Position Summary
The Operations Manager oversees daily operations within a job shop manufacturing environment, ensuring efficient production flow, on-time delivery, and high-quality output. This role is responsible for coordinating scheduling, materials, labor, and shop resources to support custom, engineered-to-order work.
Key Responsibilities
Shop Operations & Production Flow
- Oversee daily shop operations, ensuring jobs move efficiently through all production stages
- Manage production scheduling in a high-mix, low-volume environment
- Balance workloads across departments (fabrication, welding, finishing, etc.)
- Identify and eliminate bottlenecks to improve throughput
Scheduling & Planning
- Develop and maintain production schedules based on priorities, capacity, and deadlines
- Coordinate closely with estimating and project management on job timelines
- Adjust schedules in real-time based on changing demands or constraints
- Ensure material and labor availability aligns with production needs
Labor & Resource Management
- Supervise shop supervisors, leads, and production personnel
- Optimize labor utilization and staffing levels
- Coordinate training and skill development to support production needs
- Ensure proper use and maintenance of equipment
Quality & Process Control
- Ensure all work meets specifications, drawings, and customer requirements
- Partner with QA/QC to maintain consistent quality standards
- Implement process improvements to reduce rework and waste
Safety & Compliance
- Maintain a safe working environment aligned with OSHA standards
- Enforce safety policies and procedures within the shop
- Lead incident investigations and corrective actions
Financial & Operational Performance
- Monitor production costs, labor efficiency, and job profitability
- Track KPIs such as throughput, on-time delivery, and rework rates
- Support job costing and margin analysis with accounting
- Drive continuous improvement to increase efficiency and margins
Cross-Functional Coordination
- Partner with:
- Estimating (job scope, timelines, feasibility)
- Procurement (material availability and lead times)
- Project Management (delivery expectations and priorities)
- Ensure smooth handoff from quote → production → completion
Qualifications
- 7–10+ years of experience in a job shop, fabrication, or custom manufacturing environment
- Strong background in production scheduling and workflow management
- Experience leading shop personnel (welders, fabricators, machinists, etc.)
- Knowledge of engineered-to-order or made-to-order production models
- Solid understanding of job costing and production metrics
Why Join Bard & Bard, LLC?
- Hands-on leadership role in a dynamic, custom manufacturing environment
- Direct impact on production performance and profitability
- Opportunity to improve systems, scheduling, and shop efficiency
- Collaborative, operations-focused culture
- Opportunity for advancement
