Operations Manager

Job Description

Operations Manager

Black Oak | Waco, Texas | Full-time, onsite

$45,000 to $55,000 per year, plus performance-based incentives and 2 weeks PTO

About Black Oak

For 17 years, Black Oak has made custom handmade mugs, and for the last 10 we've done it at scale. Our mugs are sold in retail shops and given as gifts by businesses to their employees, vendors, and clients. We've made mugs for companies like Magnolia Market, Pioneer Woman, Café Du Monde, and Disneyland.

Our studio is a creative place where 20 talented artisans make a beautiful, tangible product. Our team cares deeply about their work. What they need now is a steady, organized leader to give them clear direction and help them grow.

About the role

You'll lead our production team, run day-to-day studio operations, and work closely with the owners in the business. You'll lead our team of 20 artisans through our floor leads, and work closely with our Production Planner, who builds the production schedule.

Plans rarely go perfectly in a handmade studio. Someone calls in, a shape runs out, or a batch moves faster or slower than expected. Part of your job is to keep production moving by knowing the plan, making quick decisions when it changes, and making sure the team knows what to work on next.

There's room to grow. Over time, you'll take on more responsibility for customers, pricing, and strategy, with a path to General Manager for the right person.

What you'll do

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• Lead the team. Direct and support our floor leads and artisans, and develop our floor leads into stronger leaders.
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• Keep production on track. Use the production plan to decide what happens next when things change, and work with the Production Planner to update the plan quickly.
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• Build accountability. Create KPIs for our artisans and put systems in place so expectations are clear, progress is visible, and standards are consistently met.
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• Resolve conflict. Handle disagreements and tension between employees calmly and fairly, before small issues grow.
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• Make people decisions. Recruit, hire, coach, and when necessary, let go of team members.
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• Manage studio operations. Oversee purchasing, inventory, and supplies so the team has what it needs.
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• Grow into the business side. Over time, build relationships with our business clients, help with quoting and pricing, and partner with the owners on growth, staffing, and process improvements.
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What we're looking for

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• At least 3 years of experience supervising or leading a team
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• Experience managing processes, workflows, or schedules
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• A highly organized mind and the ability to make sound decisions quickly
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• Strength in calming tense situations and resolving conflict between employees
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• A leader who balances empathy with accountability: someone who extends grace on purpose, not because something slipped through the cracks
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• A genuine learner who is curious, takes feedback well, and wants to take on more responsibility over time
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Bonus points for: experience in manufacturing, production, or a small business; working with customers or sales; and comfort with pricing and numbers.

No pottery experience is required. We'll teach you the craft side; we need you to bring the leadership.

Schedule

Full-time, onsite during studio hours, Monday through Friday. No weekends.

Compensation and benefits

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• $45,000 to $55,000 annual salary, based on experience
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• Performance-based incentives
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• 2 weeks of paid time off
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• A path to General Manager, with pay that grows as your responsibilities do
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How to apply

Apply with your resume and a short note answering this question: Tell us about a time you noticed a problem in how your team or business operated and led a change to fix it. What did you do, and what happened?

We're hoping to have our new manager start in early to mid November.