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Director of Operations

Echo Engineering and Production · Thorntown, IN

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Level
Director+
Team
Production
Degree
Preferred
Experience asked
5+ years
Industry
Industrial
Posted
Recently

The role in 30 seconds

A director-level production role at Echo Engineering and Production (industrial) in Thorntown, IN. Hire, train, coach, and develop the production and warehouse teams, ensuring performance, safety, and inventory requirements are met.

They ask for
5+ years · degree preferred
Tools it names
Lean, 5S, Root cause, FMEA, PPAP, ISO 9001

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026

Production Engineer roles in Indiana: typical posted base $153k–$204k.

Median of the low and high ends of 4 live postings that list pay, out of 18 production engineer openings in Indiana, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

Indiana plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →

How this role compares

Against 17 other live production postings in Indiana.

Experience asked
Less than usual (5+ vs 8+)

Similar roles usually ask 8+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

  • ✓ Lean 50%
  • ✓ Team leadership 44%
  • ✓ Root cause 39%
  • EHS / safety 33%
  • Six Sigma 28%
  • ✓ New product launch 22%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

Stands out: this posting asks for FMEA, PPAP, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.

It asks for 5+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone doing this work there first.

At a glance

Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.

How to get in at this plant

Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.

  1. 1

    Pick 2–3 people on the Production team at Echo Engineering and Production

    Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.

  2. 2

    Send a short, curious note

    One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.

  3. 3

    Turn a reply into a short call

    Questions worth asking about this team:

    • What does a normal week look like on your team?
    • How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
  4. 4

    Apply with someone vouching for you

    If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.

  5. 5

    Bring proof to the interview

    One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.

Full description from Echo Engineering and ProductionAs posted on their careers site.Show

Responsibilities

(All Levels)

Oversee the day-to-day operations of the Indianapolis facility within budget and to expectations: safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and inventory control.

Hire, train, coach, and develop the production and warehouse teams, ensuring performance, safety, and inventory

requirements

are met.

Manage daily production schedules; outline staff assignments, labor hours, material and equipment requirements, and training needs. Assist staff with execution of production tasks as needed.

Provide root-cause corrective actions and continuous improvement for production- and warehouse-related issues in safety, quality, and productivity (Corrective Action Request (CAR) process; Continuous Improvement/Lean activities).

Develop, implement, and maintain departmental organizational compliance across Quality, Safety, and Productivity.

Troubleshoot manufacturing processes and techniques; understand processes in depth to help machine operators perform efficiently and effectively.

Assist Quality with tool and part inspections, product PPAP, process capability studies, process PFMEA, root-cause analysis, and submission and implementation of appropriate corrective actions.

Develop, implement, and maintain a robust tool management program.

Work cross-functionally to control raw material, work-in-process, and finished goods inventory levels to maximize the customer experience within inventory targets.

Assume other duties as assigned.

Additional

Responsibilities

Director Level

If filled at the Director level, the role additionally

Owns the annual site operating budget and the multi-year capacity and capital plan; presents plans and performance to executive leadership.

Develops and executes mid-term operational strategy (capacity, automation, footprint, make/buy) aligned to company growth targets.

Builds and develops the site leadership bench (team leads and supervisors) with clear succession plans for critical roles.

Owns site-level cost drivers: labor productivity, scrap and rework, freight, and inventory carrying cost.

Represents Operations in cross-functional executive processes, including S&OP, new product introduction, and ISO management review.

Qualifications

All Candidates

Bachelor of Science degree in business, operations, or engineering preferred.

Minimum of 5 years supervisory experience in a high-mix production and warehouse environment supervising a team of at least 10 operators.

Experience implementing 5S, Lean Manufacturing, and Continuous Improvement principles.

Advanced proficiency in MS Office Suite, specifically Excel, and ERP/MRP software experience; MRP implementation experience a plus.

Minimum of 3 years experience operating in an ISO 9001:2015 environment.

Proven ability to develop, implement, and achieve Key Performance Indicators in safety, quality, productivity, and inventory management.

Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, and manage change with a track record of problem solving, team building, planning, and decision making.

Experience with or exposure to production planning, MRP system(s), Bill of Operation (BOO), and Bill of Material (BOM).

High level of initiative with experience managing multiple projects simultaneously, working independently as well as in cross-functional teams; demonstrated success leading a project through to completion.

Experience converting (die-cut, daisy-chain, laminate, assemble, package, etc.) a wide variety of materials, including foams and rubbers of varying thicknesses and durometers, tapes (single- and double-coated), films and liners, and adhesives (supported and unsupported), a plus.

Additional

Qualifications

Director Level

10+ years of progressive operations leadership, including 3+ years managing managers or a multi-department scope spanning manufacturing and warehouse/distribution.

Demonstrated ownership of an operations budget or site P&L, including capital planning and justification.

Track record of building a leadership layer developing team leads and supervisors, not only front-line staff.

Experience setting and executing multi-year operational strategy (capacity, automation, footprint).

Competencies

Strong leadership and people management skills with the ability to lead, motivate, retain, build, and organize a team.

Strong analytical skills; data-driven decision-making ability.

Fast learner with an out-of-the-box approach to problem solving and the ability to work at both tactical and strategic levels.

Takes initiative, drives change, and makes decisions.

Teamwork oriented with a leadership mentality.

Knowledge of ISO 9001:2015

Show full description ↓

Description

Job Description: Operations Manager / Director of Operations

Truth | Integrity | Teamwork & Service | Simplicity | Self-Actualization

Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Location: Indianapolis, IN

Reports to: COO

Supervises: Manufacturing and Warehouse Teams Indianapolis

Level: Operations Manager or Director of Operations, commensurate with experience (see Level Determination)

Since 1966, Echo Engineering has been partnering with their customers to create and supply meaningful solutions for their most pressing Connecting, Fastening, NVH, and Sealing challenges. Their vision is to create the most compelling B2B company of the 21st century by becoming the number one source for the online creation and fulfillment of core products.

Purpose

This role is responsible for all Warehouse and Manufacturing activities at our Indianapolis location, leading, developing, and motivating a team of warehouse and production associates to meet and exceed performance expectations in safety, quality, delivery, productivity, inventory control, and people development. The role is a key contributor to day-to-day performance as well as the development of budgets and mid-term strategies designed to grow and improve existing capabilities. At the Director level, the role additionally carries ownership of multi-year operational strategy, the site operating budget, and development of the site leadership bench.

Core

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