage schedules, inventory, budgets, and cross-functional teams, promote a safe environment compliant with OSHA standards, and mentor a high-performing staff.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field is required.
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing experience.
• At least 5 years in a managerial/leadership role.
• Strong analytical and communication skills; able to interact with senior management.

Responsibilities

• Lead plant operations across production, quality, purchasing, maintenance, logistics, and supply chain management.
• Develop and implement strategies to improve productivity, safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Monitor KPIs like throughput, downtime, and on-time delivery; drive corrective actions.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Leadership

Communication

Strategic thinking

Driver's license

MS Office proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Business, or related field

Tools

SAP

Oracle

Epicor

Power BI

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Outlook

Job description

We are recruiting an experienced Operations Manager on behalf of a manufacturing client. This leadership role is responsible for day-to-day plant operations, including production, quality, purchasing, maintenance, logistics, supply chain, inventory control, safety, and continuous improvement.

Position Summary

The Operations Manager will oversee and optimize manufacturing operations to achieve production, quality, delivery, safety, and cost objectives. The role manages personnel, production schedules, inventory, quality control, and resource allocation while driving process improvement and cross-functional collaboration.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead plant operations across production, quality assurance, purchasing, maintenance, logistics, and supply chain management.
• Develop and implement operational strategies that support productivity, safety, quality, delivery, and cost-efficiency goals.
• Monitor manufacturing KPIs, including throughput, yield, downtime, and on-time delivery, and initiate corrective improvements.
• Manage manufacturing schedules, staffing levels, and resource allocation to meet customer and production demand.
• Develop and execute production schedules to support timely order fulfillment and efficient utilization of labor and equipment.
• Promote a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with applicable OSHA and environmental requirements.
• Lead root-cause analysis and corrective-action processes for production issues and non-conformances.
• Partner with engineering, quality, and other functional teams to support seamless operations and continuous improvement.
• Develop, monitor, and control operating budgets and capital expenditures.
• Recruit, mentor, develop, and manage a high-performing operations team.
• Contribute to strategic planning related to production capacity, resource allocation, and process improvement.
• Maintain inventory accuracy and coordinate with supply chain teams to ensure timely procurement of materials.
• Lead operational audits and support compliance with internal policies and applicable external certifications, including ISO and FDA requirements where relevant.
• Perform other duties as required.

Leadership & Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly manages supply chain, quality, and production leadership functions and oversees frontline operational performance.
• Responsibilities include staffing, training, employee development, team building, performance reviews, disciplinary actions, and fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in a manufacturing environment.
• At least 5 years of operations or supply chain management experience in a managerial or leadership capacity.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to define problems, collect and analyze data, establish facts, and drive sound conclusions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with senior management and cross-functional teams.
• Valid driver's license.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Experience with manufacturing ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, or Epicor.
• Familiarity with production tracking, MRP, and data visualization tools such as Power BI is a plus.