Operations Manager​/Generla Manager; Manufacturing

OPERATIONS MANAGER / FUTURE GENERAL MANAGER

Edmonton Area, Alberta | Full-Time | Permanent

IN DEMAND Recruitment & Consulting Inc. is currently assisting our client, a growing custom manufacturing organization
, in the search for an experienced Operations Manager with the leadership capability and ambition to develop into the company’s future General Manager
.

This is a unique opportunity for a hands‑on, commercially minded manufacturing leader who understands the realities of the shop floor but can also think strategically about people, systems, capacity, technology, profitability and growth.

The organization operates in a high‑mix, custom metal fabrication / engineered‑to‑order manufacturing environment and is entering an important stage of growth, professionalization and operational development.

This is not simply an opportunity to manage today’s operation. The successful individual will be expected to help build the organization required for tomorrow
.

Initially, the Operations Manager will take ownership of day‑to‑day manufacturing performance, including production, scheduling, workflow, labour, quality, safety, capacity and continuous improvement
.

A key part of the mandate will be strengthening the systems and operating disciplines that support the business—improving production visibility, developing people, increasing capacity, removing bottlenecks and creating more consistent and repeatable processes.

You will work closely with ownership, Engineering/Design, Finance and the production team to ensure the entire manufacturing process operates as an integrated system rather than a collection of individual departments.

As the business continues to grow, the successful individual will progressively assume broader responsibility for financial performance, capital investment, technology, customers, organizational development and P&L, with a genuine succession path toward General Manager
.

• Lead daily manufacturing operations, production scheduling and shop‑floor execution.
• Improve throughput, productivity, quality, on‑time delivery, labour efficiency and capacity utilization
  .
• Identify bottlenecks and implement practical Lean and continuous‑improvement initiatives that improve flow, eliminate waste and standardize processes.
• Establish and strengthen manufacturing KPIs, production data and operating disciplines to improve visibility, accountability and decision‑making.
• Lead, coach and develop production supervisors, skilled trades and manufacturing employees
  .
• Build leadership capability within the organization rather than becoming the person who must personally solve every operational problem.
• Strengthen the utilization of ERP/MRP systems and improve production planning, scheduling and data accuracy.
• Partner closely with Engineering/Design to improve manufacturability, workflow, standardization and the transition from design to production.
• Understand and improve the interaction between sales, design, materials, labour, equipment, scheduling, production and customer delivery
  .
• Lead capacity planning and support plant‑layout optimization, equipment investments and future facility expansion
  .
• Evaluate and implement practical opportunities involving CNC, CAD/CAM integration, robotics, cobots, machine vision, automation and emerging manufacturing technologies
  .
• Assess capital investments based on operational requirements, productivity gains and expected financial returns.
• Maintain strong standards for safety, quality, accountability and operational excellence
  .
• Use data and root‑cause analysis to solve recurring problems rather than repeatedly treating symptoms.
• Partner with Finance on job costing, budgets, labour and material costs, margins, productivity, working capital, capital planning and financial performance
  .
• Understand how production decisions affect customer service, lead times, quality, flexibility, profitability and long‑term customer relationships
  .
• Help professionalize the organization while preserving the entrepreneurial strengths, customer responsiveness and practical culture that have contributed to its success.
• Progressively assume broader commercial, strategic and P&L responsibility as…