Operations Manager
Skywater is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead day-to-day plant operations across two highly automated plastic injection molding facilities. This role is responsible for driving production performance, engaging and developing teams, and ensuring safe, efficient, and data-driven manufacturing operations.
The Operations Manager is a visible, hands-on leader who will focus on plant execution and people leadership on the floor, build trust internally and externally, and partner cross-functionally to support quality, delivery, and continuous improvement.
Responsibilities
- Lead daily plant operations across molding, secondary ops, maintenance, scheduling, purchasing, shipping, quality, and continuous improvement
- Serve as the primary operational leader on the production floor
- Build strong relationships with hourly and salaried teams; maintaining a tough-but-fair leadership approach
- Drive production performance through effective scheduling, labor planning, and equipment utilization
- Champion ERP system usage (IQMS), ensuring accurate data, reporting, and decision-making
- Lead purchasing and scheduling to support production flow and inventory control
- Promote and sustain lean manufacturing and 5S practices across both facilities
- Partner with Quality leadership to support audits, customer concerns, and corrective actions
- Ensure production equipment, tooling, and facilities are maintained to meet current and future capacity
- Develop supervisors and managers; ensure leadership coverage and succession planning
- Maintain a strong safety culture and compliance with all policies and procedures
Desired Skills and Experience
- 10+ years of management experience, ideally within a plastic injection molding environment
- 7+ years of plastic injection molding experience
- Prior experience leading operations in a plastics or injection molding manufacturing environment
- ERP system experience required; IQMS strongly preferred
- Working knowledge of lean manufacturing and 5S principles
- Proven ability to engage, motivate, and lead production teams
- Comfortable operating in a hands-on, floor-based leadership role
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