Operations Manager

Harlan Global Manufacturing

Location: Kansas City, KS

Employment Type: Full-Time

Harlan Global Manufacturing is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to provide leadership and overall direction for our manufacturing operations.

The Operations Manager is responsible for ensuring the manufacturing operation runs effectively and consistently delivers results. This role provides strong floor leadership, sets clear expectations, holds teams accountable, removes operational barriers, and creates an environment where employees are motivated, engaged, and focused on achieving production goals.

The Operations Manager will ensure that production teams effectively execute the established production plan while meeting expectations for safety, quality, productivity, cost, and on-time delivery.

This position will work closely with Production Planning, Engineering, Quality, Purchasing, R&D, and Inventory to ensure manufacturing objectives and customer requirements are achieved.

• Provide overall leadership, direction, and accountability for daily manufacturing operations.
• Ensure the production floor runs efficiently and consistently meets established production goals.
• Lead, motivate, coach, and develop production supervisors, team leaders, and manufacturing employees.
• Maintain a strong presence on the production floor and actively engage with teams to drive performance and results.
• Create a positive and accountable work environment where employees understand expectations and are motivated to perform at a high level.
• Ensure production teams execute the established production schedule and priorities.
• Monitor daily production performance and take action when output is behind plan.
• Identify and remove operational barriers, bottlenecks, and inefficiencies that impact production.
• Lead daily production meetings and ensure clear communication of priorities, performance, challenges, and corrective actions.
• Ensure production objectives are achieved in safety, quality, productivity, cost, and delivery.
• Allocate labor, equipment, and other manufacturing resources effectively according to production requirements.
• Partner closely with Production Planning to align resources and production execution with the established schedule and priorities.
• Coordinate with Purchasing and Inventory to address material shortages or availability issues impacting production.
• Work closely with Engineering and Quality to resolve manufacturing, technical, and quality issues.
• Drive accountability for production output, quality, efficiency, attendance, and overall workforce performance.
• Monitor key operational KPIs and implement corrective actions when performance does not meet expectations.
• Develop and implement manufacturing improvements to increase productivity, improve workflow, reduce waste, minimize downtime, and control operating costs.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing, 5S, root-cause analysis, and other problem-solving methodologies.
• Support preventive maintenance initiatives to maximize equipment availability and minimize production interruptions.
• Support the successful launch and implementation of new products, programs, and manufacturing processes.
• Participate in workforce planning, hiring, training, employee development, and performance management.
• Develop future leaders within the production organization through coaching, training, and clear accountability.
• Build a flexible manufacturing organization capable of responding effectively to changing production demands and business priorities.
• Support operating budgets and responsible management of manufacturing expenses.
• Provide management with clear updates regarding operational performance, production risks, resource needs, and improvement opportunities.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business, Supply Chain, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Minimum 3 years of leadership or people-management experience, preferably within manufacturing or production operations.
• Previous experience as an Operations Manager, Production Manager, Manufacturing Manager, Plant Manager, or similar manufacturing leadership position preferred.
• Experience in heavy equipment, industrial machinery, specialty vehicles, automotive, agricultural equipment, ground support equipment, or similar manufacturing environments strongly preferred.
• Proven experience leading supervisors, team leaders, and production employees.
• Demonstrated ability to improve production performance and develop high-performing teams.
• Experience working with ERP/MRP systems; Odoo experience is a plus.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, 5S, root-cause analysis, or similar manufacturing improvement methodologies preferred.

• Strong leadership and people-management skills with the ability to motivate, develop, and hold teams accountable.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing operations and production environments.
• Hands-on leadership style with a strong presence on the production floor.
• Ability to translate production goals and priorities into effective execution by the manufacturing team.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to quickly identify production issues and implement effective corrective actions.
• Results-oriented mindset with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Strong communication skills and ability to effectively interact with employees at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with Planning, Engineering, Quality, Purchasing, Inventory, Maintenance, and management.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve measurable improvements in safety, quality, productivity, cost, and delivery.
• Ability to build an engaged, disciplined, and high-performing production team.

Candidates with experience in heavy equipment, industrial machinery, specialty vehicles, automotive, agricultural equipment, ground support equipment, or other complex equipment manufacturing environments are strongly preferred.

Experience managing manufacturing operations involving multiple production and assembly processes is highly desirable.

Success in this role means the manufacturing operation is running effectively, employees know what is expected of them, production teams are engaged and accountable, operational problems are addressed quickly, and the established production plan is consistently converted into measurable results and on-time delivery.

The Operations Manager will be expected to lead from the floor, develop and motivate the team, drive accountability, and ensure Harlan’s manufacturing operation consistently delivers results.