Operations Manager

Operations Manager (Direct Hire)

Jefferson City, MO

7770

Description for Operations Manager:

Reporting to the Plant Manager, the Operations Manager has direct responsibility and leadership for daily production operations at our Jefferson City, MO site, which manufactures heating, cooling, and ventilation solutions. This role collaborates with the Site Leader to set vision and uses 80/20 and Lean Simplification to ensure a safe work environment, maximize profitable growth, drive quality improvements, provide differentiated customer service, develop a technically qualified workforce, and optimize operating costs, inventories, and lead times through continuous improvement. The Operations Manager oversees day-to-day activities to meet operating plan goals, develops long- and short-range manufacturing plans aligned with site strategy, and ensures manufacturing resources are managed to meet customer needs cost effectively.

Responsibilities for Operations Manager:

• Lead overall daily production operations, overseeing day-to-day activities to meet daily, monthly, quarterly, and annual operating plan goals.
• Develop long- and short-range plans to align manufacturing areas with strategy, using 80/20 and lean principles as the basis for continuous improvement.
• Promote, utilize, and drive the Daily Management System (DMS), including tier meetings, LPAs, Gemba walks, loss tracking, and day-by-hour tracking, to ensure efficient and effective operating systems.
• Supervise, mentor, and develop a team of Production Supervisors and skilled labor, providing coaching, partnering, and guidance to the hourly and salaried workforce.
• Foster a culture of safety, accountability, and teamwork.
• Promote effective Health, Safety, and Environmental programs and practices, ensuring high site safety standards are established and followed by all associates.
• Drive EHS process standardization by monitoring injuries, near misses, and property damage, with robust investigations in partnership with the onsite EHS Manager through the DMS.
• Enforce safety protocols and ensure compliance with OSHA and company safety standards, holding production supervisors and team leaders accountable for regular safety audits and risk assessments.
• Execute production plans to meet schedule at a satisfactory cost level, including cost center, budget, manpower plans, systems development, and asset management.
• Plan personnel during peak and non-peak operations to balance customer needs and cost goals.
• Analyze manufacturing operating results and take corrective action to meet or exceed planned performance levels of quality, expense, efficiency, and inventory control.
• Implement and monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to assess operational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Collaborate with engineering and design teams to align production capabilities with product specifications.
• Support development and implementation of the capital plan to provide adequate capacity, aggressive quality improvement, and strong cost and asset control.
• Drive accountability in daily operations through process audits to maintain high product quality standards.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance product quality and reduce waste.
• Design and implement plant production systems, policies, procedures, and methods to meet short- and long-term objectives.
• Develop improved methods, layouts, equipment, techniques, and processes to maintain and improve the competitiveness of the manufacturing area.
• Identify and implement lean manufacturing techniques and Six Sigma or similar methodologies to optimize production workflows, streamline operations, and reduce costs.
• Maintain and manage inventory levels of materials and components through visual management techniques to avoid production delays on the shop floor.
• Drive consistent output, robust inventory management, and process adherence to maintain daily inventory accuracy and consumption.

Requirements for Operations Manager:

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field.
• MBA or relevant advanced degree preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment; HVAC, metal fabrication/assembly, or industrial equipment production experience preferred.
• Experience in the data center or HVAC industry preferred.
• Strong knowledge of lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or other process improvement methodologies.
• Lean Six Sigma certification (Green or Black Belt) preferred.
• Proficient in manufacturing software and ERP systems.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Onsite position with 0–10% travel.