Operations Department Head

Corning•Keene, NH

4d•$106,400 - $146,300

About The Position

The Operations Department Head provides strategic and operational leadership for assigned manufacturing departments in a fast-paced production environment. The role is accountable for safety, quality, delivery, cost, people development, capacity, and continuous improvement. Through front-line supervisors and team leaders, the Department Head sets priorities and ensures production plans align with plant objectives, customer commitments, and business needs. The role oversees departmental production execution and performance, workforce and capacity planning, safety and quality compliance, continuous improvement, talent development, and cross-functional coordination. It also participates in operational forecasting, budget and capital planning, and the evaluation and implementation of new products, processes, equipment, automation, and technology improvements. The position supports a multi-shift manufacturing environment, including off-hours support as operational needs require.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Industrial Management, or a related field.
Five or more years of progressive leadership experience in a manufacturing, industrial, technical, or production environment; equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.
Demonstrated experience managing safety, quality, delivery, productivity, cost, staffing, employee development, production planning, capacity, labor, scheduling, and workflow.
Ability to analyze data, identify performance gaps, prioritize work, communicate effectively, and drive sustainable corrective actions.
Experience administering performance expectations, attendance practices, employee coaching, training, and company policies.
Strong leadership, decision-making, coaching, problem-solving, communication, and organizational skills.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and manufacturing, production, scheduling, ERP, reporting, and/or timekeeping systems.
Ability to support a multi-shift manufacturing environment, including off-hours support as operational needs require.

Nice To Haves

Seven or more years of manufacturing leadership experience, including responsibility for multiple shifts, departments, or supervisors.
Experience in an equipment-intensive, highly regulated, or technically complex manufacturing environment.
Experience applying Lean, Six Sigma, DMAIC, Kaizen, 5S, value-stream improvement, or other structured problem-solving methods.
Demonstrated success leading safety, quality, productivity, cost-reduction, capacity-expansion, or operational-excellence initiatives.
Experience with budgeting, capital planning, labor forecasting, and financial performance management.
Experience partnering with Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Planning, Supply Chain, and Human Resources in a matrixed manufacturing organization.

Responsibilities

Direct assigned manufacturing departments to ensure safe, compliant, efficient, and reliable execution of production schedules and plant priorities.
Lead, coach, develop, and hold accountable front-line supervisors, team leaders, and indirect departmental personnel.
Translate plant and business objectives into departmental operating plans, priorities, performance expectations, and measurable goals.
Ensure staffing, shift coverage, labor utilization, workflow, and capacity meet customer demand and business requirements.
Oversee production schedules, recovery plans, work sequencing, overtime strategies, and resource allocation.
Serve as the accountable area owner for departmental performance, operational readiness, risk management, process discipline, and visual management.
Build a safety culture focused on employee well-being, hazard recognition, incident prevention, and environmental, health, and safety compliance.
Lead or support safety investigations, containment, corrective actions, and preventive plans.
Ensure adherence to quality systems, work instructions, standard operating procedures, control plans, documentation requirements, and customer specifications.
Maintain accountability for housekeeping, 5S, process control, standard work, workplace organization, and readiness for internal, customer, regulatory, and certification audits.
Own department performance against operating metrics such as safety, quality, output, yield/selects, uptime, delivery, schedule adherence, labor utilization, scrap, productivity, cost, and employee development.
Review trends, identify gaps and risks, communicate results to plant leadership, and lead timely corrective and recovery actions.
Use production, equipment, financial, and employee data to identify root causes and implement sustainable improvements.
Lead continuous-improvement initiatives using Lean principles and structured problem solving to improve safety, quality, throughput, reliability, material utilization, productivity, and cost.
Establish departmental action plans with clear ownership, follow-through, and measurable results.
Build a culture of ownership, accountability, teamwork, respect, continuous learning, and operational excellence.
Develop supervisors and high-potential employees through coaching, feedback, training, performance development, and succession planning.
Ensure consistent administration of company policies, performance and attendance expectations, recognition programs, and corrective or disciplinary actions.
Partner with Human Resources on employee relations, workforce planning, recruiting, engagement, retention, and organizational development.
Maintain current training plans, qualification records, cross-training, and competency requirements.
Promote clear communication across shifts, departments, and leadership levels about production, staffing, equipment, quality, schedule changes, and open actions.
Partner with Planning, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Operations, Finance, and Human Resources to resolve material, equipment, staffing, process, capacity, workflow, and customer constraints.
Participate in production and labor planning, capacity reviews, operational forecasting, budget development, and capital planning.
Support evaluation, implementation, and sustainment of new products, process changes, equipment upgrades, automation, and technology improvements.
Escalate significant operational risks, business impacts, and resource needs to plant leadership with recommendations and action plans.
Represent the department in leadership meetings, cross-functional reviews, audits, customer discussions, and improvement initiatives.

Benefits

Company-wide bonuses and long-term incentives aligned with business results.
100% company-paid pension benefit with fixed contributions.
401(k) savings plan with matching contributions; total company contributions to retirement accounts can reach between 7% and 12% of pay, depending on age and years of service.
Medical, dental, and vision benefits.
Paid parental leave and family building support.
Fitness benefits.
Company-paid life insurance and disability benefits.
Disease management programs.
Paid time off.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Recognition program to celebrate successes and reward exceptional contributions.