Lead Manufacturing Operations at a Company That's Been Building Quality Products Since 1935
About the Opportunity
H. Risch, Inc. is seeking a hands-on Operations Manager to lead a high-mix, low-volume custom manufacturing operation. Unlike repetitive production environments, our products are highly configurable and made to individual customer requirements.
Our catalog includes more than 30,000 possible product customizations, along with fully custom projects that may involve unique materials, processes, construction methods, and production routings. The successful candidate will translate a constantly changing order backlog into an executable production plan while balancing labor, materials, capacity, quality, and customer deadlines.
This is a highly visible leadership role for someone who enjoys being on the production floor, developing people, solving problems, and creating structure in an environment where the daily product mix and priorities can change quickly.3
What Makes This Role Different
This is not a repetitive production environment. Products, materials, quantities, construction methods, and departmental routings can change from order to order. The Operations Manager must be comfortable balancing structure with flexibility and establishing control without expecting every production day to look the same.
Key Responsibilities
- Translate the open-order backlog into executable daily and weekly production plans across Cutting, Printing, Sewing, Bindery/Assembly, Shipping, and related support functions.
- Prioritize customer orders based on promised ship dates, production requirements, material availability, labor capacity, and operational constraints.
- Conduct daily production meetings and clearly communicate priorities, schedule changes, bottlenecks, and recovery plans.
- Directly supervise, coach, and develop department leads and production supervisors while strengthening accountability throughout the operation.
- Monitor orders through the manufacturing process and adjust labor priorities in response to rush orders, shortages, equipment downtime, rework, absenteeism, and changing customer requirements.
- Review unusual, highly customized, and first-time orders to identify manufacturing requirements, risks, materials, routing, labor needs, and quality expectations.
- Coordinate with Sales, Customer Service, Creative, Purchasing, and Production to ensure custom specifications are complete, manufacturable, and clearly communicated.
- Improve safety, quality, productivity, workflow, lead time, and manufacturing cost while preserving the flexibility required for custom work.
- Establish and monitor practical KPIs for on-time delivery, labor performance, quality, throughput, rework, and schedule attainment.
- Use ERP and production data to improve planning, inventory accuracy, labor reporting, routings, work instructions, and operational decision-making.
- Oversee preventative maintenance, equipment service priorities, recommendations for capital improvements.
- Partner with executive leadership on capacity planning, operational strategy, budgets, and new product implementation.
Skills & Qualifications
- At least five years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience required; seven or more years preferred.
- Demonstrated experience in a high-mix, low-volume, custom, made-to-order, configure-to-order, engineer-to-order, or job-shop environment strongly preferred.
- Experience leading supervisors, department leads, and production employees across multiple manufacturing functions.
- Strong production-planning, decision-making, communication, employee-development, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to remain organized and decisive as product mix, priorities, and production constraints change.
- Experience using an ERP or manufacturing system to manage work orders, routings, bills of material, inventory, labor reporting, order status, and scheduling; Oracle NetSuite experience is a plus +++.
- Strong Excel or spreadsheet skills and the ability to analyze production, labor, inventory, and delivery data.
- Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, Engineering, Business, Supply Chain, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience will be considered.
How Success Will Be Measured
- Customer orders ship on time while meeting quality, labor, and cost expectations.
- Production priorities are clearly communicated and adjusted promptly as conditions change.
- Orders move efficiently through departments with fewer bottlenecks, delays, and unclear handoffs.
- Department leads demonstrate increased ownership, accountability, communication, and decision-making.
- Production data is accurately captured and used to improve planning and operational performance.
Compensation and Benefits
- $90,000-$100,000 annual salary, based on experience and qualifications.
- Full-time, exempt position with a Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. schedule with occasional 4-hour overtime shift on Saturday.
- Medical/Dental/vision insurance, 401(k) with a company match, paid-time off and a generous paid company holiday schedule.
- Temperature controlled manufacturing plant and office (A/C and Heat)
- On-site role in Rochester, New York; relocation assistance is not available.
About H. Risch, Inc.
Founded in 1935, H. Risch is a family-owned American manufacturer of customizable hospitality products. We combine nearly a century of craftsmanship with modern manufacturing and continuous improvement to produce high-quality, made-to-order products.
H. Risch, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities.
Pay: $90,000.00 - $100,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Referral program
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply
Experience:
- Manufacturing Leadership: 5 years (Preferred)
Ability to Commute:
- Rochester, NY 14623 (Required)
Work Location: In person
