Senior Manager, Business Operations

Eaton Group; Waukesha (WI); On-site; USD 165,000 - 242,000; Full time

Job summary

Eaton’s Power Reliability business is hiring a Senior Manager, Business Operations. You will own the PR Operating System, establishing governance, cadence, and performance visibility across five plants, with ~25% travel and base locations including Waukesha, WI and others.

Reporting to the Operations Director, you’ll design, deploy, and continuously improve the systems that drive strategy, priorities, and accountability, leveraging EBS, Lean Six Sigma, and visual management tools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 10+ years in manufacturing/operations leadership with track record of delivering results.
• Experience leading complex functions and driving alignment, governance and execution.

Responsibilities

• Design, deploy and continuously improve the Operating System across sites.
• Lead governance, cadence, and performance reviews for leadership teams.
• Develop standardized scorecards and dashboards for safety, quality, delivery, and financials.
• Coach leaders in EBS, Lean, and problem-solving methodologies.
• Drive cross-functional strategic improvement initiatives.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic planning

Lean Six Sigma

Problem solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Power BI

Excel

PowerPoint

SharePoint

Job description

Eaton’s Power Reliability business is hiring a Senior Manager, Business Operations. This role serves as the architect and owner of the Power Reliability Business Unit Operating System, establishing the management systems, governance processes, performance mechanisms, and operating cadence used to manage PR’s five manufacturing plants. The position can be based in Waukesha, WI; Broomfield, CO; Greenwood, SC; Jonesville, SC; Nacogdoches, TX; Olean, NY; or South Milwaukee, WI. Approximately 25% travel is anticipated.

This role reports directly to the business Operations Director and is a strategic partner to the division leadership team. The primary function of this position is to design, deploy, govern, and continuously improve the operating systems that enable the business to execute its strategy and achieve its performance objectives. This leader will own the processes, tools, governance structure, visual management systems, and business rhythm used by the leadership team to review performance, establish priorities, resolve gaps, and maintain accountability.

Through the application of Eaton Business System (EBS) principles, Value Stream Management, and Continuous Improvement methodologies, this position develops and improves the management systems that enable leaders to identify priorities, address performance gaps, execute strategic initiatives, and achieve business objectives.

Essential Functions:

Business Rhythm & Operating System Leadership

• Design, implement, and continuously improve the PR Business Unit Operating System, establishing a structured business rhythm that aligns business priorities, performance management, and execution across all sites and functions.
• Lead and facilitate the business unit's daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual operating cadence, including performance reviews, staff meetings, strategic initiative reviews, and annual operating plan deployment.
• Develop and maintain standardized scorecards, dashboards, visual management tools, and performance review processes that provide visibility to safety, quality, delivery, productivity, financial performance, employee engagement, and strategic objectives.
• Drive organizational accountability through disciplined action management, ensuring priorities, decisions, corrective actions, and strategic initiatives are tracked, reviewed, and executed effectively.
• Support the leadership team's execution of business objectives by establishing governance processes, performance management systems, and operating mechanisms that enable timely decision making, alignment, and results.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Establish and coordinate Operational Excellence priorities and annual improvement plans across manufacturing sites, ensuring alignment with business objectives, EBS deployment, and Power Systems Divisional strategic initiatives.
• Lead Value Stream Mapping activities, business process improvements, and cross-functional improvement initiatives to improve flow, eliminate waste, and enhance operational performance.
• Monitor site performance, Operational Excellence roadmaps, Eaton Lean Six Sigma (ELSS) and OpA maturity assessments, and Factory Cost Out initiatives, ensuring improvement actions are prioritized, executed, and sustained.
• Coach and develop leaders in the application of EBS, Lean, structured problem-solving, daily management, and continuous improvement methodologies to build organizational capability and drive performance.
• Lead and facilitate strategic improvement projects, Operational Excellence councils, capability-building initiatives, and other Corporate, Aerospace, or divisional transformation activities as assigned.
• Lead and facilitate strategic improvement projects, Operational Excellence councils, capability-building initiatives, and other Corporate, Aerospace, or divisional transformation activities as assigned.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
• Minimum ten (10) years progressive leadership experience in manufacturing, operations, supply chain, operational excellence, business transformation, or general management, with a demonstrated track record of delivering business results.
• Experience leading manufacturing operations, plant leadership teams, value streams, supply chain organizations, and/or other complex business functions with accountability for safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and financial performance.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and sustain management systems, operating cadences, performance review processes, and governance mechanisms that drive alignment, accountability, and execution.

Eaton will not consider applicants for employment immigration sponsorship or support for this position. This means that Eaton will not support any CPT, OPT, or STEM OPT plans, F‑1 to H‑1B, H‑1B cap registration, O‑1, E‑3, TN status, I‑485 job portability, etc.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, or a related discipline
• Experience working in global matrixed organizations
• Previous experience as a Plant Manager, Operations Manager, Value Stream Manager or Supply Chain Manager

Position Success Criteria:

• Strong business acumen and a proven ability to influence and lead across organizational boundaries, align stakeholders around common objectives, and translate strategy into actionable plans and measurable results.
• Working knowledge of Operational Excellence methodologies, including Lean, Six Sigma, Value Stream Management, Daily Management Systems, and structured problem solving. Formal Lean and Six Sigma certification is preferred but not required.
• Strong analytical, project management, and facilitation skills, with proficiency in business and reporting tools such as Power BI, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and related systems.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively engage and influence leaders and employees at all levels of the organization.

Additional Information:

Leadership Development & Career Path

This position is intended to serve as a key development role for future Operations Directors and senior business leaders. The role provides unique exposure to multiple manufacturing sites, leadership teams, strategic initiatives, and enterprise-wide business processes, offering the opportunity to influence business performance beyond a single facility or function.

Success in this role requires the ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries, drive accountability without direct authority, and enable execution through strong leadership, influence, and business acumen. The position offers an exceptional platform for demonstrating readiness for broader operational leadership responsibilities through direct involvement in business performance management, strategic deployment, operational excellence, and multi‑site support.

The ideal candidate possesses a high degree of drive, initiative, and personal ownership. This individual must be proactive in identifying opportunities, challenging the status quo, solving problems, and driving actions to closure. Success will be achieved not only through effective management of systems and processes, but through persistence, resourcefulness, and a bias for action that enables the organization to deliver results.

All positions may require participation in video and in‑person interviews as part of the hiring process. All candidates will be evaluated based on job‑related competencies, and all candidates’ privacy rights and data security will be protected in accordance with applicable laws.

At Eaton, we strive to provide compensation and benefits that attract, engage, and retain the best talent. This includes competitive pay and a variety of benefit programs for eligible employees. The expected annual salary range for this role is $165000 - $242000 a year. This role is also eligible for a variable incentive program. Please note the salary information shown above is a general guideline only. Salaries are based upon candidate skills, experience, and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.

The application window for this position is anticipated to close on Friday, October 2nd.

We are committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for all job applicants and employees. Employment decisions are based upon job‑related reasons regardless of an applicant's race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, marital status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

Eaton believes in second chance employment. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction history will be considered regardless of their arrest or conviction history, consistent with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the California Fair Chance Act and other local laws.

You do not need to disclose your conviction history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Eaton is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report.

To request a disability‑related reasonable accommodation to assist you in your job search, application, or interview process, please call us at 1‑800‑836‑6345 to discuss your specific need. Only accommodation requests will be accepted by this phone number.

We know that good benefit programs are important to employees and their families. Eaton provides various Health and Welfare benefits as well as Retirement benefits, and several programs that provide for paid and unpaid time away from work.

Please note that specific programs and options available to an employee may depend on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.