Operations Manager

Position Overview

The Operations Manager serves as the senior onsite leader of Central Wire's Fond du Lac manufacturing facility, overseeing daily operations across three production shifts (1st, 2nd, and 3rd) and a team of approximately 15 employees. Reporting to the Plant Manager based at our sister facility in Union, Illinois, this position is responsible for ensuring safe, efficient, compliant, and high-quality manufacturing operations while driving improvements in productivity, processes, and team performance.

This is a hands-on leadership role requiring strong operational judgment, technical capability, and the ability to independently manage day-to-day plant activities. The Operations Manager provides onsite leadership and accountability for production, employee performance, safety, chemical management, and operational execution, working closely with the Plant Manager and shared support functions.

The position is responsible for maintaining effective oversight of the facility's complex chemical management requirements, including safe handling, storage, regulatory compliance, and operational controls. The Operations Manager also leads the application of Lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement initiatives to strengthen daily management practices, improve communication and handoffs across all three shifts, standardize processes, reduce waste, and drive sustainable improvements in operational performance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Plant Operations & Production Management

• Lead daily manufacturing operations, ensuring production activities are executed safely, efficiently, and in alignment with quality standards, customer requirements, and business priorities.

• Direct and coordinate manufacturing operations across 1st, 2nd, and 3rd shifts, ensuring consistent production priorities, staffing coverage, operating standards, and accountability across the facility.

• Serve as the senior onsite leader, providing direction, making day-to-day operational decisions, resolving issues, and escalating significant risks or resource needs to the Plant Manager.

• Coordinate production schedules, staffing, equipment availability, materials, and workflow to meet operational commitments.

• Monitor key performance indicators, including safety, quality, throughput, schedule attainment, labor efficiency, scrap, downtime, and on-time delivery.

• Identify and address production constraints, equipment issues, staffing gaps, and other operational challenges.

• Partner with Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and other support functions to ensure reliable equipment performance and effective resolution of operational issues.

• Maintain accurate production records, operating reports, and performance data to support business decisions and accountability.

Chemical Management, Safety & Environmental Compliance

• Provide onsite leadership and operational oversight of the facility's chemical management program, including chemical use, handling, storage, and disposal within the manufacturing process.

• Ensure chemicals are properly identified, labeled, stored, handled, and managed in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements, company procedures, and established safety practices.

• Maintain effective operational controls for chemical inventories, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), chemical compatibility, storage conditions, employee exposure prevention, and waste-handling practices.

• Partner with Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) and other technical resources to maintain compliance with applicable OSHA, EPA, Wisconsin DNR, and other relevant requirements.

• Ensure employees across all three shifts receive appropriate training and consistently follow required chemical-handling procedures, personal protective equipment requirements, and emergency-response protocols.

• Identify and address chemical-related hazards, process risks, spills, near misses, and compliance gaps; coordinate corrective actions and escalate significant concerns promptly.

• Support environmental inspections, audits, recordkeeping, and regulatory compliance activities in partnership with designated EHS resources.

• Promote a prevention-focused safety culture encompassing chemical safety, machine guarding, lockout/tagout, material handling, housekeeping, and other applicable manufacturing hazards.

Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

• Lead the implementation and ongoing application of Lean manufacturing principles to improve operational efficiency, process consistency, quality, and productivity.

• Establish and sustain structured daily management practices across all three shifts, including shift-start meetings, standardized shift handoffs, visual performance management, issue escalation, and follow-through on outstanding operational priorities.

• Evaluate current workflows and identify opportunities to reduce waste, improve material flow, minimize downtime, and eliminate unnecessary process variation.

• Develop, implement, and sustain standard work procedures that improve consistency, accountability, and communication across employees and shifts.

• Apply Lean tools and methodologies such as 5S, Kaizen, root-cause analysis, value stream mapping, visual management, and structured problem-solving to address operational challenges.

• Lead both immediate improvement initiatives and longer-term projects that support sustainable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and employee effectiveness.

• Engage employees across all three shifts in identifying problems, developing practical solutions, and participating in continuous improvement activities.

• Establish measurable improvement goals, track results, and ensure improvements are sustained through documentation, training, process confirmation, and ongoing performance monitoring.

• Partner with the Plant Manager and other company leaders to identify opportunities to standardize and share best practices across the Fond du Lac and Union facilities.

Team Leadership & Employee Development

• Provide direct, visible leadership to the onsite workforce across all three shifts, setting clear expectations for safety, productivity, quality, attendance, and workplace conduct.

• Establish consistent communication and accountability practices that ensure employees understand daily priorities, performance expectations, and operational changes.

• Coach, develop, and evaluate employees and onsite leads or supervisors, where applicable, providing timely feedback and addressing performance concerns.

• Partner with Human Resources on staffing, employee relations, performance management, corrective action, and workforce planning.

