Operations Manager (Downers Grove)

• Contribute to the strategic planning process of developing and implementing operations strategy.
• Ensure the team’s operational performance metrics meet or exceed objectives.
• Conduct weekly GEMBA meetings with production teams to communicate daily performance, discuss underperformance and quality issues, and remind employees of proper procedures.
• Directs planning of products and cells based on order demand and delivery schedules.
• Reviews daily shop production schedules and create team plans accordingly.
• Conduct meetings with the production manager, planner, supervisors, and leads to discuss the plan of action and execution.
• Interprets specifications, blueprints, and job orders to employees and assigns duties.
• Executes plans and monitors progress while providing expertise and assistance in areas needed to ensure the successful completion of weekly production demands.
• Develop, train, provide effective supervision, and motivate the hourly production team.
• Identify opportunities for cross-training to enhance capacity and responsiveness to customer requirements.
• Develops and recommends improvements of facility, equipment, or procedures to improve safety, quality, and efficiency.
• Oversees and directs overall capacity planning, allocation of reserve capacity, identification of planned shutdowns, and allocation of downtime for maintenance.
• Reviews and analyzes the production, quality, maintenance, and operational reports to determine causes of nonconformity with product specifications, and operating or production problems.
• Works with engineering and quality teams to review MRB and re-work/repair products.
• Consults with the engineering team relative to the modification of machines, processes, tooling, fixtures, and equipment in order to improve the production or quality of products.
• Recommends, implements, and monitors changes required to ensure consistent rate (PPH) and overall throughput through manufacturing cells.
• Works with Quality Control to establish a self-auditing process to check parts for conformance to print.
• Provides input and guidance for new product development, new technology implementation, and overall improvement strategies.
• Owner of On Time Delivery metric and process, in compliance with QMS.
• Takes accountability for the effectiveness of QMS within the production group.
• Establishes and maintains a working environment that follows IATF requirements.
• Works closely with customer service to respond to customer queries around OTD issues.
• Manage and direct team and work with HR to address employee issues as they arise.
• Manage disciplinary and progress reviews process.
• Enforce and monitor all company policies.
• Ensures health and safety guidelines set by the company.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related field; equivalent manufacturing leadership experience may be considered.
• 7+ years of manufacturing experience, including 3+ years in a production, operations, or manufacturing management role. Ideally in a cnc machining environment.
• Proven experience leading and developing production teams in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of production planning, scheduling, capacity planning, and inventory management.
• Experience driving continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or similar methodologies.