At GE Appliances, a Haier company, we come together to make “good things, for life.”  As the fastest-growing appliance company in the U.S., we’re powered by creators, thinkers and makers who believe that anything is possible and that there’s always a better way.  We believe in the power of our people and in giving them the freedom to explore, discover and build good things, together.  

The GE Appliances philosophy, backed by three simple commitments defines the way we work, invent, create, do business, and serve our communities: we come together, we always look for a better way, and we create possibilities. 

Interested in joining us on our journey? 

The Senior Manager, Manufacturing Operations is a critical leadership role responsible for end-to-end ownership of a manufacturing area, with full accountability for safety, quality, delivery, cost, and culture. This leader drives daily execution while shaping long-term operational excellence through Lean principles, disciplined problem-solving, and strong people leadership.

In this role, you will navigate complex operational demands—including supply and demand variability, New Program Introductions (NPI), and engineering and material changes—while ensuring stable, efficient, and high-performing production. You will lead cross-functional teams, remove barriers to performance, and champion continuous improvement across the manufacturing floor.

Position

Senior Manager, Manufacturing Operations

Location

USA, Louisville, KY

How You'll Create Possibilities

Manufacturing Operations Leadership

• Own end-to-end performance for a manufacturing area, delivering results across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and culture.

• Develop and execute the annual operating plan, aligning area goals and metrics with overall plant objectives.

• Lead, coach, and support both salaried and hourly production teams.

• Drive daily execution using production line boards to monitor performance, identify gaps, and resolve issues across shifts.

• Maintain deep knowledge of plant operations and effectively use escalation processes to resolve abnormalities and implement corrective actions.

• Ensure strong adherence to Lean manufacturing principles, standardized work, and site escalation processes.

• Manage department budgets, track performance metrics, and deliver clear daily report-outs during production meetings.

• Establish a consistent operating rhythm through daily engagement with Area Business Leaders and Team Leaders.

• Ensure standardized work is implemented, followed, audited, and continuously improved.

• Coach leaders on standardized work, job instruction methods, and effective training practices.

• Maintain world-class 5S standards across the manufacturing area.

Continuous Improvement & Lean Excellence

• Champion the Appliance Production System and embed continuous improvement into daily operations.

• Lead teams to identify inefficiencies, perform root cause analysis, and implement sustainable countermeasures.

• Engage cross-functional escalation teams, including Lean resources, to drive rapid issue resolution.

• Eliminate waste through both short-term containment actions and long-term improvement initiatives.

• Serve as a second-level escalation leader for operational issues.

• Lead regular reviews of open issues, assign ownership, track actions to closure, and communicate progress.

• Drive kaizen events and ensure improvements are implemented, sustained, and measured.

• Oversee work area rebalancing using tools such as Yamazumi charts.
   

People & Leadership

• Provide hands-on leadership for an integrated, cross-functional manufacturing team.

• Set clear performance expectations and support team success through coaching, feedback, and development.

• Partner with HR on performance management, talent development, and succession planning.

• Manage employee relations matters in partnership with HR, ensuring fairness, consistency, and proper documentation.

• Recruit, deploy, and develop talent to meet current and future operational needs.

• Mentor and develop emerging leaders within the organization.

• Ensure consistent application of policies, work rules, and workplace processes.
   

Quality Excellence

• Ensure all products meet specifications and are produced defect-free.

• Enforce compliance with Manufacturing Control Plans and all quality standards.

• Monitor daily quality data and escalate or resolve defects in real time.

• Embed quality requirements into standardized work to build quality at the source.

• Partner with engineering, quality, and production teams to resolve issues and prevent recurrence.

• Analyze scrap data and lead targeted reduction initiatives.

• Collaborate with Plant Quality and Engineering to improve key metrics such as First Pass Yield, Overall Yield, and Service Call Rate.
   

Safety Leadership

• Own safety performance and results for the manufacturing area.

• Foster a strong safety culture through behavior-based observations, audits, safety meetings, and 5S discipline.

• Ensure compliance with all safety rules and procedures.

• Review and approve accident investigations, ensuring root cause analysis and corrective actions are completed.

• Drive closure of all safety action items, including those from near misses, accidents, and ergonomic assessments.

What You'll Bring to Our Team

Requirements:

• 7+ years of leadership experience in manufacturing, supplier management, and project implementation, with technical expertise across supply chain functions such as warehousing, distribution, materials, quality, procurement or fulfillment.

Preferred:

• BS/BA degree, ideally in engineering, supply chain management or business.

• Supply Chain Development Program graduate.

• Experience implementing Lean Manufacturing and driving continuous improvement using Lean, DMAIC, workout or similar methodologies.

• Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to influence at all levels.

• Demonstrated ability to teach, facilitate meetings, coach teams, give constructive feedback and listen effectively.

• Ability to identify, analyze and solve complex problems across cross-functional teams.

• Track record of achieving business goals, leading change and delivering measurable results through analytical methods and disciplined execution.

Our Culture

Our work is centered on our People and Culture as reflected in our Zero Distance philosophy and we recognize the importance of reaffirming our commitment to inclusion and diversity (I&D). This underscores our commitment to fostering an environment where every individual feels valued, connected, and empowered to contribute, while positioning our organization to adapt seamlessly to the evolving needs of our workforce and communities.

This reflects our dedication to creating solutions that: Empower colleagues by fostering an environment where all voices are heard, valued, and encouraged to contribute. Strengthen communities where we live and work. Reinforce a culture of belonging, purpose, and engagement. Reflect the diversity of the communities we serve through our workforce, products, and practices.

By further embedding Zero Distance into our People and Culture framework, we will continue to build a deeply connected organization. We are cultivating a culture of engagement, belonging, and connection, because while attracting new talent remains a priority, retention is a cornerstone of our strategy.

GE Appliances is a trust-based organization. It is important we offer our employees the flexibility they need to do their best work while balancing the needs of the business and individuals. When you join GE Appliances, you will have the opportunity to work with your leader to create a flexible work arrangement that balances the needs of the individual, team, and organization.

GE Appliances is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

GE Appliances participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance or an accommodation to use our website or to apply, please send an e-mail to [email protected]