Operations Manager - Weld/Fab/Manufacturing

Operations Manager – Welding, Fabrication & Manufacturing

Milwaukee, WI | Full-Time | On-Site

Compensation: Approximately $125,000/year, based on experience

We are looking for an experienced Operations Manager with a strong background in welding, metal fabrication, paint/finishing, and assembly manufacturing operations.

For this position, we are specifically looking for someone who has worked within a company that manufactures welded and fabricated metal products and understands how the different areas of a manufacturing operation work together from raw material and fabrication through welding, paint/finishing, electrical and mechanical assembly, and final product.

The right person doesn't necessarily need to have personally worked in every one of these trades, but they should have experience leading manufacturing operations where these types of departments and processes are part of the overall build.

This is a hands-on leadership position for someone who understands manufacturing from the floor up and is comfortable leading Production Supervisors and Leads while working closely with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Materials.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations across fabrication, welding, paint/finishing, electrical and mechanical assembly
• Lead, coach, and develop Production Supervisors and Leads
• Oversee production schedules, manpower, capacity, materials, workflow, quality, and safety
• Work closely with Engineering on custom and engineered products
• Coordinate workflow between departments so work moves efficiently from fabrication through final assembly
• Identify bottlenecks and resolve issues affecting production
• Improve production flow, efficiency, throughput, and on-time delivery
• Help standardize manufacturing processes while maintaining the flexibility required for custom work
• Use ERP/MRP systems for production planning, scheduling, materials, and capacity
• Monitor production KPIs and hold leadership teams accountable for results
• Lead Lean and continuous-improvement initiatives
• Work closely with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Materials to keep production moving
• Maintain a strong presence on the manufacturing floor and understand what's happening within each area of the operation

What We're Looking For

Previous manufacturing leadership experience within a welding and metal fabrication environment is required.

We're looking for someone with progressive experience as an Operations Manager, Plant Manager, Manufacturing Manager, Production Manager, or similar role who has:

• Led manufacturing operations involving welding and metal fabrication
• Exposure to paint/finishing and electrical or mechanical assembly operations
• Managed through Production Supervisors and Leads
• Worked in a custom, high-mix, Engineer-to-Order or Configure-to-Order manufacturing environment
• Experience with production scheduling and ERP/MRP systems
• Lean and continuous-improvement experience
• Worked closely with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Materials
• Demonstrated success improving production flow, throughput, efficiency, quality, or delivery
• A hands-on leadership style and willingness to spend time on the manufacturing floor

A bachelor's degree in Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related field is preferred, but strong related manufacturing leadership experience will also be considered.

Who We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who knows this type of manufacturing environment because they've worked in it. You don't necessarily need to have been a welder, painter, or electrical assembler yourself. You do need to understand how a product moves through a manufacturing operation involving fabrication, welding, paint/finishing, electrical/mechanical assembly, quality, and final completion.

If you've spent your career leading this type of manufacturing operation, developing production leadership, solving problems on the floor, and improving how product moves through the plant, we'd like to talk with you.