Manager, Operations

About the role

The Operations Manager will drive operational excellence by focusing on safety, productivity, quality, employee engagement, equipment reliability, and continuous improvement initiatives. This position plays a key role in achieving production goals, improving efficiencies, minimizing downtime and waste, and supporting a culture of accountability and teamwork throughout the facility. The role reports to the Plant manager. Working conditions involve a manufacturing plant environment with exposure to noise, moving machinery, heat, and production equipment; frequent walking, standing, and movement throughout production areas; and the ability to work flexible hours, including weekends or off‑shift support based on operational needs. At D&W Fine Pack, we don’t just make packaging, we build purpose, pride, and strong teams. Whether you are launching your career or bringing years of experience, this is a place where you can grow, be supported, and make a real impact. Our culture is built on four core values: Dedicated to Excellence, Winning with Success, Focused on Service, and People with Purpose.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee daily manufacturing operations across all shifts.
• Support leadership to ensure operational effectiveness and equipment reliability.
• Ensure production schedules, efficiency goals, quality standards, and customer demands are consistently achieved.
• Monitor and analyze operational metrics including productivity, downtime, scrap, labor utilization, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
• Maintain strong floor presence while providing hands-on leadership and operational support within the manufacturing environment.
• Coordinate staffing, labor allocation, and production priorities to meet changing business needs and customer demands.
• Drive accountability and operational discipline throughout all production departments.
• Oversee the production of high-volume plastic extrusion, reprocessing, and compounding operations focused on safety, quality, and productivity.
• Manage operations involving PET, polypropylene, and polystyrene.
• Support and optimize production performance across multiple lines.
• Partner with Maintenance and Engineering teams to improve machine uptime, process consistency, scrap reduction, and overall production efficiency.
• Oversee the manufacturing high-volume thermoforming operation focused on safety, quality, and productivity.
• Manage production operations involving various CK’s, Lyles, Irwin, and Keifel machines.
• Oversee packaging processes including hand pack and auto‑bag.
• Ensure product quality, color consistency, and packaging accuracy for customer specifications.
• Coach, mentor, and develop Shift Supervisors, Setup Technicians, and Maintenance Technicians to strengthen leadership capabilities and operational performance.
• Conduct performance evaluations, corrective actions, and employee development planning.
• Develop and execute improvement plans for the plant.
• Foster a culture focused on accountability, communication, teamwork, and employee engagement.
• Support employee retention initiatives and workforce development efforts.
• Partner with HR regarding staffing, attendance management, employee relations, and performance concerns.
• Promote and maintain a strong safety‑first culture throughout all manufacturing areas.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA regulations, GMPs, food safety standards, and company policies.
• Conduct safety audits, incident investigations, and corrective action follow‑up.
• Ensure employees consistently follow safe work practices and PPE requirements.
• Partner with Quality teams to ensure products meet customer specifications and food packaging standards.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on operational efficiency, waste reduction, scrap reduction, and process optimization.
• Utilize Lean Manufacturing and problem‑solving methodologies to improve manufacturing performance.
• Support investigations related to quality concerns, customer complaints, and process deviations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, Engineering, Manufacturing, Business, or related field preferred.
• 7+ years of manufacturing leadership experience required.
• Previous experience managing supervisors and multiple production departments required.
• Experience in plastics manufacturing, food packaging, extrusion, thermoforming, automated packaging, or related manufacturing environments strongly preferred.
• Experience with PET strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, and operational metrics.
• Demonstrated leadership, coaching, and employee development experience.
• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and decision‑making abilities.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and manufacturing/ERP systems.

Skills

• Experience overseeing high-speed manufacturing and automated production environments.
• Knowledge of food‑grade manufacturing and GMP compliance.
• Experience with extrusion equipment, robotic automation, and thermoforming operations.
• Ability to improve production efficiency, reduce downtime, and minimize scrap.
• Bilingual