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Position Details & Responsibilities

A well-established equipment manufacturer in South-Central Pennsylvania is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead manufacturing operations for a custom, heavy-fabrication facility. This individual will oversee machining, welding, fabrication, assembly, and painting operations while leading a substantial hourly workforce responsible for producing engineered equipment.

The ideal candidate will bring a strong background in heavy/custom metal fabrication, proven experience leading manufacturing teams, and the ability to independently manage a complex production operation. This role requires a hands-on leader who can develop employees, improve processes, and partner closely with Engineering and senior leadership to meet customer commitments.

For more information on this position, please contact Amy Bighorse at Herk & Associates:

AmyB@herkandassociates.com 

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations across machining, welding, fabrication, assembly, and painting.
• Direct and develop hourly production employees and team leaders.
• Maintain a strong safety-first culture, including enforcing safety procedures and conducting regular safety meetings.
• Recruit, develop, and retain a skilled and dependable manufacturing workforce.
• Review production schedules, engineering drawings, job requirements, and work backlogs to establish daily priorities.
• Ensure production meets established schedules, quality standards, customer requirements, and cost expectations.
• Track job progress and communicate production status, delays, and resource needs to leadership.
• Partner closely with Engineering, Sales, and senior management to coordinate production of custom and engineered-to-order equipment.
• Monitor key manufacturing metrics and implement improvements to productivity, efficiency, quality, and workflow.
• Develop team leaders and provide coaching, performance feedback, and employee evaluations.
• Identify opportunities to improve manufacturing processes through automation, robotics, CNC, plasma cutting, and other production technologies.
• Maintain accountability for the quantity and quality of work completed throughout the shop.
• Support project management, equipment installation, and other operational initiatives as needed.
• Maintain a safe, clean, and organized manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of relevant manufacturing leadership experience required; 7–10 years preferred.
• Strong background in heavy fabrication, custom metal fabrication, or engineered equipment manufacturing strongly preferred.
• Proven experience managing a substantial shop workforce and developing frontline leaders.
• Strong knowledge of welding, fabrication, machining, assembly, and related manufacturing processes.
• Experience with custom, engineered-to-order, capital equipment, or complex manufacturing environments highly desirable.
• Familiarity with CNC equipment, robotics, automation, plasma cutting, and modern manufacturing technology.
• Experience partnering closely with Engineering in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong employee development, retention, and performance-management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively across departments.
• Strong organizational, planning, problem-solving, and production-management skills.
• Project management, engineered systems, or plant installation experience is a plus.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and relevant manufacturing software.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Industrial Engineering, or a related field required.
• Ability to travel occasionally to other company, supplier, or customer locations.