Manufacturing Operations Manager

Indelco is unifying its Minneapolis manufacturing operations - thermoplastic fabrication, CNC machining, and kitting & assembly - under a single site operations leader. The Manufacturing Operations Manager owns day-to-day execution across all three functions: safety, quality, schedule, cost, and people. Each function is led day-to-day by a supervisor or working lead reporting to this role.
This is a build role, not a maintenance role. The site is commissioning a new process piping spool fabrication line and implementing an ASME B31.3-based bonder qualification and quality program. The right candidate is an operations builder who creates systems, develops frontline leaders, and scales a shop into a disciplined manufacturing operation that functions as a node in a national fabrication network rather than a standalone branch.
Scope of Responsibility

Full operational ownership of three production functions at the Minneapolis site: thermoplastic fabrication (fusion and solvent-cement joining), CNC machining, and kitting & assembly.
Leadership through a supervisor/lead layer, with direct accountability for site-level results.
Site P&L support: labor utilization, throughput, on-time delivery, scrap/rework, and inventory accuracy in partnership with the VP.
Commissioning and ramp-up of new spool fabrication capability, including equipment qualification, workflow design, and hiring.

Key Responsibilities
Safety and Facility

Own site safety culture and compliance; enforce the Indelco safety manual and lead incident prevention, investigation, and corrective action.
Maintain facility readiness across all three production areas, including equipment maintenance planning.

Production Operations

Own master scheduling and capacity planning across fabrication, machining, and assembly; balance load across functions and coordinate with other Indelco fabrication sites.
Drive on-time delivery, first-pass yield, and labor productivity to defined targets; report site performance on a standard cadence.
Establish and maintain standard work, routing accuracy, and shop-floor data discipline in the ERP (Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central).

Quality and Compliance

Co-own execution of the site quality program with the Quality Manager, including bonder qualification, continuity logging, and production joint records under an ASME B31.3-based framework.
Drive document control, process discipline, internal audit support, and corrective/preventive action closure across site operations.
Ensure material traceability practices (MTR/CoC intake, lot control) are followed on the floor.

People Leadership

Lead, develop, and hold accountable the supervisor/lead layer across all three functions; build bench strength and cross-training depth.
Own hiring, onboarding, and performance management for site production roles; plan workforce needs for capability ramp.
Manage knowledge transfer and continuity through workforce transitions, converting tribal knowledge into documented standard work.

Systems and Continuous Improvement

Drive adoption of production and inspection technology, including fusion equipment data logging, digital measurement systems, and CNC programming workflows.
Apply structured continuous improvement (lean fundamentals, 5S, root-cause problem solving) to reduce lead time and cost.
Partner with estimating and technical sales to align quoted labor standards with demonstrated shop performance.

Required Qualifications

7+ years of manufacturing operations experience, including 3+ years leading multiple functions or departments through a supervisor layer.
Demonstrated success building or scaling a production operation: new lines, new sites, significant capability expansions, or turnaround of shop-floor discipline.
Working knowledge of formal quality management systems, including document control, audit, and corrective action processes.
Proficiency with ERP-driven production management (scheduling, routings, labor reporting, inventory transactions).
Proven frontline leadership development: track record of building supervisors and leads, not just managing them.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with plastics fabrication, thermoplastic fusion joining, pipe spool fabrication, or code-governed piping work (ASME B31.3 or similar).
Experience in CNC machining environments and/or kitting, light assembly, or value-added distribution operations.
Familiarity with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central or comparable mid-market ERP.
Lean/Six Sigma training or certification.
Experience operating a site as part of a multi-site manufacturing network with centralized functions (estimating, scheduling, quality).

First-Year Success Measures

New spool fabrication line commissioned, staffed, and producing to plan.
Supervisor/lead structure in place and functioning across all three production areas, with documented knowledge transfer from transitioning personnel.
Workforce training and certification programming established and operational, with qualification and skills records maintained under the site quality program.
Site delivering to on-time delivery and productivity targets with standard weekly performance reporting.

Working Environment

Full-time, on-site manufacturing leadership role; daily shop-floor presence expected.
Occasional travel to other CRTG fabrication sites and supplier/customer locations (approximately 10%).