Title: Operations Manager
Location: Newark, NJ
Experience level: 7+ years in manufacturing or wholesale distribution
Compensation: $90K-$110K
Summary
The Operations & Commercial General Manager serves as a strategic and hands-on executive leader driving operational excellence, commercial growth, and innovation across a dynamic enterprise comprising manufacturing (approximately 70%), wholesale distribution (approximately 30%), and product development. This executive oversees end-to-end plant operations, warehousing, supply chain logistics, vendor management, and enterprise technology implementations (ERP/WMS/CRM), while partnering closely with Product R&D and commercial teams to accelerate new product introductions (NPI), optimize brand P&L, expand market share, and lead high-performing teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Operational Leadership & Logistics: Direct all manufacturing facilities, warehouse operations, distribution centers, inventory management, shipping/receiving, logistics, and labor planning to achieve peak efficiency and customer fulfillment.
- Product R&D & Commercialization: Partner closely with Product R&D, Engineering, and Quality on design-for-manufacturing (DFM), prototype transitions, BOM accuracy, commercialization timelines, and continuous product improvement.
- Commercial Strategy & Market Expansion: Develop and execute growth strategies that align operational capability with customer demand, optimizing brand-level P&L, pricing strategies, and sales channels that yield maximum ROI.
- Vendor & Contract Management: Oversee strategic procurement and vendor negotiations, establishing favorable contract terms, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and service-level agreements to optimize performance and reduce unit costs.
- Marketing & Promotional Logistics: Lead promotional, advertising, and marketing operational logistics, including SOP development, scheduling, digital campaign coordination, and event execution to strengthen brand visibility.
- Digital Transformation & Technology Integration: Champion organizational change management through technology, guiding ERP implementation, WMS integration, CRM adoption, and data readiness.
- Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence: Instill a culture of Lean, Six Sigma, 5S, and Kaizen methodologies to elevate safety standards, manufacturing yields, inventory accuracy, and overall throughput.
- Customer Relationship Management: Cultivate deep customer and channel relationships, transforming data-driven market feedback into actionable operational and service enhancements.
- Team Development & Mentorship: Lead, mentor, and build high-performing management, technical, sales, and frontline teams across both plant and corporate operations.
Required Qualifications
- 7+ years of progressive executive operations leadership encompassing manufacturing and wholesale distribution; experience in automotive aftermarket, tools, equipment, or related technical distribution environments is highly valued.
- Demonstrated success leading cross-functional integration between Operations, Product R&D, Engineering, and Commercial/Sales teams during New Product Introduction (NPI) cycles.
- Proven track record in vendor negotiation, contract development, margin optimization, and brand P&L management.
- Direct hands-on experience supporting large-scale enterprise systems integration, including ERP, WMS, and CRM platforms.
- Advanced expertise in Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma continuous improvement, quality systems, and supply chain analytics.
- Exceptional executive decision-making, stakeholder communication, change leadership, and talent development capabilities.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain, Business.
- Industry certifications such as Six Sigma Green/Black Belt, Lean Manufacturing, APICS (CPIM/CSCP), or OSHA safety credentials.
Core Competencies
Director Leadership & Strategic Decision-MakingEnd-to-End Supply Chain & Plant OperationsProduct Commercialization & DFM AlignmentVendor Negotiation & Contract StructuringP&L, Pricing & Margin OptimizationERP/WMS/CRM Transformation & Data AnalyticsLean/Kaizen & Continuous Process ImprovementCustomer Cultivation & Channel Growth
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Overall production throughput and manufacturing yield
- New product launch readiness, time-to-market, and DFM cost reduction
- On-time delivery (OTD) and fulfillment accuracy
- Inventory control accuracy and working capital optimization
- Channel profitability, brand P&L performance, and margin expansion
- Total labor productivity, operational efficiency, and ROI per sales channel
- Facility safety performance and regulatory compliance
Reporting & Organizational Structure
Direct Reports: Plant & Warehouse Supervisors, Inventory Control Manager, Shipping/Receiving Line Manager, Product R&D Manager, Logistics/Transport Coordinators, and Commercial/Marketing Coordinators
Indirect Reports: Frontline production leads, warehouse associates, material handlers, forklift operators, and seasonal staff