Operations Manager

Job Description

Job Description

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Pioneer Pet Products is a family-owned manufacturing company located in Cedarburg, WI that specializes in the production of cat litter and sale of pet supplies.

We are seeking to hire an operations manager to play a significant role in our company by providing direction and leadership to our manufacturing, engineering, and maintenance operations. Support and interface with logistics and quality is also required. This role is instrumental in supporting our corporate objectives through continuous improvement in machinery, processes, and procedures that reduce product costs, maintain consistently high product quality standards, and enhance employee safety and satisfaction. The role also provides constructive input that directly impacts all company programs and systems.

• The following duties and responsibilities are representative - other duties may be assigned
• Provide effective leadership for Employee Safety Systems
• Foster an environment of open communications and trust with all associates
• Implement supervisory responsibilities following the organization’s policies and applicable laws
• Supervise direct reports including hiring, training, and planning that measure performance
• Assign direct work, appraise performance, coach and reward associates, address complaints and resolve problems
• Ensure practical personnel orientation, training, and development programs
• Facilitate associate teams to build cohesiveness and improve the overall results of the respective tasks
• Provide strong input and support for product quality and customer-required systems while working with the Quality department
• Conduct meetings with plant personnel to establish, explain, review policies, coordinate functions and operations between departments, and establish responsibilities and procedures to attain objectives
• Ensure customer satisfaction and trust by focusing on product quality and on-time performance
• Develop, manage and lead principles of a Lean environment
• Lead the production/manufacturing engineering process, projects, capital expenditure planning, and implementation
• Provide sound budgeting and planning input for production and support operations
• Develop strategies and programs that improve work process productivity
• Review technical problems and procedures and recommend solutions to problems or procedure issues
• Ensure optimum effectiveness in scrap control, production efficiency, and costs
• Manage production maintenance and ensure sound Preventive Maintenance and Repair Programs (TPM)
• Analyze, evaluate, and present information concerning business situations, production capabilities, production problems, and new product development for consideration by other management team members
• Establish operating indicators (metrics) that regularly measure department performance and communicate this information to management
• Keep corporate management abreast of significant issues or developments identified during activities and actions being taken to improve production capabilities

PROCESS IMPROVEMENT & ENGINEERING:

• Evaluate current manufacturing processes, layouts, and equipment to identify bottlenecks, waste, and opportunities for automation
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective action on recurring process or quality issues using structured problem-solving methods (e.g., DMAIC, 8D)
• Own and drive improvement of key performance metrics such as OEE, throughput, cycle time, and unplanned downtime
• Evaluate and recommend capital equipment, automation, and technology investments, including building the business case (ROI and payback)
• Partner with engineering and product development on manufacturability and design-for-efficiency for new and existing products
• Lead kaizen events and continuous improvement projects from concept through implementation

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in a technical field from an accredited four-year college or university
• 5+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment, with demonstrated success leading process improvement or capital projects

SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE:

• Employee Orientation
• Improve Workforce Engagement
• Lean/Six Sigma Fundamentals
• Manufacturing Metrics
• Sustainability/Social Responsibilities
• Acting Decisively
• Acting Strategically
• Adapting to Change
• Assembling Talent
• Engineering Experience
• Process/Industrial Engineering Fundamentals (time studies, line balancing, capacity planning)
• Root Cause Analysis / Structured Problem Solving
• Automation & Technology Evaluation
• Data Analysis (Excel, Minitab, or similar)

IDEAL CANDIDATES HAVE THESE COMPETENCIES:

• Ability to consistently achieve results, even under challenging circumstances
• Actively seek new ways to grow, to be challenged, and to develop people to meet their personal and organizational goals
• An ideal candidate would be bilingual in Spanish, but is not required
• Finally, we are looking for colleagues who build partnerships and work collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.

SALARY:

$80,000 - $105,000/yr, negotiable dependent on prior experience and skills

SCHEDULE:

40 hours/week, Monday – Friday. Work hours can be flexible

BENEFITS:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance, cancer protection, and other supplemental benefits through Aflac
• Flexible schedule
• HSA
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Profit sharing
• Referral program

OUR PROMISE
Pioneer Pet is the place for you to build something important. By joining us, you will be part of a globally successful international company leading in sustainability, technology, and innovativeness You will be part of a motivated and dynamic team with personal development opportunities and training. If you show the skill and the willingness to contribute, we'll back you.

Pioneer Pet Products, LLC is a family owned manufacturing company located in Cedarburg, WI that specializes in the production of cat litter and other pet supplies.

Our story:
In the late 1990s Betsy Lipscomb–cat behaviorist, cat lover, and founder of SmartCat®–understood that people surrendered their cats to shelters because they didn’t know how to change unwanted behaviors. Cat owners were unhappy with cats using furniture and carpets to do what came naturally to them–scratching. Most thought declawing was the only answer, but it’s not! For Betsy, this was a call to action. She started Cats International, a free hotline to help people solve their cats’ behavior issues. For years, Betsy fielded thousands of calls from desperate cat owners looking for solutions. Her mission continues to this day; you can visit to learn more about humane solutions for cat behavior problems.

