Senior Manufacturing Operations Leader

Lakeside Book Company; Crawfordsville (IN); On-site; USD 170,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Lakeside Book Company in Crawfordsville, IN is hiring a Director of Operations to lead day-to-day manufacturing, drive safety and quality, and ensure efficient, profitable production. You will guide strategic ops initiatives, develop teams, and champion continuous improvement to meet safety, quality, delivery, and cost goals.

Join a storied book manufacturer with a strong emphasis on lean practices, ERP-driven planning, and cross-functional collaboration across EHS, maintenance, HR, and finance

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• 8-12+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing operations, including 5+ years in a senior management role.
• Proven track record of managing large-scale manufacturing operations and achieving operational targets.
• Strong leadership, people management, and team development skills.
• Solid understanding of lean manufacturing, continuous improvement methodologies, and operational best practices.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making abilities.
• Financial and budget management experience.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and organizational skills.
• Working knowledge of ERP systems, production planning, and manufacturing technology.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and strategic direction for plant operations including production, while maintaining EHS and quality compliance.
• Develop and execute operational strategies to meet or exceed business objectives in safety, quality, productivity, on-time delivery, and cost management.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing operations team, promoting a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Ensure adherence to all regulatory, safety, and company policies and procedures.
• Provide tactical oversight for production planning and scheduling to meet customer demand and inventory management objectives.
• Identify opportunities for process optimization, cost reduction, and operational efficiency across all functional areas.
• Lead plant KPI development, tracking, and reporting; regularly communicate performance to senior leadership and plant personnel.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with EHS, quality, maintenance/engineering, HR, supply chain, finance, and customer service teams to achieve operational goals.
• Champion lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and other continuous improvement initiatives.
• Participate as a key contributor in strategic planning and decision-making processes for plant performance, capacity expansion, and capital investment.
• Serve as critical member of the site leadership team, with the opportunity to step into higher levels of responsibility as readiness is demonstrated.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma

Leadership

ERP systems

Production planning

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, Engineering, Business or related field

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Lakeside Book Company in Crawfordsville, IN is hiring a Director of Operations to lead day-to-day manufacturing, drive safety and quality, and ensure efficient, profitable production. You will guide strategic ops initiatives, develop teams, and champion continuous improvement to meet safety, quality, delivery, and cost goals.

Join a storied book manufacturer with a strong emphasis on lean practices, ERP-driven planning, and cross-functional collaboration across EHS, maintenance, HR, and finance