Production Operations Manager

ViaTech

Morton Grove (IL)

On-site

USD 95,000 - 140,000

Full time

4 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Short- and long-term disability

ESOP participation

401(k)

Group life insurance

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Job summary

ViaTech is seeking a hands-on Production Operations Manager to lead production and manufacturing operations across shifts in our Illinois facilities.

The role requires strong mechanical/technical expertise, experience with just-in-time production, and proven leadership of large operator teams. You will drive maintenance programs, KPI tracking, and continuous improvement while ensuring safety and on-time delivery.

Qualifications

7+ years of experience in production or manufacturing operations
3+ years of supervisory or management experience leading teams of equipment operators
Hands-on experience operating, calibrating, and maintaining industrial print or manufacturing equipment
Proven experience running just-in-time or lean production in a scheduled, deadline-driven environment
Experience building and managing a preventive maintenance program for production equipment
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and experience with MIS, ERP, or production scheduling systems

Responsibilities

Manage day-to-day production and manufacturing operations across all shifts, ensuring jobs are completed safely, on time, to specification, and within budget
Schedule and sequence production jobs, including print production, based on customer commitments, due dates, material availability, equipment capacity, and staffing levels; adjust the schedule as priorities and conditions change
Run production on just-in-time principles, aligning material flow and work-in-process to actual demand, reducing changeover time, and minimizing waste, excess inventory, and idle capacity
Oversee the setup, calibration, and adjustment of production equipment to maintain consistent quality and specification standards
Own the preventive maintenance program for world-class industrial production equipment, including PM schedules, completion tracking, spare parts planning, and coordination with OEM service technicians
Serve as the technical escalation point for equipment issues; lead troubleshooting and root-cause analysis to reduce unplanned downtime and prevent repeat failures
Lead, supervise, and develop a large team of equipment operators through clear expectations, coaching, performance management, and shift coverage planning
Build technically competent teams through structured equipment training, operator qualification, cross-training, and documented standard operating procedures
Identify bottlenecks and capacity gaps; recommend changes to staffing, shifts, equipment, workflow, or capital investment to support business requirements
Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), including schedule attainment, on-time delivery, throughput, equipment uptime, PM compliance, waste and spoilage, and first-pass quality
Partner with Customer Experience, Sales, Procurement, and Logistics to set realistic commitments and communicate delivery risks, constraints, and recovery plans
Enforce safety standards, lockout/tagout procedures, and production floor housekeeping
Drive continuous improvement initiatives that improve workflow, shorten lead times, and strengthen operational predictability
Provide leadership with timely reporting on production performance, equipment condition, maintenance needs, and capital recommendations

Skills

Mechanical expertise

Equipment setup

Just-in-time

Production scheduling

Preventive maintenance

Troubleshooting

Team leadership

Capacity planning

Data-driven decisions

Safety

Education

Associate's degree or trade certification

Job description

ViaTech is seeking a hands-on, technically strong Production Operations Manager to lead production and manufacturing operations. This role combines deep mechanical and technical knowledge of industrial print or manufacturing equipment with the operational discipline to schedule jobs, run just-in-time production, and keep world-class equipment performing at its best. The ideal candidate has come up through the production floor, knows how to calibrate and maintain the equipment, and knows how to build and lead a large, technically competent team of operators.

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

Abilities and Skills:

Mechanical and technical expertise with industrial print or manufacturing equipment
Equipment setup, calibration, and quality verification
Just-in-time manufacturing and lean production practices
Production scheduling and job sequencing
Preventive maintenance planning and execution
Troubleshooting and root-cause problem-solving
Team leadership, technical training, and skills development
Capacity, labor, and resource planning
Data-driven decision-making and KPI management
Safety, accountability, and execution

Position Responsibilities:

Manage day-to-day production and manufacturing operations across all shifts, ensuring jobs are completed safely, on time, to specification, and within budget.
Schedule and sequence production jobs, including print production, based on customer commitments, due dates, material availability, equipment capacity, and staffing levels; adjust the schedule as priorities and conditions change.
Run production on just-in-time principles, aligning material flow and work-in-process to actual demand, reducing changeover time, and minimizing waste, excess inventory, and idle capacity.
Oversee the setup, calibration, and adjustment of production equipment to maintain consistent quality and specification standards.
Own the preventive maintenance program for world-class industrial production equipment, including PM schedules, completion tracking, spare parts planning, and coordination with OEM service technicians.
Serve as the technical escalation point for equipment issues; lead troubleshooting and root-cause analysis to reduce unplanned downtime and prevent repeat failures.
Lead, supervise, and develop a large team of equipment operators through clear expectations, coaching, performance management, and shift coverage planning.
Build technically competent teams through structured equipment training, operator qualification, cross-training, and documented standard operating procedures.
Identify bottlenecks and capacity gaps; recommend changes to staffing, shifts, equipment, workflow, or capital investment to support business requirements.
Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), including schedule attainment, on-time delivery, throughput, equipment uptime, PM compliance, waste and spoilage, and first-pass quality.
Partner with Customer Experience, Sales, Procurement, and Logistics to set realistic commitments and communicate delivery risks, constraints, and recovery plans.
Enforce safety standards, lockout/tagout procedures, and production floor housekeeping.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives that improve workflow, shorten lead times, and strengthen operational predictability.
Provide leadership with timely reporting on production performance, equipment condition, maintenance needs, and capital recommendations.

Experience:

Associate's degree or trade certification in a related field, such as Industrial Maintenance, Electromechanical Technology, Manufacturing Technology, or Printing Technology.
7+ years of experience in production or manufacturing operations, in print or other industrial environments.
3+ years of supervisory or management experience leading teams of equipment operators.
Hands-on experience operating, calibrating, and maintaining industrial print or manufacturing equipment.
Demonstrated success building and managing a preventive maintenance program for production equipment.
Proven experience running just-in-time or lean production in a scheduled, deadline-driven environment.
Strong mechanical aptitude, including the ability to read technical manuals, schematics, and equipment specifications.
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and experience with MIS, ERP, or production scheduling systems.

Preferred:

Experience in a high-mix production environment such as print, packaging, fulfillment, or discrete manufacturing.
OEM technical training or certification on print or industrial production equipment.
Lean manufacturing or Lean Six Sigma certification.
Experience managing multi-shift operations.
Experience with a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).
Experience with data visualization and reporting tools such as Power BI.

Other Requirements:

Valid Driver’s License
Ability to pass criminal background checks and drug screening

Other Physical Requirements:

Must be able to communicate effectively with employees and customers; work on an active production floor, including extended periods of standing and walking; manual dexterity required for reaching, operating and adjusting equipment, and lifting objects up to 50 pounds.

About ViaTech

Just-in-time production is in our DNA. Born in a classroom at Columbia University in 1995, ViaTech’s mission then, as it is now, is to automate every step of the “Content Value Chain.” Businesses create huge amounts of content that is consumed by stakeholders around the world. ViaTech automates every step of that process - from creation to consumption. The most prestigious brands in the world rely on us. From our headquarters in Dallas and our offices in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, and Indore (India), we serve clients across the United States.

Owned by the people who run it.

Nebly 40% of ViaTech is owned by our employees through our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Here, you are not just keeping someone else's operation running. You have a real stake in the results, and you are trusted to make the decisions that are right for our customers and our company.

What we stand for: