What are the responsibilities and job description for the Operations Manager position at BAZOOKA COMPANIES LLC?
Operations Manager – Ring Pop Factory
Reports to: Manufacturing Director
Location: Moosic, Pennsylvania (Ring Pop Production Facility)
Position Summary
The Operations Manager is responsible for leading all day-to-day manufacturing operations at Bazooka’s Ring Pop facility in Moosic, PA. This role oversees all production supervisors and frontline teams, ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality production execution.
Reporting to the Manufacturing Director, the Production Manager plays a critical role in driving operational performance, developing high-performing teams, and fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. This leader works closely with Quality Assurance to ensure all products meet food safety and quality standards while consistently achieving production targets.
Key Responsibilities
Operational Leadership
- Lead all daily production activities across manufacturing and packaging lines to ensure attainment of safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives.
- Drive efficient operations by leveraging production data to optimize labor, equipment utilization, and production scheduling.
- Monitor and improve key performance indicators (KPIs) including OEE, throughput, yield, and downtime, using data visualization tools to identify trends
- Ensure production plans are executed effectively to meet customer demand and business goals.
People Leadership
- Directly manage all production supervisors, providing clear expectations, coaching, and performance management.
- Build, engage, and inspire a high-performing production team focused on accountability, results, and long-term retention.
- Foster a positive and inclusive work environment that promotes teamwork, communication, and continuous learning.
- Support hiring, onboarding, training, and development of production staff.
- Effectively operate within a unionized environment, ensuring compliance with collective bargaining agreements while maintaining strong employee relations.
Quality & Food Safety
- Partner closely with Quality Assurance to ensure adherence to all food safety and quality standards, including GMP, HACCP, and regulatory requirements.
- Promote a “quality-first” mindset across all production teams.
- Support investigations, root cause analysis (RCA), and corrective/preventive actions (CAPA) related to quality issues.
- Ensure production processes consistently meet product specifications and customer expectations.
Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing and other operational excellence tools.
- Identify and eliminate waste, reduce variability, and improve process efficiency.
- Lead daily performance reviews and problem-solving activities on the production floor.
- Collaborate with Maintenance to minimize downtime and improve equipment reliability.
- Drive and Influence process transformation and change management through the production organization.
Safety & Compliance
- Champion a strong safety culture and ensure all production activities comply with OSHA and company safety standards.
- Lead by example in promoting safe behaviors and practices.
- Ensure compliance with all regulatory and company policies related to food production and workplace safety.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Maintenance, Quality, Supply Chain, and Engineering to ensure seamless operations.
- Support new product introductions and process changes by coordinating production readiness.
- Communicate effectively with leadership on performance, challenges, and improvement plans.
Qualifications
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, or related field preferred.
- 5–8 years of production leadership experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably in food, beverage, or CPG.
- Proven experience leading supervisors and managing large, hourly workforces.
- Experience in high-speed, automated production environments strongly preferred.
Technical Skills
- Strong understanding of production processes, scheduling, and KPI management.
- Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, and problem-solving methodologies.
- Experience driving and implementing a Management Operating System (Tier approach).
- Knowledge of food safety and quality standards (GMP, HACCP, FDA).
Leadership Competencies
- Strong leadership presence with the ability to motivate and inspire teams.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Results-oriented with strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-accountability manufacturing environment.