Senior Manufacturing Manager

The Manufacturing Manager develops and executes operational strategies that support customer requirements, lean manufacturing initiatives, continuous improvement programs, and profitability objectives. The role requires strong leadership in a dynamic environment characterized by complex product mixes, frequent changeovers, demanding customer schedules, and rigorous quality standards. This position oversees three-shift operations and drives safety, quality, delivery, cost, and employee engagement performance while ensuring efficient utilization of labor, equipment, materials, and production capacity. Shift supervisors report to this position, with a 250-person operation in one facility. This position reports to the Director of Operations.

Worksite Location:
Onsite, Minneapolis, MN
Compensation & Benefits:
Competitive base salary, aligned with experience, ideal salary range of $135,000-$155,000, depending on experience with bonus opportunity of up to 10%..
Comprehensive benefits package, including: medical, dental, disability, life insurance, short & long- term disability, retirement savings plan with employer contribution, educational assistance, and paid time off & holidays.

Roles & Responsibilities:

• Lead all manufacturing operations across three production shifts.
• Ensure safe, efficient, and cost-effective production of products while meeting customer delivery requirements.
• Develop and execute production plans aligned with customer demand, capacity, and inventory objectives.
• Monitor and improve operational performance through KPIs including Safety, Quality, OEE, Productivity, Scrap, On-Time Delivery, and Labor Efficiency.
• Coordinate daily production activities with Planning, Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, Purchasing, and Customer Service.
• Manage production bottlenecks and rapidly resolve operational issues impacting delivery performance.
• Promote a strong safety culture with zero-incident expectations.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, environmental regulations, company policies, and customer requirements.
• Partner closely with EH&S Manager on incident investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective actions. Reviews regular safety audits, risk assessments, and actively promotes employee safety engagement activities.
• Achieve continuous improvement in safety performance metrics.
• Partner closely with Quality Management to ensure compliance with ISO 9001 and other quality standards.
• Drive reduction of defects, rework, scrap, and customer complaints.
• Support containment activities, corrective actions, and continuous quality improvement initiatives.
• Participate in customer audits and operational reviews.
• Lead Lean Manufacturing initiatives throughout the facility.
• Implement and sustain 5S, Standard Work, Visual management, SMED, Kaizen Events, Value Stream mapping, and Problem-Solving Methodologies.
• Improve productivity, throughput, and workflow efficiency.
• Drive cost reduction initiatives and operational excellence programs.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement and employee involvement.
• Optimize production scheduling and resource allocation in a complex manufacturing environment.
• Improve changeover efficiency and scheduling flexibility.
• Manage product transitions and new product introductions.
• Collaborate with Engineering and Planning to improve manufacturability and capacity utilization.
• Lead, coach, and develop supervisors, team leaders, and production personnel.
• Establish clear performance expectations and accountability.
• Conduct performance evaluations and succession planning activities.
• Build employee engagement and retention programs.
• Support workforce development through training and cross-functional skill development.
• Foster a positive culture centered on accountability, teamwork, communication, and continuous improvement.
• Manage manufacturing labor, overtime, consumables, and operating expenses.
• Develop and manage departmental budgets.
• Support annual operating plans and strategic objectives.
• Drive financial performance through operational excellence and waste elimination.
• Ensure achievement of customer delivery, quality, and responsiveness requirements.
• Participate in customer visits, reviews, audits, and issue resolution activities.
• Work collaboratively with commercial and program management teams to support growth initiatives.
• Maintain a strong sense of urgency regarding customer expectations.

Required Skills & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or related field. MBA preferred
• 8+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
• 5+ years managing supervisors and large production teams.
• Experience managing multi-shift operations with 175+ employees.
• Demonstrated success implementing Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives. Experience using root cause problem solving techniques.
• Production planning, capacity planning, scheduling, reporting financial and operational metrics and ERP/MRP systems experience.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills along with strong people leadership and team development skills.
• Excellent problem-solving and data driven decision making abilities, with a bias for action.
• Ability to lead organizational change.
• Strategic thinking balanced with hands-on operational execution.
• High level of accountability and ownership.
• Experience in high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environments is strongly preferred.

About Versique
Versique: /ver-seek/?adj. being both versatile and unique; n. a high-performance recruiting firm specializing in executive leadership search, direct hire, and interim hiring solutions.?
Versique Executive, Professional, & Interim Recruiting is a locally owned and operated hiring and placement firm based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. With specialized practice areas across our three divisions, Versique delivers tailoredexpertiseto a wide range of industries. What sets us apart is our team of recruiters-seasoned professionals who have worked in the very fields they now hire for, providing unmatched industry insight and connections.
We believe people are more thanresumes-they are transformative, unlocking the potential for organizational growth and success.
Versique is proud to bean award-winning company, earning recognition on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies and the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal's Fast 50 list for 2023. We are also consistently recognized as a Star Tribune Top Workplace and were named a Best Place to Work in 2022 by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.
Let'sfind yourpeople,together.
Versique is anequal-opportunityemployer committed to creating a diverse workforce. We consider all qualified applicants regardless of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status.
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