Job Description

Job Location: Anatometal - Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Salary Range: $120,000.00 - $130,000.00 Salary/yearAt Anatometal, we don't just manufacture body jewelry—we set the industry standard for quality, innovation, and craftsmanship. For over 30 years, our team has been dedicated to creating world-class products while fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and excellence. If you're passionate about precision, take pride in your work, and want to be part of a company that values its people as much as its products, we'd love to hear from you.
The Operations Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, performance, and execution of production operations and activities. This role drives manufacturing excellence by ensuring a safe and efficient work environment, supporting quality improvements, delivering exceptional customer service, and developing a highly capable workforce.
The Operations Manager leads continuous improvement initiatives focused on reducing operating costs, inventory levels, and lead times while improving productivity and operational efficiency. This position provides daily leadership and oversight of production activities to achieve departmental and organizational objectives across safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance metrics.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Leadership & Team Management
•    Lead and manage all aspects of production personnel, including hiring, onboarding, training, staffing, and employee development.
•    Maintain strong shop floor visibility through hands-on leadership and daily engagement with production teams.
•    Conduct daily review of QxQ boards and production performance metrics.
•    Coach, mentor, and develop employees to strengthen technical capability and team performance.
•    Monitor employee performance and initiate corrective or developmental actions as needed.
•    Conduct timely and constructive performance evaluations.
•    Administer employee discipline and termination processes in accordance with company policy.
•    Assess and develop individual and team skills to support operational excellence and succession planning.
Operations & Continuous Improvement
•    Evaluate manufacturing, production, and operational processes to identify inefficiencies and improvement opportunities.
•    Contribute to long-term manufacturing strategies utilizing Continuous Improvement and Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) methodologies.
•    Design and implement workflow improvements to increase productivity and reduce operational costs.
•    Develop and maintain standardized work instructions and manufacturing routings.
•    Support implementation and optimization of routers and production workflows within NetSuite and future ERP enhancements.
•    Analyze production data and manufacturing performance to drive operational decisions.
•    Support technical problem-solving and collaborate closely with production teams on the shop floor.
Production Planning & Equipment Management
•    Plan and execute production schedules to ensure on-time delivery and alignment with lead time expectations.
•    Coordinate preventative maintenance (PM) activities using internal and external resources to minimize downtime and sustain equipment performance.
•    Monitor production capacity, labor utilization, and operational efficiency.
•    Ensure production activities align with quality standards and customer requirements.
Safety & Compliance
•    Identify workplace safety risks and take proactive measures to mitigate or eliminate hazards.
•    Promote and maintain a culture of safety, accountability, and operational discipline.
•    Support compliance with Quality Management Systems, including ISO 9001 standards and procedures.
Additional Responsibilities
•    Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
•    Support cross-functional initiatives and operational improvement projects.

Qualifications & Education
•    Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Operations, or related technical discipline preferred.
•    Minimum of 10 years of manufacturing experience with progressive leadership responsibilities and demonstrated accomplishments preferred.
•    Strong knowledge of manufacturing operations, inventory control, and strategic planning.
•    Experience conducting manufacturing time studies and process analysis.
•    Knowledge and understanding of MRP/ERP systems operations, preferably NetSuite.
•    Familiarity with Quality Management Systems such as ISO 9001.
•    Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Required Skills & Competencies
•    Strong leadership, coaching, and supervisory skills.
•    Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities.
•    Ability to work effectively under pressure and adapt to changing priorities.
•    Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
•    Excellent written, verbal, and active listening communication skills.
•    Ability to evaluate and improve process flows and operational efficiencies.
•    Strong collaboration skills with the ability to support work directly on the production floor.
•    Strong computer and systems aptitude with the ability to learn new software and technologies quickly.
Physical Requirements
•    Must be able to safely access and navigate production and operational areas.
•    Ability to occasionally lift up to 15 pounds.