Senior Ops Lead – Fabrication & Project Execution

George Koch Sons, LLC; Caledonia (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Koch Finishing Systems in Caledonia, MI is seeking an Operations Manager to lead our job shop that fabricates custom automated plating and anodizing equipment. You will own project scheduling, budget, and day-to-day execution across active projects from kickoff to delivery, while building a growing team and ensuring safety and quality.

This hands-on leadership role requires coordinating with manufacturing, engineering, and procurement to meet deadlines, manage capacity, and drive continuous

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 8-10 years of progressive experience in fabrication or manufacturing operations, ideally within a job-shop or project-based environment.
• Proven experience leading supervisors and cross-functional teams; experience overseeing production planning or materials/procurement is a plus.
• Working knowledge of metal fabrication processes and the ability to read and interpret engineering drawings.
• Strong budgeting, scheduling, and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Own project scheduling and execution across the shop's active fabrication projects, balancing customer commitments, capacity, and cost.
• Lead, coach, and manage performance of the manufacturing team including the Manufacturing Manager, Leads, and Production Planner.
• Oversee review of engineering drawings and the ordering of steel and other raw materials to keep every project on schedule.
• Develop and manage the shop's labor and material budgets, including forecasting and cost control.
• Champion a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with OSHA and company policy.
• Partner with Engineering to resolve fabrication issues, drawing discrepancies, and constructability questions.
• Drive continuous improvement in shop processes, tooling, layout, and equipment utilization.
• Keep the General Manager and other stakeholders informed on project schedules, status, risks, and issues.
• Sustain welding compliance with all applicable AWS codes.
• Champion ERP system, ensuring accuracy and completeness in all transactions.
• Manage Inventory levels and cycle counting practices, driving Lean initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Scheduling

Drawing interpretation

Safety & OSHA

ERP systems

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

ERP software

Job description

Koch Finishing Systems in Caledonia, MI is seeking an Operations Manager to lead our job shop that fabricates custom automated plating and anodizing equipment. You will own project scheduling, budget, and day-to-day execution across active projects from kickoff to delivery, while building a growing team and ensuring safety and quality.

This hands-on leadership role requires coordinating with manufacturing, engineering, and procurement to meet deadlines, manage capacity, and drive continuous