Operations Manager | Manufacturing Leadership

🏭 Lead the operation. Develop the leaders. Drive the performance.

We're looking for an experienced Operations Manager to lead manufacturing operations across multiple value streams and drive results across safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and people performance.

This is a significant leadership opportunity for someone who has successfully managed large manufacturing teams through multiple layers of leadership and knows how to create accountability without losing employee engagement.

You’ll lead 3 Value Stream Managers and approximately 180 production employees, partner with leaders across the organization, and play a major role in developing operational strategies that improve productivity, efficiency, throughput, quality, and customer satisfaction.

If you’re a manufacturing leader who loves building strong teams, developing future leaders, using data to solve complex problems, and driving meaningful operational improvements, this is the kind of role where you can make an impact.

What Makes This Opportunity Stand Out

This isn't simply a production management position.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Lead operations across multiple manufacturing value streams
• Influence the performance of an operation with approximately 180 production employees
• Directly lead and mentor 3 Value Stream Managers
• Build succession plans and develop the organization's future leadership pipeline
• Drive Lean manufacturing, Kaizen, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Own and influence critical performance metrics across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people
• Work cross-functionally with Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, Maintenance, HR, Customer Service, and Safety
• Use real operational data to identify opportunities and solve complex manufacturing problems

What You'll Be Responsible For

🏭 Lead Daily Manufacturing Operations

You'll provide leadership across multiple value streams while ensuring operational goals are achieved without compromising safety, customer service, quality, or delivery.

You'll be responsible for helping the operation perform at a high level while identifying opportunities to improve:

• Productivity
• Efficiency
• Throughput
• Quality
• Delivery
• Cost
• Safety
• Customer satisfaction

👥 Build & Develop High-Performing Teams

A major part of this role is people leadership.

You'll lead and mentor Value Stream Managers while helping establish a strong culture of accountability, engagement, development, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities include:

• Coaching and mentoring manufacturing leaders
• Building succession plans
• Developing leadership pipelines
• Managing performance and accountability
• Coaching underperforming leaders and employees
• Identifying development opportunities
• Supporting career growth
• Building high-performing teams
• Helping drive positive culture change throughout the operation

We're looking for someone who doesn't just manage production numbers. You should know how to develop the people responsible for achieving those numbers.

📈 Drive Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

You'll be expected to look at operations critically and continually ask:

How can we make this better?

You'll help implement and lead:

• Lean manufacturing initiatives
• Kaizen activities
• Continuous improvement programs
• Operational excellence strategies

You’ll use operational metrics and data analysis to uncover opportunities, identify root issues, solve complex problems, and improve overall site performance.

🤝 Partner Across the Business

Manufacturing performance doesn't happen in a silo.

You’ll collaborate closely with:

• Quality
• Engineering
• Supply Chain
• Maintenance
• Human Resources
• Customer Service
• Safety

You’ll need the communication skills and business judgment to influence across functions, align teams around operational priorities, and drive solutions in a complex manufacturing environment.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of manufacturing operations leadership experience
• Bachelor's degree required
• Experience managing large manufacturing teams through multiple layers of leadership
• Proven experience developing leaders and building succession plans and talent pipelines
• Strong performance management experience, including coaching underperforming leaders and employees
• Experience within aerospace, semiconductor, or another complex manufacturing environment
• Strong people leadership and talent development capabilities
• Strong critical thinking and complex problem-solving skills
• Data-driven approach to operational decision-making
• Ability to lead in ambiguous and fast-paced environments
• Strong communication and cross-functional influencing skills
• Ability to drive culture change and build high-performing teams
• Lean Manufacturing / Continuous Improvement mindset

🌟 Highly Desired Experience

Candidates will stand out with:

• MBA
• Experience supporting Boeing, Airbus, military, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments
• Lean Six Sigma certification or significant hands-on Lean leadership experience
• Experience owning performance across quality, delivery, cost, safety, and people metrics

🧠 The Leader Who Will Thrive Here

The right person isn't going to be someone who wants to sit behind a desk and simply review production reports.

We're looking for a leader who can see the big picture while still understanding what is happening on the manufacturing floor.

You’ll likely thrive in this environment if you:

• Hold leaders accountable while actively developing them
• Know how to manage through other managers
• Can confidently address performance issues
• Use data rather than assumptions to make decisions
• Enjoy solving complicated operational problems
• Can move between strategic planning and daily execution
• Know how to influence teams outside your direct reporting structure
• Remain composed when priorities shift
• Believe that operational excellence comes from both strong processes and strong people

Schedule & Work Environment

This is a demanding manufacturing leadership position, so expectations around hours are important to understand upfront.

Typical operating window is approximately 5:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Expect approximately 50 - 60 hours per week

Most leaders work Monday through Thursday, often structured around four approximately 12-hour days

Occasional Friday support may be required

After-hours and weekend escalations are limited compared with some manufacturing environments

Leadership scope includes 3 Value Stream Managers and approximately 180 production employees

🚀 Why This Role?

This is an opportunity for an experienced manufacturing leader who is ready to own more than day-to-day output.

You're stepping into a role where you'll be expected to develop leaders, strengthen accountability, improve processes, drive operational performance, and influence the culture of a sizable manufacturing organization.

If you've built your career leading complex manufacturing operations and you're ready for an opportunity where people leadership and operational excellence carry equal weight, we want to hear from you.

Ready to lead from the front and build an operation that performs? Apply today.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Mcminnville, OR.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $105700.00 - $180000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Comprehensive health coverage, including medical, dental, and vision Retirement savings plans with company participation Paid time off and paid holidays Parental leave and family-friendly benefits Flexible work arrangements aligned to role and customer needs Professional development and training within a global aerospace organization

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Mcminnville, OR.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 16, 2026.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email astoncarteraccommodation@astoncarter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.