Operations Manager - Cranbury, NJ

Description

Title:  Operations Manager

Location: Cranbury, NJ 

Shift(s): 

Internal/External posting:   

AI Applicant Screening used:  

Salary Range:  

POSITION SCOPE:

The Operations Manager is responsible for the overall execution and performance of all operational functions at the Cranbury facility, including Production, Shipping, Receiving, Warehouse, Inventory Control, Maintenance, Safety, and Staffing. The role partners with Quality and Project Management to ensure customer requirements are effectively communicated, planned, and executed throughout the operation.

Quality maintains ownership of the Quality Management System, customer specifications, audits, and regulatory compliance. The Operations Manager is accountable for the execution of quality standards throughout operations and ensuring finished goods consistently meet customer expectations.

The Operations Manager is accountable for achieving production, labor, and shipping schedules; meeting customer commitments; driving labor and operational performance; managing departmental financial results; leading continuous improvement initiatives; maintaining quality standards; and ensuring a safe, efficient, and productive work environment.

This position serves as the primary operational bridge between Project Management and Operations to ensure seamless execution of customer programs and operational priorities.

REPORTS TO: 

Site Director 

ESSENTIAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Communication

• Serve as the primary operational      liaison between Project Management and Operations.
• Communicate customer priorities,      schedule changes, production constraints, shipping commitments, and      operational risks across all departments.
• Lead daily production, staffing,      shipping, and operational meetings to ensure alignment with customer      demand and business priorities.
• Prepare and present operational      performance metrics, staffing plans, production status, shipping      performance, and customer updates to senior leadership and customers.
• Collaborate with Quality, Project      Management, Maintenance, and other business leaders to ensure seamless      communication and execution across departments.

Coordination and Supervision

• Directly oversee Production,      Shipping, Receiving, Warehouse, Inventory Control, Maintenance, Safety,      and temporary labor operations.
• Ensure all operational      departments work collaboratively to safely execute production and shipping      plans.
• Establish, monitor, and      continuously improve operational KPIs including:
  • Safety
  • Quality
  • Labor       Productivity
  • Schedule       Attainment
  • On-Time Shipment       Performance
  • Customer       Service
  • Inventory       Accuracy
  • Equipment       Utilization
  • Financial       Performance
• Drive cross-functional      accountability to support customer service objectives and operational      excellence.

Schedule Execution

• Own execution of the daily      production, labor, and shipping schedules to ensure customer commitments      are consistently achieved.
• Coordinate receiving activities      to ensure material availability and uninterrupted production operations.
• Develop labor plans and allocate      resources to support changing customer demands and operational priorities.
• Identify and proactively resolve      production, staffing, material, equipment, or scheduling constraints.
• Balance labor and equipment      resources across departments to maximize throughput while maintaining      safety, quality, and customer service.

Production and Operational Excellence

• Drive operational efficiency,      productivity, and continuous improvement initiatives throughout the      facility.
• Own the site’s Continuous      Improvement initiatives, including Lean methodologies, waste elimination,      process standardization, and productivity improvements.
• Develop and implement performance      metrics that improve operational effectiveness, labor utilization,      quality, equipment performance, and customer service.
• Lead process improvement      initiatives focused on cost reduction, waste elimination, throughput      improvement, and operational efficiency.
• Ensure operational teams      consistently follow approved work instructions, standard operating      procedures, and customer requirements.

Warehouse and Logistics

• Oversee all shipping, receiving,      warehouse, and inventory control activities.
• Ensure inventory accuracy through      effective controls and cycle count processes.
• Manage warehouse organization,      material flow, space utilization, and dock operations.
• Coordinate carrier scheduling and      transportation activities to meet customer service requirements.
• Ensure efficient movement of raw      materials and finished goods throughout the facility.
• Drive on-time shipping      performance and schedule attainment.

Maintenance and Asset Management

• Direct the      Maintenance team to ensure equipment reliability and operational      readiness.
• Oversee      preventive maintenance programs and maintenance planning activities.
• Ensure rapid      response to equipment failures to minimize downtime.
• Coordinate      maintenance activities around production requirements to reduce      operational disruptions.
• Drive      initiatives focused on improving equipment utilization, equipment      reliability, and asset longevity.
• Support capital      equipment projects and equipment improvements that increase operational      efficiency.

Quality Ownership

While the Quality Department maintains ownership of the Quality Management System, customer specifications, audits, regulatory compliance, and quality systems, the Operations Manager is accountable for executing quality requirements throughout daily operations.

• Ensure finished      goods consistently meet customer quality expectations.
• Be accountable      for the quality of finished goods produced through effective supervision,      employee training, process discipline, and adherence to approved work      instructions and standard operating procedures.
• Drive adherence      to production controls, customer specifications, and quality requirements.
• Partner with      Quality to investigate, resolve, and prevent quality concerns.
• Implement      corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives that reduce      defects and improve customer satisfaction.
• Ensure only      conforming product is produced and shipped to customers.

Financial Management

• Prepare, manage,      and control operational budgets.
• Monitor labor      productivity and labor utilization.
• Manage overtime      spending and staffing efficiency.
• Oversee      warehouse, shipping, and maintenance expenditures.
• Drive equipment      utilization and cost reduction initiatives.
• Own departmental      spending while identifying opportunities to improve profitability without      compromising safety, quality, or customer service.
• Develop      operational strategies that improve profitability while supporting      customer commitments.
• Maintain      accountability for overall budget performance and operational financial      results.

Personnel Management

• Lead      recruitment, staffing, placement, and workforce planning activities.
• Develop      supervisors and operational leaders across all operational departments.
• Build      organizational capability through coaching, mentoring, training, and      succession planning.
• Drive      accountability, employee engagement, teamwork, and cross-functional      collaboration.
• Manage      performance, provide ongoing feedback, and develop future operational      leadership talent.
• Foster a culture      of accountability, operational excellence, teamwork, safety, employee      development, and continuous improvement.

Operational Accountability

The Operations Manager is accountable for the successful execution of all daily operational activities.

While Quality and Project Management maintain functional ownership of their respective disciplines, the Operations Manager is responsible for directing and coordinating execution across all operational departments to ensure customer expectations, production schedules, labor plans, shipping commitments, safety, productivity, inventory accuracy, and finished goods quality are consistently achieved.

QUALIFICATIONS:

· BA or BS Degree, MBA a plus.

· Hand assembly service parts distribution environment experience highly preferred.

· Minimum 5+ years’ experience within contract packaging and supply chain environment; with strong reasoning, analytical and problem-solving skills.

· Solid understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles and concepts

· Supervisory experience in a fast-paced manufacturing environment

· Creative problem-solving skills,

· Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

· Detail oriented and the ability to handle multiple tasks and priorities.

· Excellent time management and team building skills.

· Excellent interpersonal skills must maintain a positive attitude and the ability to motivate team members. 

· Possess strong and effective leadership skills, with a proven track record of success in motivating others; provide feedback and develop personnel.

· Dynamic personality style with the ability and willingness to promote appropriate change and improvement.

· PC proficient MS Office Products (Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint)

· WMS experience a plus

SAFETY:

• Adhere to company safety policies and      procedures
• Wear required PPE (personal protective      equipment) where needed
• Immediately report any unsafe conditions or      other safety-related issues

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

While the work environment characteristics described here represent those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job, they are in no way all-inclusive. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

· While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in a manufacturing setting.

· The employee often works at a work bench or on various pieces of equipment. 

· The noise level in the work environment is typically minimal.