Sr. Operations Manager - Operations & Scheduling in Carol Stream, Illinois at Grunt Style

POSITION SUMMARY

The Sr. Operations Manager – Operations & Scheduling is responsible for overseeing the daily execution of production operations across the full value stream: picking, printing, DTG, heat pressing, folding, and packing finished goods. This role owns production scheduling, workflow coordination, labor deployment, and throughput accountability.

You will work closely with the Sr. Director of Operations, Sr. Operations Manager – Systems, Quality & Maintenance, the Material Flow Area Manager, and the Warehouse team to ensure production plans are met on time and resources are deployed efficiently. When a bottleneck is identified, you will diagnose root causes and drive corrective action in real time.

DUTIES

• Oversee daily production execution across DTG, screen printing, heat pressing, and finishing operations (folding, bagging, labelling).
• Own the daily and weekly production schedule; prioritize work orders, allocate labor to lines, and adjust workflow to hit throughput targets.
• Monitor production floor activity in real time to identify slowdowns, staffing gaps, or sequencing issues and resolve them without escalation.
• Lead daily production standup and shift handoff communication to ensure continuity across shifts.
• Track and report production output against schedule (units per hour, on-time completion, downtime impact); escalate systemic gaps to the Sr. Director of Operations.
• Coordinate with the Material Flow Area Manager on raw material and WIP staging to prevent starvation of active production lines.
• Assist in training department operators on garment loading, machine operation sequence, and standard work procedures.
• Write and update standard operating procedures for daily production workflow, scheduling logic, and shift routines.
• Enforce a clean, organized, and safe work environment consistent with company standards.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Accountable for daily unit output targets across all production lines.
• Ensure production schedules account for machine availability, labor headcount, and order priority.
• Communicate equipment or workflow disruptions to the Sr. Operations Manager – Systems, Quality & Maintenance for maintenance coordination.
• Monitor labor efficiency and escalate performance gaps to the Sr. Director of Operations.
• Follow and enforce all safety protocols related to industrial printing machinery, inks, and heat presses.
• Assist in floor plan adjustments to optimize production flow and ergonomics.
• Stay current on production scheduling best practices and apparel manufacturing operations.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 3-5 years of experience in production operations or manufacturing management.
• Demonstrated ability to manage daily schedules, labor allocation, and throughput in a high-volume environment.
• Experience in apparel, DTG, or screen printing production preferred.
• Strong floor presence, communication, and team leadership skills.
• Strong time management, problem-solving, and attention to detail.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish is a plus.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands and fingers to handle, feel, or operate objects, tools, or controls, and reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to stand, talk, and hear.

Travel

No travel is expected for this position.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Management may change duties, responsibilities, and activities at any time with or without notice.

EEO Statement

Grunt Style provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Grunt Style complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.