Manufacturing Operations Manager

Now is a great time to join Nopak, a leader in fluid power located in the Greater Milwaukee Area. As our privately held business undertakes a significant growth initiative, we are looking for a transformative manufacturing leader to join our executive team as Director of Manufacturing Operations. This is a high-impact, high-visibility role reporting directly to the President. The ideal candidate brings a deep manufacturing engineering foundation with extensive hands‑on experience in a CNC machine shop environment. This leader must have a proven track record of driving floor-level accountability, reducing setup times, implementing efficient machining practices, and developing the people and systems that sustain those gains. A passion for building high-performance teams in a high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environment is essential. The Director of Manufacturing Operations will have direct accountability for Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost across our manufacturing operations, including machining, welding, assembly, test, and paint. You will lead a team across three functional areas: Manufacturing Engineering, Shop Floor Operations, and Quality. This individual must be a credible voice on our leadership team, capable of translating shop floor realities into strategic decisions and driving a culture of execution and continuous improvement. We pride ourselves on helping energetic, ambitious employees thrive in our entrepreneurial and fast-paced culture. If you are looking for the opportunity to make a lasting impact on a growing manufacturer, we want to hear from you. Responsibilities Report directly to the President and serve as a key member of the company leadership team, contributing to manufacturing strategy, operational planning, and company-wide growth initiatives. Own and communicate a clear manufacturing vision aligned to Nopak’s growth plan, translating strategy into executable priorities for your teams. Represent Manufacturing in weekly leadership team meetings, presenting KPI performance and driving cross-functional alignment on production priorities. Partner with the President, Engineering Manager, and Planning Manager to ensure manufacturing capacity and capability align with customer demand. Participate in annual budgeting and monthly forecasting for manufacturing cost, headcount, and capital expenditure. Participate in estimating costing of significant quotes and new product introductions alongside the engineering and sales teams. Drive daily floor-level accountability across all manufacturing operations through structured SQDC (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost) huddles and KPI review cadences. Own and manage manufacturing KPIs including labor productivity (target: +85%), on-time delivery (target: +95%), scrap/rework rates, and schedule attainment. Directly oversee the Shop Supervisor and hold them accountable for daily manpower deployment, shift execution, and direct labor performance across 26 employees. Monitor labor efficiency, job variances, quality metrics, and safety compliance; take corrective action promptly when targets are missed. Develop and implement programs to recognize and reward high-performance employees and build a culture of ownership on the shop floor. Manage daily payroll data accuracy, discipline processes, performance reviews, and employee development plans for all direct and indirect reports. Experience sustaining accountability to plant processes. Work with planning and scheduling staff to refine and improve process. Develop and execute machinist training and career development program. Flex schedule as needed to provide off-shift and weekend coverage during critical production periods. Maintain facility and grounds in a safe, organized, and productive condition. Manufacturing Engineering & CNC Operations Oversee the Manufacturing Engineering Manager and CNC Programmers; hold the team accountable for program quality, tooling strategy, fixture design, and setup efficiency. Drive setup reduction initiatives across CNC milling and turning operations, with a focus on reducing non-value-added time and increasing machine utilization. Evaluate and improve machining practices, tooling applications, and fixturing solutions to increase throughput and reduce cost per part. Lead capital equipment evaluation and recommendations for new CNC machines, tooling systems, and manufacturing technology to support growth. Ensure CNC programming standards, G-code/M-code practices, and CAD/CAM workflows (Mastercam, SolidWorks, or equivalent) are documented and consistently applied. Stay current on emerging machining technology and identify opportunities to improve capability, reduce cycle time, and expand Nopak’s manufacturing capacity. Quality Oversee the Quality Engineer (with dotted-line to Engineering Manager) and ensure quality standards, inspection processes, and corrective action workflows are consistently followed. Work alongside the Engineering Manager to develop and sustain the plant quality program, driving reduction in scrap, rework, and customer returns. Ensure fluency with ISO or equivalent quality standards across the manufacturing team. Drive root cause analysis and corrective action on quality escapes, ensuring systemic fixes rather than reactive patches. Safety & Compliance Champion a culture of safety across all shifts; administer safety program in partnership with HR and the safety committee. Lead 5S audit corrective actions and maintain housekeeping standards across all manufacturing areas. Ensure all employees operate in compliance with OSHA standards and Nopak safety protocols. Conduct or oversee safety training, incident investigations, and corrective action plans. An individual in this position must be able to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities listed above. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position. Minimum Qualifications Minimum 5 years’ experience managing plant operations with direct accountability for production, quality, and safety outcomes. Minimum 3 years’ experience overseeing other managers or supervisors in a manufacturing environment. Extensive hands‑on experience in a CNC machine shop environment with deep knowledge of CNC milling and CNC turning operations. Strong working knowledge of CNC programming concepts (G-code/M-code), tooling strategy, fixture design, and setup reduction — sufficient to evaluate, coach, and hold the engineering team accountable. Demonstrated experience driving floor-level accountability for labor productivity, OTD, and quality KPIs in a high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environment. Proven track record of implementing setup reduction, tooling improvements, and machining efficiency gains. Experience working with CAD/CAM software packages such as Mastercam, SolidWorks, or equivalent. Demonstrated ability to develop, track, and present manufacturing KPIs at a leadership level. Strong computer skills including Microsoft Office Suite and ERP systems (Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central experience a plus). Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to represent Manufacturing on the executive leadership team. Experience managing a direct labor workforce of 20+ employees. Preferred Qualifications Bachelor’s Degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Operations Management. Background in manufacturing engineering with progression into operations leadership. Experience in fluid power, hydraulics, or pneumatics. Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Kaizen methodologies. Familiarity with ISO quality standards. Experience with welding, assembly, test, and paint operations. Experience evaluating and recommending capital equipment purchases. Experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365. Physical and Mental Demands While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk and/or hear, and/or use hands to handle or touch objects, tools or controls. The employee must occasionally lift 10-50 pounds while moving product or small packages. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The mental and physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Safety glasses and steel-toe shoes can be required while performing this job. #J-18808-Ljbffr