Littelfuse (NASDAQ: LFUS) is a diversified industrial technology manufacturing company shaping solutions for the safe and efficient transfer of electrical energy. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, USA, we serve customers across industrial, transportation, and electronics markets worldwide. With approximately 16,000 employees we design and manufacture innovative technologies that support electrification, energy efficiency, and advanced automation. Our global reach is matched by a culture that empowers innovation and long-term growth. Guided by our principles We Care, We Succeed With Our Customers, and We Own the Outcome, we work collaboratively, think boldly, and deliver solutions that move industries forward.
The Operations Manager plans, directs, coordinates, and optimizes the organization’s operations, ensuring the achievement of strategic, operational, and financial objectives through effective resource management, process standardization, performance monitoring, and the implementation of continuous improvement initiatives.
Develops a high-performing operational organization by cultivating strong leadership, enhancing workforce capabilities, and building autonomous, engaged, and results-driven teams. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, operational discipline, safety, innovation, and continuous improvement, while ensuring quality, productivity, profitability, and customer satisfaction.
1. Operations Leadership & Management
- Plan, direct, and oversee operational activities to ensure the achievement of business objectives, execution of operational plans, and attainment of established service levels.
- Translate business strategy into operational plans, measurable objectives, priorities, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
- Ensure operational continuity, stability, and efficiency by proactively identifying risks and addressing issues that could impact business performance.
- Establish, implement, and maintain operational procedures, policies, work standards, and control mechanisms to support consistent execution.
- Coordinate cross-functional activities to ensure the efficient flow of information, materials, resources, and processes throughout the organization.
- Identify opportunities for operational optimization and develop action plans to improve overall performance, productivity, and effectiveness.
- Ensure operational processes meet customer requirements, quality standards, regulatory expectations, and internal company policies.
2. High-Performance Team Development
- Build, develop, and sustain high-performing teams by aligning individual and team objectives with the organization’s strategic and operational goals.
- Establish clear performance expectations, roles, priorities, and execution standards to drive accountability and results.
- Foster a culture of ownership, engagement, collaboration, operational discipline, and results orientation.
- Implement management routines and performance review processes that enable effective goal tracking, early identification of gaps, and timely problem resolution.
- Encourage active employee participation in identifying opportunities, driving innovation, and implementing continuous improvement initiatives.
- Create a work environment founded on trust, open communication, mutual respect, and ongoing feedback.
- Identify and address barriers that impact team performance, implementing actions to improve effectiveness, cross-functional collaboration, and productivity.
- Ensure teams have the necessary tools, resources, training, and capabilities to achieve business objectives successfully.
- Promote employee empowerment and problem-solving capabilities, reducing dependence on direct management intervention and strengthening organizational agility.
3. Financial, Cost & Resource Management
- Effectively manage the human, material, technological, and financial resources assigned to the operation.
- Participate in the development, execution, and monitoring of the operational budget to ensure alignment with business objectives.
- Monitor costs, productivity, operating expenses, and resource utilization to achieve financial targets and maximize operational efficiency.
- Identify and implement cost reduction, waste elimination, and resource optimization initiatives without compromising quality, safety, or customer service.
- Analyze budget variances and develop corrective action plans to improve profitability and financial performance.
- Evaluate operational capacity, workforce, infrastructure, and technology requirements to meet current and future business demands.
- Develop business cases and investment proposals supported by cost-benefit analysis, financial justification, and expected return on investment (ROI).
4. Continuous Improvement & Process Optimization
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on increasing productivity, reducing costs, enhancing quality, and eliminating non-value-added activities.
- Standardize processes and best practices to ensure consistency, operational efficiency, and scalability across the organization.
- Implement structured problem-solving methodologies, root cause analysis, and preventive actions to eliminate recurring issues.
- Identify and drive opportunities for process automation, digitalization, and simplification to improve operational effectiveness.
- Encourage active participation from operational teams in continuous improvement projects and promote a culture of innovation and idea generation.
- Measure and track the benefits realized from implemented initiatives, ensuring improvements are sustained over time.
- Foster a culture where issues are identified proactively, analyzed objectively, and resolved through a structured, data-driven approach.
6. Coordinación interdepartamental y orientación al cliente
- Mantener una coordinación efectiva con las áreas de Finanzas, Recursos Humanos, Calidad, Compras, Logística, Ventas y otras funciones relacionadas.
- Alinear los planes operativos con las necesidades comerciales, los compromisos con clientes y las prioridades de la organización.
- Resolver conflictos de prioridades y facilitar acuerdos entre departamentos.
- Asegurar que las necesidades del cliente se traduzcan en estándares operativos y niveles de servicio medibles.
- Comunicar oportunamente riesgos, restricciones, resultados y necesidades de recursos a la dirección.
- Participar en proyectos estratégicos que requieran coordinación transversal y transformación de procesos.
5. Team Leadership Development
- Identify, develop, and strengthen the leadership capabilities of supervisors, coordinators, and team leaders.
- Establish individual development plans to address competency gaps and prepare employees for increased responsibilities and future leadership roles.
- Develop leadership skills in decision-making, delegation, communication, conflict resolution, performance management, and problem-solving.
- Implement coaching, mentoring, and feedback practices to accelerate leadership growth and professional development.
- Ensure leaders understand, monitor, and effectively manage key performance indicators (KPIs), operational priorities, and team commitments.
- Enhance leaders’ ability to identify root causes, implement corrective actions, and prevent the recurrence of operational issues.
- Promote decision-making within established authority levels, fostering empowerment, accountability, and ownership of results.
- Regularly assess leadership effectiveness, providing constructive feedback and implementing targeted development actions.
- Identify high-potential talent and establish succession plans for key positions to ensure organizational continuity and long-term operational stability.
- Foster a leadership model that balances results orientation, people development, integrity, and alignment between communicated expectations and execution.
Culture, Employee Engagement & Organizational Integration
In addition to core operational responsibilities, the Operations Manager will contribute to strengthening the organizational culture, enhancing team integration, and fostering a positive work environment by promoting initiatives that support employee engagement, well-being, and meaningful connections among employees, their families, and the organization.
- Partner with Human Resources, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), Internal Communications, and other functions to plan and execute corporate events, employee engagement activities, and organizational initiatives.
- Encourage active participation from supervisors, team leaders, and managers in team-building, engagement, and cultural initiatives.
- Support the responsible allocation of resources and budgets for employee well-being, recognition, and integration activities in alignment with company policies and business objectives.
- Ensure that employee engagement and organizational activities are planned and executed without compromising operational continuity, safety, quality standards, or customer commitments.
- Evaluate employee participation, feedback, and overall effectiveness of engagement initiatives to identify improvement opportunities and enhance future programs.
- Promote a workplace culture that fosters inclusion, collaboration, employee recognition, and a strong sense of belonging.
- Support initiatives that strengthen the connection between employees, leadership, and the organization, contributing to workforce engagement and retention.
- Reinforce company values and cultural expectations through visible leadership, active participation, and consistent role-model behavior.
#LI-KRL
At Littelfuse, we support employee growth and development. Guided by our culture principles, our teams work together to deliver value for customers and make a positive impact in the communities where we operate. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone has the opportunity to grow and contribute. We offer competitive compensation and benefits, performance-based incentives, flexible work arrangements, and development opportunities.
