Specialist, Operations

Job Summary

Reporting to the Global Operations Business Transformation Team, the Operational Specialist will serve as a key business partner across manufacturing, supply chain, and business operations. This role is responsible for identifying operational improvement opportunities, assessing business performance drivers, developing strategic and tactical action plans, and supporting execution through measurable continuous improvement initiatives.

The Operational Specialist will leverage data-driven analysis, operational expertise, and business acumen to evaluate production performance, supply chain effectiveness, Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ), capacity utilization, demand variability, and profitability opportunities. This position will help business leaders understand current performance, model future-state scenarios, and develop turnaround strategies that drive sustainable improvements in revenue, EBITDA, customer service, and operational efficiency.

Your Responsibilities Will Be:

• Analyze manufacturing operations, supply chain processes, and business performance metrics to identify improvement opportunities.

• Perform capacity modeling and what-if analysis to assess the impact of changing market demand, production volumes, labor requirements, and supply chain constraints.
• Partner with leadership teams to define full-potential performance targets and improvement roadmaps.

• Develop turnaround plans for underperforming operations, product lines, or business segments.
• Ensure improvement initiatives deliver sustainable operational and financial results.

• Analyze internal failures, external failures, scrap, rework, warranty costs, and quality-related inefficiencies.
• Partner with Quality, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Supply Chain teams to reduce quality-related costs.

• Design and implement KPI frameworks aligned with business objectives.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Operations Management, Supply Chain, Engineering, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing, operations, supply chain, business transformation, operational excellence, or related disciplines.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, production planning, inventory management, and supply chain processes.
• Experience performing business analysis and building executive-level recommendations.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, Power BI, ERP systems, and data analysis tools.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional improvement initiatives.
• Strong financial acumen with understanding of revenue, cost structures, margin, and EBITDA drivers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
• Experience supporting multi-site manufacturing environments.
• ERP implementation, optimization, or business transformation experience.
• Advanced scenario modeling, forecasting, or operations planning experience.
• Knowledge of Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning (SIOP/S&OP) processes.

Travel Requirements (Requirement): Up to 50% of domestic travel may be required.

ADA Requirements:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Frequent sitting, typing, and computer use.
  • Occasional standing and walking.
  • Frequent verbal and written communication.
  • Ability to view computer screens and read project documentation.
  • Ability to lift and carry items weighing up to 10 pounds occasionally.
  • Compliance with company attendance standards.

The position is primarily performed in an office or professional workplace environment.

Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Sedentary work primarily involves sitting, although occasional walking and standing may be required.

We Offer:

At CECO, we are committed to a culture where every employee is valued and respected for their unique experiences and perspectives. We believe a diverse and inclusive work environment contributes to the rich exchange of ideas and diversity of thoughts, that inspires innovation and brings the best solutions to our customers.