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Contact Derek Milligan at dmilligan@saigepartners.com, you can also schedule an appointment at https://calendly.com/dmilligan-saigepartners/30min to learn more about this opportunity!

Production & Operations Manager

Houston, TX Area

Lead a High-Impact Manufacturing Operation

We are seeking an experienced Production & Operations Manager to lead the manufacturing operations of a precision machining and industrial products facility serving the energy, process automation, and industrial markets.

This is an exciting opportunity for a hands-on, strategic operations leader who enjoys building high-performing teams, improving manufacturing performance, and having a direct impact on the success of a plant. In this role, you will have broad responsibility across production, engineering, quality, maintenance, supply chain, EHS, and continuous improvement, with the opportunity to shape both the operation and its future direction.

The ideal candidate is a proven manufacturing leader who can balance people, performance, customers, and profitability while creating a culture where safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement are part of the everyday operation.

What You'll Do

Drive Plant Performance

• Provide overall leadership for daily manufacturing and plant operations, including machining, assembly, testing, quality, maintenance, and logistics.
• Establish and execute operating plans that support company strategy and customer commitments.
• Lead the organization toward strong performance in safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators and use data to identify opportunities and drive meaningful improvement.
• Ensure production schedules and customer commitments are consistently achieved.

Build a Strong Safety & Quality Culture

• Champion a proactive, employee-focused safety culture with a goal of zero incidents.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, environmental, EHS, quality, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Lead risk assessments, incident investigations, corrective actions, and preventative initiatives.
• Reinforce a culture where quality is built into the process and every employee understands their role in delivering exceptional products.

Own the Business Performance

• Take ownership of plant financial performance, operating budgets, and profitability.
• Identify and execute initiatives that improve productivity, reduce costs, and increase manufacturing efficiency.
• Develop capital investment strategies and lead capital projects from planning through implementation.
• Optimize labor, equipment, inventory, and other plant resources to maximize operational performance.

Develop People & Leaders

• Lead, develop, and engage a diverse workforce of salaried and hourly employees.
• Build a strong leadership team across operations, engineering, quality, and maintenance.
• Develop talent and succession plans that strengthen the organization for long-term success.
• Partner with Human Resources on recruiting, retention, performance management, and employee development.
• Create an environment where employees are empowered to identify problems, contribute ideas, and take ownership of results.

Champion Continuous Improvement

• Lead Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and operational excellence initiatives across the facility.
• Improve OEE, throughput, on-time delivery, labor efficiency, scrap, rework, and inventory turns.
• Establish a disciplined approach to root cause analysis, problem-solving, and corrective action.
• Identify opportunities for automation, digital manufacturing, and technology investments that improve safety, quality, and productivity.
• Create a culture of continuous improvement rather than relying on one-time initiatives.

Partner Across the Business

• Work closely with commercial, engineering, supply chain, product management, and corporate leadership teams.
• Support customer visits, audits, and strategic customer initiatives.
• Ensure the plant consistently delivers on customer expectations for quality, delivery, responsiveness, and overall service.
• Serve as a key operational leader in driving business growth and long-term manufacturing strategy.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, with increasing responsibility.
• 5+ years leading a manufacturing facility or significant business unit.
• Proven experience managing plant operations, financial performance, and operational KPIs.
• Experience in industrial manufacturing, precision machining, automation, flow control, energy, or engineered products is highly desirable.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Understanding of manufacturing quality systems, EHS requirements, and regulatory compliance.
• Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change and build high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to work effectively from the plant floor to executive leadership.

Preferred Experience

• MBA or advanced technical degree.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt, or equivalent certification.
• Experience leading multi-shift manufacturing operations.
• Background in precision machining, industrial automation, valves, instrumentation, or engineered products.
• Experience implementing automation, digital manufacturing, or other Industry 4.0 initiatives.

How Success Will Be Measured

Success in this role will be reflected through improvements in:

• Safety: TRIR, incident rates, and proactive safety performance
• Delivery: On-time delivery and schedule attainment
• Quality: Customer satisfaction, scrap, rework, and quality performance
• Productivity: Labor efficiency, throughput, and OEE
• Operations: Equipment uptime and inventory turns
• Financial Performance: Cost reduction, EBITDA, and plant profitability
• People: Employee engagement, retention, leadership development, and team performance

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This is an opportunity to make a visible impact on a significant manufacturing operation while leading a team through its next stage of growth and operational improvement. The successful leader will have the scope and influence to improve processes, develop people, invest in technology, strengthen customer relationships, and directly impact the plant's financial and operational results.

If you're a manufacturing leader who thrives on building great teams, solving complex operational challenges, and turning improvement opportunities into measurable results, we'd like to hear from you.

Saige Partners, one of the fastest growing technology and talent companies in the Midwest, believes in people with a passion to help them succeed. We are in the business of helping professionals Build Careers, Not Jobs. Saige Partners believes employees are the most valuable asset to building a thriving and successful company culture. Contact us to learn more about the opportunity below or check out other opportunities at https://careers.saigepartners.com/.