Operations Lead (m/f/d)
We will relocate you to the USA to own the operational excellence of a Print-on-demand Manufacturing site
The Customization Group
Operations Lead (Columbus, OH) (m/f/d)
Run our US production site and lead its managers, with a global operations team behind you.
● Columbus, Ohio, USA ● Full-time · Operations ● On-site
As Operations Lead you run our Columbus plant end to end and lead its Supervisor team.
Columbus prints, frames, packs and ships personalized products such as wall decor and fotobooks. You lead a site team of around 80 people through the Production Manager and the supervisors for printing & maintenance and logistics, and you report to our SVP Global Operations in Cologne, Germany.
The Customization Group is a global leader in mass customization and print-on-demand e-commerce. We manufacture up to 2.5 million personalized products daily across production sites in Germany, Poland, the USA and Latvia, reaching customers through 20+ online shops and 1,000+ partner stores. 750+ people, 40+ nationalities, 10 locations.
In a nutshell: Run the Columbus plant, lead its managers, and hit safety, quality, delivery and cost targets, with Global Operations as your partner.
At a glance
Location: Columbus, Ohio, on-site
Team: Site of ~80 people · Reports to: SVP Global Operations
Scope: Production · maintenance · logistics
Experience: Typically 8+ years in manufacturing operations
Start: As soon as possible
The role
What you'll do
Ordered by share of time, largest first.
→ Run the site. Own safety, quality, output, on-time shipping and cost per unit, with a daily presence on the floor.
→ Lead the management team. Set targets for the Production Manager and supervisors, coach them and review results every week.
→ Prepare for peak. Plan staffing, shifts, materials and equipment ahead of the fourth quarter, our busiest season.
→ Cut waste and cost. Use Lean methods and production data to reduce scrap, rework and downtime, and make the case for new equipment or automation.
→ Work with Global Operations. Agree standards, new products and equipment with our operations leadership and our European plants.
→ Own budget and reporting. Deliver monthly KPI and budget reporting to headquarters with our US finance team.
What you bring
Skills and experience, not personality types.
Must have
→ Typically 5+ years in manufacturing operations, including 3+ years leading a plant, site or multi-department operation.
→ Experience leading through managers and supervisors, not only frontline teams.
→ A track record of improving safety, quality, on-time delivery and cost in high-volume production, ideally make-to-order.
→ Hands-on Lean or continuous-improvement experience and working knowledge of OSHA requirements.
→ Budget responsibility and KPI reporting to leadership outside your own site.
→ Fluent English and the ability to work on-site in Columbus.
Nice to have
→ Experience in printing, packaging or e-commerce fulfillment.
→ Experience introducing WMS or MES systems, automation or AI tools on a shop floor.
→ Spanish, which helps with parts of our site team.
Why this role, now
What you get to work with, not what we demand.
Ownership
The site is yours
You are the senior TCG leader on site. How the plant runs day to day is your call.
Columbus · ~80 people
Team
A leadership team to shape
You have a say in how the site's management team grows.
Production · maintenance · logistics
Global
Sister plants to learn from
What works in our European plants is open to you, and your improvements travel the other way.
US · Germany · Poland
Is this you?
Sounds like you?
→ You are on the floor when the shift starts.
→ You fix the process before you look for someone to blame.
→ You can trace a change in cost per unit back to the step that caused it.
→ You turn a request from headquarters into a plan your team can start on Monday.
Probably not a fit if…
→ you want to lead from an office. This role is on-site and close to the floor.
→ you need a calm fourth quarter. Peak season means longer days and weekends.
→ you want to set every standard yourself. Group standards are agreed with Global Operations in Germany
→ you expect a large support staff. With around 80 people on site, you pull your own numbers.
How we hire
1
Apply. Your CV is enough, no cover letter. (about 10 min)
2
Recruiter call and online assessment. Role, on-site setup, then a short online assessment. (Recruiting · 45 min + about 20 min online)
3
Hiring manager interview. Your track record and how you lead managers. (SVP Global Operations · 60 min, video)
4
Site case and visit. You get real site numbers in advance and present your first 90 days. AI tools are welcome, as on the job. Then a plant tour and a decision. ( · 60 min + site tour)
Ready to apply?
No cover letter needed. If you like, answer one or two questions, optional in the form or later in the call.
→ Tell us about a site you made better. Which numbers moved, and what did you change first? ~3 sentences.
→ How did you get a plant through its busiest season? What broke, and what would you do differently next time? ~3 sentences.
Applying takes about 10 minutes.
TCG is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Customization Group · Columbus, Ohio · thecustomizationgroup.com
- Department
- Operations
- Locations
- Cologne, Berlin
