Operations Manager – Permanent Mold Foundry

Operations Manager – Permanent Mold Foundry

Location: Le Sueur, MN

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent (Onsite)

Shift: Primarily 1st Shift (with occasional off-shift flexibility as operational needs require)

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Operations Manager to direct and elevate our permanent mold casting operations. In this role, you will hold end-to-end accountability for shop-floor performance, driving a safety-first culture while consistently achieving throughput, yield, and quality targets.

Working closely with engineering, metallurgy, quality, and maintenance, you will spearhead continuous improvement initiatives, optimize machine uptime, and develop a high-performing manufacturing team. The ideal candidate brings deep technical foundry expertise across permanent mold, sand casting, or die cast manufacturing environments.

Key Responsibilities

Production Leadership & Operational Excellence

• Direct daily casting operations to meet on-time delivery targets and customer specifications.
• Establish clear operating cadence, tracking shift KPIs including OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness), cycle times, scrap rates, and labor efficiency.
• Drive Lean Manufacturing methodologies (Kaizen, 5S, Standard Work) to eliminate bottlenecks, stabilize process flow, and boost capacity.

Process Optimization & Defect Reduction

• Oversee mold setups, alloy preparation, and rapid tooling changeovers.
• Maintain rigorous control over critical process variables—including pour temperatures, cycle timing, mold coatings, and metal pressures.
• Lead root-cause analysis (8D, 5 Whys) to troubleshoot and permanently resolve casting defects (porosity, shrink, misruns, flash).

Cross-Functional Quality & Maintenance Alignment

• Partner with the Quality team to uphold stringent customer and industry standards through proactive defect prevention and corrective actions.
• Collaborate with Maintenance to implement Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) routines, minimizing unplanned downtime on casting machines and furnaces.
• Identify operational gaps and build data-backed proposals for capital equipment upgrades and automation investments.

Team Leadership & Workforce Development

• Lead, mentor, and evaluate shift supervisors, technicians, and floor operators, cultivating a strong culture of personal accountability and technical capability.
• Lead workforce planning, cross-training matrices, and onboarding to sustain a resilient, multi-skilled crew.

Safety, Environmental & Fiscal Stewardship

• Enforce rigorous plant safety protocols, placing high priority on molten metal handling, PPE compliance, and heavy tooling rigging.
• Ensure operations meet all local, state, and OSHA/environmental standards.
• Manage departmental operating budgets, actively monitoring scrap costs, energy consumption, tooling wear, and direct labor overtime.

Qualifications

Required:

• Experience:

Minimum of 5–10+ years in metal casting manufacturing (Permanent Mold, Sand Mold, or Die Cast environments), with at least 3+ years in a supervisory or management role.

• Technical Acumen:

Strong background in foundry metallurgy, casting parameters, mold design principles, and casting defect analysis.

• Continuous Improvement:

Proven track record applying Lean/Six Sigma principles to drive measurable scrap reduction and OEE improvements.

• Systems & Data:

Experience managing operations through ERP/MRP platforms; proficient with MS Office and using operational data to guide decisions.

• Leadership:

Exceptional interpersonal, conflict resolution, and communication skills across all plant levels.

Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Technology, Metallurgy, or a related field.
• Direct experience handling automated pouring, hydraulic/pneumatic permanent mold machines, or robotic extraction systems.