Operations Manager

Description

Company Summary

Managed through the Riverbend Industries portfolio, American Wheatley is a leading manufacturer of ASME stock and custom hydronic and pressure tanks. American Wheatley is also a distributor of related valves and other components used across a wide array of industrial applications. American Wheatley leverages more than forty years of experience, a robust assortment of specialty HVAC hydronic systems and technology, and a commitment to speedy, quality work to ensure clients receive the right product for their jobs.

Riverbend Industries (RBI) is a private family-owned portfolio holding company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The portfolio is primarily comprised of several small, independently operated, previously family-run businesses in the light manufacturing and distribution sectors. The portfolio is a long-term holder of its investments/assets and plans to grow both organically and through acquisitions into the foreseeable future.

Position Overview

Under the direction of the President & General Manager, the Operations Manager provides strategic and tactical leadership for the company’s manufacturing/fabrication, warehousing, safety, supply chain, and maintenance activities across two facilities in Oklahoma. With a continuous improvement mindset, this person identifies opportunities for operational advancement, develops and implements solutions, and develops the talent within their team. 

As a key member of the leadership team, the Operations Manager excels in communicating and collaborating with the Company’s Finance/Accounting, Sales/Customer Service, Quality, and Human Resources teams while partnering with Riverbend’s other operational leaders to find opportunities for standardization of processes, organic synergies, and the sharing of best practices.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead by example with a Safety First mindset in every task
• With the leadership team, participate in the formulation and execution of the Company’s rolling Five Year Strategic Plan while focusing on developing and maintaining a best-in-class operations function focused on helping the organization to meet or exceed its short- and long-term goals
• Partner with other functional leaders in the Company to ensure an effective, efficient, customer-centric organization where collaboration and transparency are keys to success
• Set and execute on daily processes, an annual functional budget, and a long-term strategic plan which includes capital expenditures, inventory management, direct & indirect labor scheduling and costs, raw material & consumables purchases, implementation of new manufacturing/fabrication methods to optimize performance, deployment of new tools and technology, development of talent, et al. 
• Develop and manage team and individual goals & objectives (G&O) and functional key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure operational alignment with the Company’s immediate needs and strategic plan, to provide the team and individual clarity on roles and expectations, and to promote a results-focused culture 
• Build and maintain an operations organizational structure where the right roles are filled by the right talent doing the right tasks the right way to ensure a high performing team in all aspects
• Create and sustain a best-in-class safety program and culture where each employee understands their roles and responsibilities in maintaining a safe, healthy work environment through behavioral, environmental, and tools/resources lenses
• Design and implement a capital preservation plan which includes the introduction of new more efficient, safer manufacturing/fabrication technology as appropriate and the effecting of a preventive maintenance program for existing assets 
• Seek opportunities for improved efficiency and streamlined processes which align with business objectives, regulatory expectations, and industry practices to include all processes, cost, labor, and machine utilization in the interest of waste and unnecessary cost avoidance
• Ensure compliance with company process standards, procedures, and policies to include PPE use, proper part handling, sound equipment set-up, daily equipment preventive maintenance, and 5S.
• With input from Sales/Customer Service, designs and implement plans for the effective use of material and labor resources to achieve medium- and long-term manufacturing targets while creating production schedules which allocate resources effectively and fully utilize assets to produce optimal results on daily deliverables
• Liaise with the Quality Assurance to ensure product quality and specifications are consistent with customer needs, industry standards, and safety requirements
• Manage inventory levels and lead times from vendors to include all manufacturing and shipping supplies while overseeing the procurement of raw materials and equipment required for manufacturing
• Other duties and responsibility as assigned

Requirements

Educational & Experience 

Minimum

• College degree in Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or equivalent
• Minimum of 8 years relevant experience in managing operations and production scheduling in a small light fabrication/manufacturing setting

Preferred

• 10 years related experience in managing manufacturing operations and production & personnel scheduling
• Prior experience with material handling and inventory control in a manufacturing environment

Skills & Characteristics

• Knowledge of business and management principles (budgeting, strategic planning, resource allocation and human resources)
• Knowledge of safety, quality, productivity, demand creation, inventory, and stewardship processes
• Able to adjust quickly and react to unexpected conditions
• Provides innovative thought process and critical thinking skills
• Experience in communicating optimization efforts with production team
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with proven negotiation skills
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
• Thorough understanding of materials and supplies used in the company
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software
• Excellent representative of the company and its Core Values

Competencies (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities) 

• Dependability - Extent to which employee demonstrates a positive attitude and promotes cooperation with supervisors, peers, and others.
• Work Attitude and Stewardship - Extent to which employee demonstrates a positive attitude and promotes cooperation with supervisors, peers and others. They also focus on utilizing company resources as good stewards.
• Job Knowledge - Understand duties, responsibilities and has ability to use materials as needs with the level of proficiency required to accomplish the work. 
• Initiative - Ability to be self-directed, efficient, creative, and resourceful. Assumes extra work and adapts quickly to new responsibilities.
• Quantity and Quality of Work - Amount of work completed in the work week with accuracy and care for customer. 
• Problem Solving/Decision Making - Extent to which the employee can assess a problem and offer solutions for resolution.

Work Environment/Physical Demands

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when required
• Willing to work in a manufacturing environment with dust, fumes, oils and where noise levels can be high.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.