Operations Manager - Gravure and Flexographic Printing

CCL Label•Sioux Falls, SD

3d•Onsite

About The Position

CCL Label Food and Beverage is seeking an energetic candidate for a leadership role as Operations Manager. This role oversees people, processes, equipment, and workflow to ensure safe, efficient, high-quality output that meets customer expectations. The ideal candidate brings strong technical knowledge of both print technologies and a proven ability to drive performance, reduce waste, and develop high-performing teams.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in gravure, flexographic, or related printing operations, with at least 2 years in a leadership or supervisory role.
Strong technical understanding of gravure (cylinders, cell volume, drying systems, ink transfer, tension control).
Strong technical understanding of flexo (anilox rolls, plate mounting, doctor blade systems, impression settings, UV/IR curing).
Proven ability to manage production metrics (OEE, waste %, downtime, throughput).
Experience with color management, ink viscosity control, and print quality troubleshooting.
Strong leadership skills with experience training and developing teams.
Working knowledge of Lean/CI methodologies.
Excellent communication, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
Ability to work in a fast-paced manufacturing environment with tight deadlines.

Responsibilities

Direct daily operations for gravure and flexo presses, ensuring schedules, staffing, and materials align with production goals.
Coordinate with planning, prepress, cylinder engraving, plate mounting, ink/solvent rooms, and finishing teams.
Monitor run speeds, changeover times, waste levels, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) for both technologies.
Troubleshoot issues related to gravure (cylinders, cell volume, drying systems, registration) and flexo (anilox rolls, plate wear, impression settings, doctor blades, ink transfer).
Ensure compliance with internal quality standards, customer specifications, and ISO/GMP requirements.
Oversee color management, ink viscosity control, and print consistency for both gravure and flexo.
Lead root-cause analysis (RCA) for defects such as streaking, hazing, pinholes, color variation in gravure, and dirty print, haloing, dot gain, chatter, banding in flexo.
Maintain documentation for audits, certifications, and customer approvals.
Lead, train, and develop press operators, helpers, plate mounters, and support staff.
Manage staffing levels, shift assignments, and cross-training between gravure and flexo teams.
Conduct performance reviews and enforce safety and operational policies.
Ensure compliance with OSHA, environmental, and company safety standards.
Oversee safe handling of inks, solvents, plates, cylinders, and high-speed equipment.
Lead safety audits, incident investigations, and continuous improvement in safety culture.
Partner with maintenance teams to schedule preventive maintenance for gravure and flexo presses.
Monitor condition of gravure (cylinders, drying systems, tension control) and flexo (anilox rolls, plate cylinders, doctor blade chambers, UV curing systems) equipment.
Recommend equipment upgrades or replacements to improve efficiency and print quality.
Oversee inventory of inks, solvents, substrates, cylinders, plates, anilox rolls, and consumables.
Work with procurement to ensure timely availability of materials.
Reduce waste through improved setup, ink management, and process optimization.
Work with customer service and sales teams to support new product trials, press approvals, and technical discussions.
Participate in customer audits and provide technical expertise on gravure and flexo capabilities.
Support R&D and product development for new substrates, coatings, ink systems, and print technologies.