• Identify training needs, support cross-training and skills development, and build workforce flexibility to meet changing production demands.

• Foster an environment of teamwork, accountability, employee engagement, and continuous improvement.

• Maintain a strong presence on the production floor and demonstrate a willingness to engage directly in problem-solving and operational support.

Quality, Equipment & Process Control

• Ensure manufacturing processes consistently meet established quality standards, specifications, work instructions, and customer requirements.

• Partner with Quality and Engineering to investigate defects, process variation, nonconforming materials, and recurring production issues.

• Support root-cause investigations and implementation of effective corrective and preventive actions.

• Coordinate equipment maintenance priorities, breakdown response, preventive maintenance activities, and operational readiness with Maintenance and Engineering.

• Identify opportunities to improve equipment reliability, process capability, and manufacturing efficiency.

• Support process changes, equipment upgrades, and other operational improvements while ensuring appropriate safety, quality, and change-control practices.

Business Performance & Cross-Site Coordination

• Manage controllable operating expenses, including labor, overtime, materials, consumables, scrap, and other assigned costs.

• Provide the Plant Manager with regular updates on production performance, staffing, safety, chemical management, quality, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Prepare operating reports, performance analyses, and recommendations for resource allocation or capital improvements.

• Maintain close communication and alignment with the Union Plant Manager regarding operational priorities, performance expectations, and matters requiring leadership approval.

• Coordinate with shared company resources to ensure Fond du Lac receives appropriate technical, administrative, and operational support.

• Exercise independent judgment within delegated authority while maintaining clear communication and timely escalation of significant business risks.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated hands-on experience applying Lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies in a manufacturing environment. Candidates must have a track record of implementing process improvements, standard work, structured problem-solving, and measurable operational improvements.

• Experience establishing or improving daily management systems, production accountability routines, shift handoffs, visual performance management, or similar operational practices.

• Five or more years of progressively responsible manufacturing operations experience, including experience leading production teams or managing day-to-day manufacturing operations.

• Experience with chemical management in an industrial or manufacturing environment, including chemical handling, storage, hazard communication, safety controls, and applicable environmental or workplace safety requirements.

• Demonstrated ability to independently manage operational priorities, resolve production challenges, and exercise sound judgment in a manufacturing leadership role.

• Strong understanding of manufacturing safety, quality systems, production planning, equipment reliability, and employee performance management.

• Experience using production metrics and operational data to identify performance gaps, prioritize improvements, and measure results.

• Strong communication, organization, problem-solving, and leadership skills, with the ability to work effectively across onsite teams and remotely located leadership and support functions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business, or a related field; equivalent combinations of education and relevant experience will be considered.

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher certification, or comparable formal Lean training.

• Experience leading Lean transformations, Kaizen events, or sustained operational improvement initiatives.

• Experience with complex industrial chemical processes, chemical inventory management, hazardous waste requirements, environmental compliance, or process safety.

• Manufacturing experience in metals, wire, cable, coating, chemical processing, or other process-oriented production environments.

• Experience leading operations at a small manufacturing facility or managing a satellite location with offsite leadership.

• Experience managing operations across multiple production shifts.

• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems, Microsoft Office applications, and production performance dashboards.

Key Competencies

• Independent site leadership and operational ownership

• Chemical safety and environmental compliance

• Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement

• Daily management systems and standard work

• Multi-shift production planning and execution

• Employee leadership, coaching, and accountability

• Root-cause analysis and structured problem-solving

• Quality and process control

• Equipment reliability and resource management

• Cross-shift communication and coordination

• Data-driven decision-making

• Cross-functional collaboration and timely escalation

Physical & Work Environment Requirements

This position operates in both office and active manufacturing environments and requires regular presence on the production floor. Duties involve frequent walking and standing, observation of manufacturing equipment and processes, computer use, and communication in production areas where personal protective equipment may be required.

The manufacturing environment includes industrial chemicals and related processes that require adherence to established safety procedures and protective measures. The position requires flexibility to provide leadership and operational oversight across 1st, 2nd, and 3rd shifts and may require availability outside regularly scheduled hours to support operational needs.

Reasonable accommodations will be considered in accordance with applicable law.

Benefits

Subject to applicable plan terms and eligibility requirements:

• 401(k) with company matching

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• Health savings and flexible spending accounts

• Life insurance

• Employee assistance program

• Paid time off

• Employee referral program

• Tuition reimbursement

Pre-Employment Drug Testing

Applicants offered employment will be required to successfully complete a post-offer drug screening where permitted by applicable law and in accordance with Company policy.

At-Will Employment

Employment with the Company is at will. Either the employee or the Company may terminate employment at any time, with or without cause or notice, subject to applicable law. Nothing in this job description creates an employment contract or alters the at-will employment relationship.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Central Wire Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination or harassment based on any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.