Senior Manager-Production Operations
About The Position
The Senior Manager – Production Operations plans, oversees, and manages departmental operations and production processes. The role leads a team of Managers, Assistant Managers, and Supervisors to achieve objectives and key results (OKRs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) in safety, quality, delivery, and cost. It focuses on strategic and tactical operations planning with a mid-term horizon, contributes to broader functional strategies, directs the operations of multiple departments, drives strategic problem-solving and continuous improvement, reports results to executive leadership, and makes adjustments and countermeasures when targets are missed. The position is onsite in Palatine, Illinois, and is scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The role requires a bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline such as engineering or a related field and extensive manufacturing and fabrication experience. It leads workforce planning, production planning, safety and quality programs, lean performance systems, reporting, and budget management. S&C Electric describes itself as an employee-owned company with more than 3,500 team members. The company offers a comprehensive benefits package, subject to eligibility requirements, including health and welfare coverage, leave benefits, and retirement benefits. The role is eligible for the company’s annual incentive plan, subject to eligibility criteria.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline such as engineering or a related field.
- Belief in and alignment with S&C Guiding Principles and Core Values.
- 10 or more years of manufacturing experience in an industrial metals fabrication environment, including advanced CNC machining, welding, laser cutting, forming, punching, stamping, and related finishing operations.
- 5 or more years of supervisory or management experience in a fabrication environment leading hourly and salaried employees.
- Leadership experience in workforce planning, scheduling, staffing, employee development, coaching, and performance management.
- Knowledge of precision machining processes and practices in a high-mix, low-to-medium-volume environment.
- Demonstrated track record of lean manufacturing leadership, sustained improvements, and KPI attainment.
- Ability to lead, guide, motivate, and delegate in a multilevel manufacturing environment to deliver results.
- Critical thinking, organizational, planning, project management, and creative problem-solving skills.
- Interpersonal skills to build relationships based on trust and respect, navigate and resolve conflict, moderate behaviors, and foster collaboration across diverse audiences.
- Excellent written, verbal, listening, and presentation skills, including the ability to work with stakeholders at all levels and gain buy-in from executives, managers, and team members.
- Analytical skills and ability to use data for informed decisions, problem-solving, and continuous improvement.
- Proven ability to partner and collaborate across teams and levels at an operational level.
- Ability to adapt quickly and positively to change and find ways to accomplish work despite challenges.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, and Outlook.
Nice To Haves
- Experience managing multiple shifts.
- Oracle proficiency.
- Master’s degree in Operations Management, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.
- Six Sigma certification(s).
- Certified Lean Six Sigma (CLSS).
- Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE).
Responsibilities
- Promote a safety-first culture and ensure health and safety are incorporated into departmental plans and comply with relevant regulations and industry standards.
- Lead, develop, coach, and mentor a high-performing team; manage recruitment, induction, vacation, performance reviews, improvement plans, workforce and succession planning, accountability, recognition, and corrective actions as needed.
- Cascade company strategies into mid-term tactical and operational plans, including automation, insourcing, and unattended machining, and oversee day-to-day departmental operations to meet KPIs cost-effectively and on time.
- Work with senior leaders to recommend and implement adjustments to operational plans to achieve OKRs and KPIs.
- Lead strategic production planning with cross-functional teams, optimize schedules, identify bottlenecks, determine capacity plans and processing methods, evaluate machine resources, minimize downtime, and balance productivity with manufacturing costs.
- Set mid-term productivity goals and analyze managers’ performance report-outs.
- Recommend and implement departmental performance improvement goals; support process improvements that increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve operational effectiveness.
- Develop and implement improvement plans across multifaceted functions and promote continuous improvement, simplification, standard work, process improvement, and lean principles.
- Oversee broad quality control programs, help leaders understand and resolve quality issues, and guide communication of corrective action plans, resolutions, and quality results.
- Analyze reports and reviews from first-line supervisors and communicate production-impacting problems and issues involving production, quality, maintenance, or personnel to senior and executive leadership.
- Develop and manage the function’s budget, allocate resources to maximize return on investment and strategic objectives, approve operational expenditures, and identify investment opportunities with senior leaders.
- Comply with applicable company policies and rules; maintain regular and punctual attendance; attend requested or required in-person or virtual meetings; communicate effectively and respectfully; drive a car or other vehicle; and perform other assigned responsibilities.
Benefits
- Medical and prescription coverage
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts
- Health Savings Account (HSA)
- Group life insurance
- Optional supplemental life and AD&D insurance
- Wellbeing resources, including an Employee Assistance Program
- Family-forming benefits, including adoption and fertility support
- Vacation time
- Sick time
- Paid holidays and company shutdown days
- Short-term disability
- Long-term disability
- Other leaves
- Paid parental time
- Military leave
- 401(k) retirement savings plan with traditional and Roth options
- Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) component, with annual company contributions for eligible participants
- Annual incentive plan, subject to eligibility criteria
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
