Operations Manager

Basic Qualifications:

• HS Degree or GED and a minimum of 7 years in manufacturing with 5 years in leadership OR 3 years in leadership with minimum 1 year of Howmet leadership experience as a leader of other leaders in operations in a castings plant.
• Must be willing to relocate to other company locations to support future career development opportunities and business requirements.
• Employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
• This position entails access to export-controlled items and employment offers are conditioned upon an applicant's ability to lawfully obtain access to such items.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree is preferred.
• Experience in the investment casting industry a plus.
• Strong leadership skills that create an engaged employee environment.
• Able to drive improvement through the implementation of the lean manufacturing principles, total quality practices, six sigma.
• A strong technical understanding of manufacturing processes.
• Strong analytical, problem solving, communication, interpersonal, organizational and negotiation skills.
• Strong financial literacy
• Experience with tooling, molds and dies relating to the Investment Casting, Injection Molding, or Stamping Industries is preferred.

Howmet Engine Products, a division Howmet Aerospace, seeks a motivated and experienced leader to join our team! The Manufacturing Manager, located in Whitehall, MI, will provide day to day leadership and direction to manufacturing shop floor teams while promoting manufacturing excellence and ensuring customer satisfaction. The Manufacturing Manager will also provide leadership in continuous improvement of plant performance measurements (quality, productivity, cycle time, delivery and cash flow).

This role will be located at our Whitehall Casting Plant 1/3

Primary Responsibilities

• Follow Safety Regulations along with all department specific safety requirements.
• OEE
• Production Value Added by department.
• Daily targets for shipments
• Profit/Revenue
• Ensure the safety of all employees by promoting a clean and safe work environment.
• Improve manufacturing planning, execution, and shop floor discipline.
• Provide leadership for Plant ABS and lean manufacturing initiatives.
• Provide leadership to identify and remove non-value-added waste.
• Improve product flow and/or implement method improvements to reduce labor content.
• Develop and train for the professional and personal growth of team leaders, cell facilitators, supervisors, and other manufacturing support personnel.
• Address any safety issues or non-compliances immediately.
• Promote Injury Free Event (IFE) reporting.
• Accountable for applicable department budgets.
• Maintain good relations and communication with Howmet customers.
• Develop with plant manager and staff budget, strategic plans, team goals and objectives that align with BU objectives.
• Flow down goals and objectives to the entire organization.
• Contribute to other location specific and corporate teams.
• Maintain excellent delivery performance.
• Conduct capacity analysis to drive standard work and ensure accuracy of standards.
• Drive cost reductions to improve profitability.
• Use lean manufacturing tools to reduce WIP and cycle time.
• Communicate all relevant information to Staff, customers, and management.
• Understand constraint management, OEE and apply techniques that exploit constraints to improve OEE.
• Provide leadership in implementing continuous improvement methods and ideas.
• Consults with engineering personnel relative to modifications to the process to improve production and quality of the products.
• Provide leadership in a safety and continuous improvement initiatives.

Job Roles

• Empowering talent--identifies and removes obstacles to productivity at individual and systemic levels; inspires and equips people to perform; understands direct link between people and measurable performance; provides cross-training opportunities.
• Flexibility--responds readily to a variety of stimuli in an environment where every day can be different; capable of multitasking and moving quickly from one topic to another; employs different mindsets or perspectives situationally.
• Organized and time conscious--manages time well; does what is needed efficiently; understands how long processes require and manages expectations; accordingly, navigates the tension between availability and proactivity.
• Business-minded--aligns people and resources to demand; forecasts need and synthesizes input to anticipate focus areas on a time and project basis; thorough understanding of business enables quick decisions where appropriate.
• Interpretation and synthesis--makes sense of multiple inputs quickly and efficiently; generates action plans from available information; interprets data and qualitative information to provide justification and purpose; rationalizes decision making with substantive reasoning; understands relevant numbers and trends.
• Rigor--participates in audit processes; utilizes existing systems extensively and expertly; solicits information from shift level to enterprise; creates processes through continuous improvement.
• Team orientation--often involved at a tactical level; can contribute technically or operationally if needed, though not as first option; retains authority while delegating ownership.
• Trust and relationship--communicates openly and regularly, maintaining information flow; visible on floor; focuses attention on strengths and achievements, while addressing shortcomings as needed.
• Ingenuity--finds efficiencies and gains time closer to delivery; solicits and implements ideas; invites improvement from any sector or level.
• Professional posture--handles escalations objectively and dispassionately; recasts difficult situations as opportunities for learning and growth; custodian of plant environment and brand.

This posting is intended to establish a pipeline of qualified talent for anticipated future business needs. Applicants may be considered for current or future opportunities as business needs evolve.