Production Operations Lead

laborup; Bedford (Bedford County); On-site; USD 66,000 - 74,000; Full time

Job summary

laborup is seeking a driven Production Operations Lead to guide two technical manufacturing departments on the second shift. You will be the key leader for a team of 15+ employees, driving shift production goals, training, and setting the tone on the shop floor.

You will oversee automated braze lines, clippers, CNC mills, CNC lathes, heat treat, and forklift operations. While you will not need day-one machine specifics, you’ll lead with strong manufacturing fundamentals, develop scheduling and

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years manufacturing experience with strong floor leadership.
• Excellent communication and teamwork, able to lead managers, supervisors and staff.
• Coachable, detail-oriented and eager to learn new processes.

Responsibilities

• Maintain active presence on the shop floor and cover gaps to meet due dates.
• Lead a growing team with positive tone and strategic labor allocation.
• Manage production scheduling and ERP data, track metrics and WIP.
• Train team members and drive quality across Braze/Machining operations.
• Lead Lean, TPM and 5S activities and participate in Kaizen events.
• Promote safety through pre-operation checks and inspections.
• Collaborate with engineering, maintenance and vendors to solve problems.

Skills

People leadership

Manufacturing fundamentals

Scheduling

Data management

ERP systems

Education

High school diploma

Tools

SAP

Excel

Job description

Overview

We are seeking a driven Production Operations Lead to guide two technical manufacturing departments during the second shift. In this role, you will act as the key leader for a growing team of 15+ employees, taking ownership of shift production goals, training, and setting the tone on the shop floor.

You will be leading diverse, dynamic production processes rather than just overseeing one simple step. Your areas of responsibility will include automated braze lines, clippers, CNC mills, CNC lathes, heat treat, and forklift operations.

While you will oversee these critical processes, specific experience in these exact machines is not required from day one. Instead, we are looking for a great people leader with strong fundamentals in manufacturing—we can teach you the rest! You will maintain an active presence on the line, occasionally stepping in to fill operational gaps, but your primary focus will be driving production efficiency, guiding your team, and analyzing throughput to push operations forward.

Why Join Us?

• A great opportunity to be a true people leader and set the tone on the shop floor.
• Ability to develop your leadership skills further and work towards supervisory duties.
• The company, your responsibilities, and your career opportunities are growing.

Compensation

• $31.50 - $35.50
• $30 - $34 / hr base
• $1.50 shift differential on 2nd

Shift

• 2nd Shift: 3:00pm - 11:00pm
• Monday - Friday

Responsibilities

• Floor Leadership & Production Support: Maintain an active presence on the shop floor. While your primary responsibility is directing the team and managing the shift, you will seamlessly step in to fill occasional operational gaps to ensure the department meets established due dates.
• Department Leadership & Labor Allocation: Lead a growing team by setting a positive tone and driving culture change. Lead daily tier board meetings and drive production efficiency through strategic, effective labor allocation using our cross-training matrix.
• Production Scheduling & Data Management: Manage production scheduling and operational data. Accurately enter and maintain data within spreadsheets and our ERP system (SAP). Track established metrics, understand processing times, manage WIP and component inventory (cycle counts), and problem-solve material and equipment usage to reduce costs.
• Quality Control & Training: Actively train team members and help drive quality performance across the team. Inspect parts and ensure operators are producing to established ISO requirements. Perform quality audits and problem-solve all areas of Braze/Machining operations to continually improve part quality.
• Continuous Improvement (Lean, TPM, 5S): Actively participate in and utilize lean processes, including ideating and leading Kaizen events. Perform and ensure others execute daily Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and 5S area reviews.
• Safety Promoter: Perform pre-operation machine checks, execute required safety inspections for associated equipment, and review operators' safety checks.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with engineering, management, maintenance supervisors, and vendors to review processes and solve problems.

Qualifications

Required:

• Manufacturing Background: Minimum of 5 years of experience in a manufacturing setting. Strong fundamentals and mechanical aptitude in a high-volume manufacturing environment are essential.
• Leadership Skills: Must possess strong people skills and prior experience in a team-leading role. Highly capable of understanding instructions and communicating effectively with managers, supervisors, and coworkers.
• Mindset: Highly coachable with strong attention to detail. Must be eager to learn new operational processes and comfortable balancing floor presence with high-level scheduling and data management.
• Education: High school diploma or general equivalent diploma (GED).
• Certifications/Training: Forklift operator license is required. First aid / First responder training will also be required for this role.
• Computer Skills: Comfortable managing production data via computer data entry, spreadsheets, and ERP systems to track metrics and shop orders.

Preferred:

• Education/Training: Formal training, certification, or a degree in a skilled trade, management, or a related field is highly desired.
• Specific Machine Experience: Experience in a Braze or Machining department is a plus, but not strictly required if leadership fundamentals are strong.
• Software Systems: Prior experience with Microsoft business analytics software and enterprise ERPs (like SAP).