Department Operations Manager Lead. Improve. Solve. Build Something Better. Are you the kind of leader who sees a production problem and wants to fix it—not just work around it? Manthei Wood Products in Petoskey, Michigan is looking for a Department Operations Manager to lead the day-to-day operations of our Rotary Department and help take our manufacturing performance to the next level. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who enjoys being on the production floor, working with people, digging into data, solving problems, and finding better ways to get the job done. If you have a strong background in manufacturing operations, Lean principles, continuous improvement, and team leadership , this could be your next opportunity. What You'll Do Lead the Team Lead and develop a cross-functional team of production supervisors and operators. Provide clear direction, coaching, and accountability to achieve department goals. Build a culture centered on safety, teamwork, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement . Develop employees and help future leaders grow. Make Manufacturing Better Lead the implementation of Lean Manufacturing principles throughout the department. Identify and eliminate waste, bottlenecks, downtime, and inefficiencies. Lead continuous improvement activities such as 5S, Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, and root-cause problem solving . Use data and production metrics to identify opportunities and measure results. Turn problems into solutions—and improvements into standard work. Drive Production Performance Develop production plans and schedules that meet customer demand while making the best use of people, equipment, and materials. Monitor KPIs and production performance to ensure department goals are achieved. Develop strategies to reduce downtime, increase throughput, and improve productivity. Partner with other departments to keep production moving and customers supplied. Champion Quality Partner with Quality to maintain high standards throughout the manufacturing process. Identify trends and implement processes that prevent defects and non-conformances. Lead root-cause investigations and corrective actions when quality issues occur. Work directly with Sales and other teams to address customer quality concerns and develop solutions. Keep Materials and Customers Moving Partner with Supply Chain and other departments to ensure raw materials and components are available when needed. Help optimize inventory levels while preventing production interruptions. Establish processes that support on-time delivery and customer satisfaction . Put Safety First Lead by example in creating a safe, clean, and organized production environment. Ensure department practices comply with applicable health, safety, and environmental requirements. Identify workplace hazards and implement corrective measures. Reinforce safe work practices and employee accountability every day. Improve the Bottom Line Manage department resources with a focus on productivity and cost control. Identify opportunities to reduce waste, improve efficiency, and lower operating costs. Use data to understand performance and make sound operational decisions. Help connect day-to-day operational improvements to overall business profitability. What We're Looking For You'll be a strong fit if you have: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing, or a related field . Proven leadership experience in a manufacturing environment . Experience leading production teams and driving operational performance. Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies . A track record of solving complex problems using data, root-cause analysis, and disciplined problem-solving . Experience with manufacturing KPIs, production planning, scheduling, quality, and cost control. Strong leadership skills with the ability to coach, motivate, and hold people accountable. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Knowledge of workplace safety and environmental requirements. Experience in plywood, veneer, wood products, or a similar manufacturing environment is a plus. The Person We're Looking For You don't have to know every answer on Day One. You do need to be someone who: Enjoys solving problems. Leads from the floor—not just from an office. Uses facts and data to make decisions. Can have difficult conversations while still earning people's respect. Gets people working toward the same goal. Looks for a better way instead of accepting "that's how we've always done it." Takes ownership when things don't go as planned. Believes safety, quality, productivity, and people development all matter. Ready to Make an Impact? If you're an operations leader who wants the opportunity to lead people, improve processes, solve meaningful manufacturing challenges, and directly influence department performance , we'd like to hear from you. Apply today and tell us what you can help us improve. Check us out at www.mantheiwoodproducts.com