Operations Manager, Door Shops, Newington, CT

Looking for stability? Join Woodgrain!  We’re growing fast and offering  lifetime careers  in a supportive work environment.

About Woodgrain:

Woodgrain is one of the top millwork operations in the world, with locations throughout the United States and Chile. With 70 years of quality manufacturing craftsmanship and service, Woodgrain is a top producer of mouldings, doors, and windows, as well as a premier distributor of specialty building products. Woodgrain Inc. is headquartered in Fruitland, Idaho with six divisions and over 45 manufacturing and warehouse facilities in the United States and South America. Since 1954, Woodgrain is proud to be family owned and operated.

Build Your Future with Woodgrain
Looking for stability, growth, and long-term career opportunity? Join Woodgrain, one of the world's leading millwork manufacturers and distributors. With more than 70 years of craftsmanship, a strong family-owned culture, and continued expansion across North America, Woodgrain offers opportunities to grow your career while making a meaningful impact.

About the Role
The Operations Manager, Door Shops provides strategic and operational leadership for multiple door shop operations at the Newington, CT, location. This position is responsible for driving operational excellence, developing high-performing teams, achieving financial and service objectives, and ensuring the effective execution of safety, quality, productivity, and customer service initiatives. The role partners closely with leadership teams across operations, sales, and supply chain functions to support sustainable business growth and continuous improvement. The primary focus is standing up a new high-speed door shop operation adjacent to an existing site, including a ~200,000 sq ft facility build-out, equipment installation, hiring ~100 employees, and launching full-scale production operations.

Role Type
Primary: Greenfield Build
Secondary : Launch and Stabilization 
This is not a maintenance or turnaround role. It is a build → launch → stabilize leadership role.

What You'll Do

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop door shop leadership teams and operational staff.
• Recruit, develop, and retain high-performing talent across multiple locations.

• Build a culture centered on integrity, safety, servant leadership, respect for people, and customer focus.
• Foster an inclusive and engaging work environment that promotes accountability and performance.

• Ensure succession planning and workforce readiness to support current and future business needs. 

Operational Excellence

• Direct daily operations to ensure safety, quality, productivity, and service objectives are achieved.
• Optimize people, equipment, processes, and resources to improve operational efficiency.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that drive performance and cost effectiveness.

• Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and operational standards.
• Manage special-order exterior and interior door programs while maintaining service excellence.

• Collaborate with business partners to identify and develop new growth opportunities within door shop operations. 

Business & Financial Performance

• Support sales and margin objectives through effective operational execution.
• Utilize financial planning, forecasting, and budgeting practices to support business performance.

• Monitor key performance indicators including inventory levels, fill rates, quality, and productivity.
• Collaborate with operations leadership to develop annual, monthly, and ad hoc forecasts.
• Drive initiatives that improve operational results while balancing customer and business requirements.

 
Customer & Stakeholder Partnership

• Partner with internal and external customers to understand business needs and improve performance.
• Ensure service level expectations are consistently achieved, including quality and on-time delivery.

• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams to align priorities and drive business results.

• Communicate operational goals, performance expectations, and results across all levels of the organization. 

What You Bring

• Preferred 5 years of leadership experience in manufacturing, warehouse, production, or distribution operations.
• Preferred 3 years of door shop or pre-hung door manufacturing experience.

• Experience leading high-volume, multi-shift operations.
• Experience managing assembly-based production environments.
• Proven ability to hold teams accountable and deliver results within established timelines.

• Knowledge of the millwork industry preferred.
• Strong financial, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and leadership skills.

• Ability to make informed decisions in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Advanced computer and business systems proficiency. 

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, or related field preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education and relevant leadership experience will be considered.

• Demonstrated success leading large operational teams in a manufacturing or distribution environment. 

Work Environment

• Fast-paced manufacturing and distribution environment.
• Regular interaction between office and production floor settings.

• Ability to operate effectively under deadlines and changing priorities.

• Frequent travel between door shop locations via air and automobile as business needs require.

Why Woodgrain?
We invest in our people and provide a strong, supportive workplace:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• HSA and FSA Options
• 401(k) with Company Match
• Paid Time Off and Company Holidays
• Life Insurance and Disability Coverage
• Employee Assistance Program
• Career Growth and Development Opportunities 

Summary of Company Benefits:

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• 401(k) with a Company Match
• Group Term Life Insurance and AD&D
• Employer Paid Long-Term & Short-Term Disability
• Voluntary Supplemental Hospital and Accident Plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• 8 Company Paid Holidays & 1 Floating Holiday
• Paid Time Off (PTO) 

Woodgrain is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Woodgrain is a drug, alcohol, and tobacco-free workplace. All offers of employment are contingent upon pre-employment background and drug screening, and some positions require a fitness for duty test.

All legitimate Woodgrain job opportunities must be applied for through our official Applicant Tracking System at jobs.woodgrain.com or through our partnership with Indeed using their "Apply with Indeed" feature. Woodgrain will never ask candidates for money to cover hiring costs. Woodgrain does not charge any fees for job applications or hiring procedures.