Machine Shop Operations Manager Jobs in Chicago, IL

nVenia, a member of the Duravant family of operating companies, is a manufacturer and supplier of integrated solutions and packaging equipment machinery. With over 300 years of combined experience, our long-standing brands of Arpac, Fischbein, Hamer and Ohlson serve end customers in the consumer-packaged goods, food and beverage, industrial, and other markets.

At nVenia, we believe in developing talent and providing meaningful learning experiences. Interns gain handson exposure to realworld manufacturing operations while working alongside experienced professionals in a collaborative environment.

nVenia offers:

• Competitive compensation for internship positions
• Handson learning and mentorship from experienced team members
• Exposure to manufacturing, supply chain, and operational best practices
• A supportive, safetyfocused, and teamoriented work environment
• Opportunities to develop skills that support future career growth

The Sr Director Operations is responsible for leading and scaling nVenia’s operations to support profitable growth. This role owns end-to-end operational performance across manufacturing, supply chain, and facilities, ensuring strong execution across delivery, cost, quality, and safety. This role serves as a key member of the leadership team, partnering directly with the President to strengthen operational discipline, improve performance, and build a scalable operating model capable of supporting a complex, engineered product portfolio.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and own end-to-end operations across Supply Chain, Fabrication/Machining, Production, and Facilities, ensuring alignment with company objectives and growth priorities
• Drive operational performance across delivery, productivity, cost, and quality through clear accountability, data-driven management, and disciplined execution
• Oversee manufacturing and fabrication operations, including throughput, capacity planning, scheduling, equipment utilization, and make/buy decisions
• Own supply chain, planning, and inventory management, ensuring material availability while optimizing inventory levels, turns, and overall working capital
• Establish and run an operating system with KPIs, reporting cadence, and continuous improvement to improve efficiency, create capacity, and reduce waste
• Develop and lead a high-performing operations team, including talent development, succession planning, and performance management
• Ensure safe, reliable operations, including facilities, maintenance, capital execution, and compliance with safety standards

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain, or a related field required; master’s degree preferred
• 10–15+ years of progressive operations leadership experience with full accountability for manufacturing performance
• Demonstrated success in high-mix, low-volume and/or engineer-to-order environments with demand and product variability
• Proven experience leading multi-functional operations, including production, supply chain, and fabrication/machining
• Deep understanding of fabrication/machine shop operations, including capacity planning, scheduling, and make/buy decision-making
• Strong financial and operational acumen, with the ability to manage trade-offs across cost, delivery, and working capital
• Strong knowledge of safety regulations (OSHA) and compliance standards within a manufacturing environment
• Proven ability to build accountability and elevate performance across teams
• Track record of driving measurable improvements in delivery, productivity, cost, and quality

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Frequently required to sit, stand, walk, talk, or hear; uses hands to finger, handle, or touch objects or controls. On occasion, may be required to climb and work in high places, stoop, bend or reach above the shoulders. The incumbent must occasionally lift, push, or pull up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The position is an office-based position with frequent visits to the manufacturing area. In the manufacturing area, employee may be exposed to moving mechanical parts and may occasionally be exposed to fumes and/or airborne particles. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but at times loud.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential function.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

nVenia is a packaging machinery manufacturing and service organization widely known to have the widest selection of packaging technology under one roof and is dedicated to providing our distributors and end-users the highest quality product and support.

nVenia brings Duravant packaging leaders Arpac, Hamer-Fischbein and Ohlson Packaging together to create next-level packaging equipment integration and innovation. One name, in one location, with one shared focus: our customers and the problems we need to solve.