Operations Manager - Plastics Manufacturing

Position Summary

The Operations Manager provides daily leadership and tactical oversight for a ~100-person plastics manufacturing facility. Reporting directly to the VP of Operations, this role is responsible for driving production efficiency, maintaining strict safety and quality standards, managing costs, and empowering shift supervisors and departmental leads.

Key Responsibilities

• Operational Leadership: Direct daily plant operations across extrusion, injection molding, and assembly lines to meet production schedules, quality specifications, and delivery targets.
• Team Management: Directly supervise 5–10 functional leads and shift supervisors; build a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement across the 100-employee site.
• Process Improvement: Implement Lean Manufacturing, 5S, and Six Sigma principles to reduce scrap rates, minimize downtime, and improve cycle times.
• Safety & Compliance: Ensure full compliance with OSHA standards, environmental regulations, and internal safety protocols to maintain a zero-incident culture.
• Financial Oversight: Manage operating budgets, monitor labor efficiency (OEE), control scrap/regrind utilization, and control material waste.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Partner with Maintenance, Quality Control, Supply Chain, and HR to streamline workflow and resolve operational bottlenecks quickly.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Experience: 5+ years of progressive operations management experience in a plastics manufacturing environment (injection molding, blow molding, or extrusion preferred).
• Leadership: Proven track record of managing supervisory teams and leading a workforce of 75–100+ employees.
• Technical Knowledge: Strong understanding of polymer processing, molding machinery, resin handling, and tooling setup.
• Methodologies: Hands-on experience applying Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, and 5S frameworks.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, or related field preferred (equivalent hands-on experience strongly considered).