Senior Lean Production Operations Manager

ViaTech; Morton Grove (IL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

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 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.