Early on Betsy began gathering wooden fence posts from her farm in Wisconsin. She wrapped them in sisal rope and mounted them on sturdy wood bases. Her guiding motivation was to send them to pet parents who needed help addressing their cats’ scratching behaviors. People were amazed to learn that the scratching post solved their problems. These posts became vastly popular and soon Betsy was making as many as 50 a month by hand.

Betsy decided to start a company whose sole mission was to enhance our pets’ quality of life by providing for their behavioral needs. She especially wanted to deter pet parents from declawing their cats, as this is a cruel procedure. She convinced her husband, John, to manufacture a larger version of her homemade scratching post. The result was our flagship product, the Ultimate Scratching Post.

In 1999 our company branched out to become Pioneer Pet Products® to expand our quality designs and construction into a wider range of products. In 2012 we acquired the brand Sticky Paws®, a tactile tape that deters cats from scratching inappropriate surfaces. Sticky Paws® aligns perfectly with the Pioneer Pet Products® brand by helping cat owners tame behaviors in the home without taking away cats’ natural instincts.

In 2014 we launched our flagship litter, SmartCat All-Natural Litter; Our goal was to create a truly all-natural litter that worked. Our SmartCat All Natural Litter is made from 100% grass–it is renewable, biodegradable, 99.9% dust free, fragrance free, and non-GMO. We then expanded our line by offering a healthy alternative clay litter, SmartCat Lightweight Litter. Most recently we launched another option in the all-natural litter category, SmartCat Corn + Wheat Litter.

Our hardgoods product line continues to grow as well. Since 2020 we have introduced the Swan Fountain, Vortex Fountain, Mini Vortex Fountain and Drawstring Pick-Up Bags.

What was once a farmhouse operation is now a mission and dream come true. Our brands are ones that pet parents have come to love and trust. Our mission, however, has never changed – to provide superior products that will improve the quality of life for pets and their guardians. All our products are designed by behavior experts, and each one is thoroughly tested and approved before reaching the market.

Cats International

Knowing that behavioral problems are the number one reason why people surrender their pets, Betsy started a free animal behavior counseling service known as Cats International. The site is a reliable resource for intelligent and practical solutions that address and prevent difficult behavior and training problems. Visit to learn about humane solutions for cat behavioral problems.

Company Description

Pioneer Pet Products, LLC is a family owned manufacturing company located in Cedarburg, WI that specializes in the production of cat litter and other pet supplies. \r\n\r\nOur story:\r\nIn the late 1990s Betsy Lipscomb–cat behaviorist, cat lover, and founder of SmartCat®–understood that people surrendered their cats to shelters because they didn’t know how to change unwanted behaviors. Cat owners were unhappy with cats using furniture and carpets to do what came naturally to them–scratching. Most thought declawing was the only answer, but it’s not! For Betsy, this was a call to action. She started Cats International, a free hotline to help people solve their cats’ behavior issues. For years, Betsy fielded thousands of calls from desperate cat owners looking for solutions. Her mission continues to this day; you can visit to learn more about humane solutions for cat behavior problems. \r\n\r\nEarly on Betsy began gathering wooden fence posts from her farm in Wisconsin. She wrapped them in sisal rope and mounted them on sturdy wood bases. Her guiding motivation was to send them to pet parents who needed help addressing their cats’ scratching behaviors. People were amazed to learn that the scratching post solved their problems. These posts became vastly popular and soon Betsy was making as many as 50 a month by hand.\r\n\r\nBetsy decided to start a company whose sole mission was to enhance our pets’ quality of life by providing for their behavioral needs. She especially wanted to deter pet parents from declawing their cats, as this is a cruel procedure. She convinced her husband, John, to manufacture a larger version of her homemade scratching post. The result was our flagship product, the Ultimate Scratching Post. \r\n\r\nIn 1999 our company branched out to become Pioneer Pet Products® to expand our quality designs and construction into a wider range of products. In 2012 we acquired the brand Sticky Paws®, a tactile tape that deters cats from scratching inappropriate surfaces. Sticky Paws® aligns perfectly with the Pioneer Pet Products® brand by helping cat owners tame behaviors in the home without taking away cats’ natural instincts.\r\n\r\nIn 2014 we launched our flagship litter, SmartCat All-Natural Litter; Our goal was to create a truly all-natural litter that worked. Our SmartCat All Natural Litter is made from 100% grass–it is renewable, biodegradable, 99.9% dust free, fragrance free, and non-GMO. We then expanded our line by offering a healthy alternative clay litter, SmartCat Lightweight Litter. Most recently we launched another option in the all-natural litter category, SmartCat Corn + Wheat Litter.\r\n\r\nOur hardgoods product line continues to grow as well. Since 2020 we have introduced the Swan Fountain, Vortex Fountain, Mini Vortex Fountain and Drawstring Pick-Up Bags.\r\n\r\nWhat was once a farmhouse operation is now a mission and dream come true. Our brands are ones that pet parents have come to love and trust. Our mission, however, has never changed – to provide superior products that will improve the quality of life for pets and their guardians. All our products are designed by behavior experts, and each one is thoroughly tested and approved before reaching the market.\r\n\r\nCats International\r\n\r\nKnowing that behavioral problems are the number one reason why people surrender their pets, Betsy started a free animal behavior counseling service known as Cats International. The site is a reliable resource for intelligent and practical solutions that address and prevent difficult behavior and training problems. Visit to learn about humane solutions for cat behavioral problems.