Senior Manufacturing Operations Leader

DAPRA; Knoxville (TN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

DAPRA, a long-standing maker of American-made carbide milling tools, seeks a Senior Operations Manager to lead day-to-day manufacturing activities on-site. You will drive safety, quality, productivity and lead planning, scheduling, and workflow optimization across the plant.

This role requires hands-on leadership, Budget oversight, and a data-driven approach to continuous improvement, with collaboration across engineering, quality, supply chain, and leadership teams.

Qualifications

• Strong operations leadership in manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Experience with production planning, scheduling, and resource optimization.
• Proficiency in Lean, Kaizen, or Six Sigma and related cost-reduction initiatives.
• Ability to use data and metrics to analyze performance and drive decisions.
• Knowledge of manufacturing safety standards and compliance.
• Background in metalworking, machining, tooling, or related operations is beneficial.
• Excellent communication and collaboration across leadership, engineering, quality, and supply chain.
• Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Business, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day manufacturing and operational activities to ensure safety, quality, and productivity targets.
• Lead production planning, scheduling, and resource allocation.
• Optimize workflows and drive continuous improvement initiatives across the plant.
• Supervise and develop operations staff; promote accountability and collaboration.
• Manage budgets and monitor performance metrics.
• Drive operational excellence through data-driven decisions and best practices.

Skills

Operations leadership

Production planning

Lean / Kaizen / Six Sigma

Data-driven decision making

Safety & compliance

Manufacturing knowledge

Cross-functional collaboration

Budget management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Operations Management / Industrial Engineering / Business

Job description

DAPRA, a long-standing maker of American-made carbide milling tools, seeks a Senior Operations Manager to lead day-to-day manufacturing activities on-site. You will drive safety, quality, productivity and lead planning, scheduling, and workflow optimization across the plant.

This role requires hands-on leadership, Budget oversight, and a data-driven approach to continuous improvement, with collaboration across engineering, quality, supply chain, and leadership teams.