Operations Manager

Movement Search & Delivery; Worcester (MA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Movement Search & Delivery in Worcester, MA seeks an experienced Operations Manager to lead back-end manufacturing, overseeing CNC Machining, Heat Treat, NDT, Inspection, Outside Services, and Shipping/Receiving.

You will drive Lean initiatives, establish KPIs, and partner with engineering and quality to meet production targets, cost objectives, and on-time delivery while maintaining safety and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of leadership in heavy manufacturing.
• Experience with CNC, heat treat, NDT, or similar.
• Lean, KPI tracking, and TOC knowledge.
• Budgets, cost control, and P&L impact.

Responsibilities

• Direct back-end manufacturing functions and support departments.
• Execute the ship plan to meet delivery commitments.
• Improve productivity, throughput, and cost efficiency.
• Establish operational KPIs and corrective actions.
• Lead safety initiatives and regulatory compliance.
• Drive continuous improvement and waste reduction.
• Collaborate with engineering, quality, materials, and maintenance.
• Resource planning and staff development.
• Communicate results to senior leadership.
• Apply constraint-management to improve plant performance.

Skills

Leadership

Lean manufacturing

Theory of Constraints

Problem solving

Analytical skills

Project management

Communication

Budgeting

P&L experience

ERP systems

CNC/Heat Treat

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or related field

Advanced degree a plus

Tools

ERP systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

Compensation: $130,000 - $150,000 salary + 3X bonus

Location: Worcester, Massachusetts

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead back-end manufacturing operations at a complex aerospace manufacturing facility. This individual will oversee CNC Machining, Heat Treat, NDT, Inspection, Outside Services, and Shipping/Receiving, ensuring production targets, quality standards, cost objectives, and customer delivery commitments are consistently achieved.

The Operations Manager will provide hands-on leadership across multiple departments, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and establish a culture of accountability, safety, and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct all back-end manufacturing functions, including CNC Machining, Heat Treat, NDT, Inspection, Outside Services, and Shipping/Receiving.
• Execute the production ship plan to meet customer commitments and delivery schedules.
• Drive improvements in productivity, throughput, operational efficiency, variable costs, and overall manufacturing performance.
• Establish and monitor operational KPIs, identifying constraints and implementing corrective actions to improve results.
• Lead safety initiatives and ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Improve quality, reduce scrap and rework, and ensure products meet customer and industry specifications.
• Partner with engineering, quality, materials, maintenance, and other functional leaders to resolve production issues and improve workflow.
• Manage departmental resources, staffing, capacity planning, and employee development to meet production requirements.
• Drive Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and waste-reduction initiatives.
• Support capital projects, equipment improvements, and process enhancements that increase capacity and operational performance.
• Develop and maintain a culture of accountability, teamwork, employee engagement, and continuous improvement.
• Communicate operating results, risks, and improvement plans to senior leadership.
• Apply structured problem-solving and constraint-management principles to improve plant performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field preferred; an advanced degree is a plus.
• Minimum of 5 years of leadership experience in heavy manufacturing or a complex industrial manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated success leading multiple manufacturing departments and delivering measurable improvements in cost, quality, productivity, and delivery.
• Experience with CNC machining, heat treating, inspection, NDT, or other technically complex manufacturing processes preferred.
• Strong understanding of Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, operational KPIs, and Theory of Constraints.
• Experience managing budgets, controlling manufacturing costs, and contributing to P&L performance.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and hold teams accountable in a fast-paced production environment.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and organizational skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and manufacturing or ERP systems.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident due to government and military contract requirements.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a hands-on manufacturing leader who understands how to manage complex production operations while balancing safety, quality, cost, and delivery. They will be comfortable working across multiple departments, addressing bottlenecks, developing leaders, and driving measurable operational improvements in an aerospace or other highly regulated manufacturing environment.