Operations Manager

About the Role

Kelco Industries is a market leader in cost-effective, high performance, custom engineered components for a wide variety of industries. We invest in the latest technologies and top talent, and because we are privately held, we answer only to our customers – so we can make fast decisions that move our business and our customers forward.

Responsibilities

• Promote a strong culture of safety and ensure compliance with Kelco safety policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements; reinforce safe behaviors, addressing hazards, and supporting corrective actions as needed.
• Partner with respective teams to investigate incidents, identify root causes, and implement preventive safety measures.
• Lead plant operations across multiple product divisions to support safe, efficient, and reliable performance.
• Provide direction to leaders to ensure alignment of staffing needs, quality expectations, and customer requirements.
• Promote a culture of concierge customer service to both internal and external customers ensuring that commitments are proactively communicated.
• Balance resources across divisions and help resolve operational constraints and workflow issues.
• Maintain a visible presence on the plant floor to reinforce expectations, support leaders, and remove barriers to performance.
• Promote Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement across Kelco.
• Drive improvements in flow, labor utilization, material movement, standard work, visual management, and daily accountability; use visual management to engage the entire team in driving daily improvements in safety, quality, and delivery.
• Lead Lean initiatives such as 5S, Kaizen, root cause problem solving, Gemba walks, and daily management systems.
• Use data and direct observation to identify waste, recurring issues, and opportunities to improve efficiency, quality, and responsiveness.
• Build problem-solving capability and accountability within the plant leaders.
• Lead, coach, and develop supervisors and team leads to improve leadership effectiveness, communication, and accountability.
• Establish and monitor key plant metrics such as safety, output, schedule attainment, labor efficiency, scrap, downtime, overtime, and on-time delivery.
• Ensure production boards, KPI tracking, and visual management tools are used effectively to manage performance and escalate issues.
• Lead team in developing plans for future changes in demand and new business.
• Support hiring, onboarding, performance management, and employee development in partnership with HR and Leadership.
• Reinforce consistent execution of quality standards, work instructions, and customer requirements.
• Support plant performance goals through improved productivity, waste reduction, stronger execution, and effective use of plant resources.
• Monitor operational results and drive improvements in quality, delivery, labor efficiency, scrap, downtime, and overall plant performance.

Core Competencies

• Safety Leadership – Demonstrated commitment to workplace safety, including the ability to identify hazards, reinforce safe work practices, and support corrective actions to maintain a safe and compliant operation.
• Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement – Strong understanding of Lean principles and the ability to drive waste reduction, standard work, visual management, root cause problem-solving, and process improvement across plant operations in a high mix/low volume and job shop environment.
• Operational Leadership – Ability to lead multiple functions, prioritize plant needs, coordinate resources, and drive execution across a multi-product manufacturing environment.
• Quality & Systems Knowledge – Working knowledge of quality systems, environmental/operational policies, and manufacturing procedures, with the ability to reinforce compliance and support continuous improvement in quality performance.
• Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills – Ability to analyze data, identify trends, determine root causes, and implement practical solutions to improve performance, efficiency, and reliability.
• Accountability & Execution – Takes ownership of results, follows through on commitments, and holds self and others accountable for meeting operational goals and performance expectations.
• Leadership & Team Development – Ability to motivate, coach, and develop supervisors, leads, and employees while building a culture of ownership, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Communication & Influence – Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate expectations clearly, collaborate across departments, and influence positive change at all levels of the organization.
• Technical & Systems Proficiency – Proficient in Microsoft Office, especially Excel, and experienced with ERP/MRP systems and manufacturing reporting tools; ability to use data, reports, and systems to support operational decision-making.
• Adaptability & Initiative – Flexible, dependable, and proactive in responding to changing priorities, solving problems, and driving improvements in a hands-on manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Operations Management, Engineering, Business, Supply Chain, or a related field preferred; equivalent manufacturing leadership experience will be considered.
• 7+ years of progressive manufacturing experience, including at least 3–5 years in a leadership role with responsibility for plant, production, or multi-department operations.
• Experience leading operations in a manufacturing environment with multiple product lines, departments, or divisions preferred along with developing leaders and team members.
• Demonstrated success driving Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and operational performance in a high-mix/low-volume manufacturing setting.
• Strong understanding of production flow, labor planning, quality systems, inventory/material flow, and plant performance metrics.
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems, Microsoft Excel, and production or operational reporting tools.

Pay

The pay range for this role is $89k+ USD per year (Woodstock, IL).