Head of Operations

About Poly Craft Industries

Poly Craft Industries is a custom flexible packaging manufacturer that converts complex production challenges into dependable packaging outcomes. The company handles printing, laminating, slitting, bag making, and pouch production in one integrated facility for brands that need packaging done right the first time.

Poly Craft is built around a set of operating values that guide decisions on the shop floor and in leadership discussions: discovering what is possible, stepping in to support, making things happen, raising standards, and taking pride in the work.

The business operates with a family-company mindset and a growth-oriented pace. It values honesty, speed, accountability, and creating opportunity for people who are ready to step up and perform. Strong results are recognized with greater responsibility and advancement.

Role Overview

The Head of Operations is a senior strategic leader who improves how the business runs by guiding people, building systems, and solving the underlying causes of issues. This role is focused on long-term operational health rather than reacting to day-to-day problems.

Success in this position means creating an efficient, high-performing operation that can function effectively without depending on any single individual, including the Head of Operations.

The role provides leadership to four core functions: Customer Service, Plant Management, Scheduling & Material Management, and Head of Quality & Compliance. In addition to coaching these teams, the role owns the high-level operational decisions that shape business performance.

Key Responsibilities

Accountability and performance

• Set and monitor KPIs for direct reports and the teams they lead.
• Run recurring operations reviews using data to guide decisions.
• Spot performance shortfalls and turn them into clear improvement plans.
• Track operational cost measures such as SPLH, job cost variance, and COGS as part of the regular management rhythm.

Cross-functional coordination

• Oversee alignment across customer service, production, scheduling, and quality/compliance.

Process development

• Map, review, and continuously improve processes across operational functions.
• Create and maintain SOPs that are workable, practical, and actually followed.
• Lead root-cause investigations and ensure corrective actions are carried through.

Talent and team development

• Work with leadership on hiring across all operations-related roles.
• Coach team members and help build a culture of accountability and ownership.
• Handle performance concerns quickly, fairly, and directly.

Costing

• Own operational costing, including job cost accuracy, SPLH standards, COGS visibility, and variance analysis.
• Keep leadership informed on production cost and areas where margin is being lost.

Innovation and capital planning

• Assess equipment requirements and support the business case for capital spending.
• Look for practical ways to use AI and technology to strengthen operations.
• Improve efficiency in scheduling, materials handling, and throughput.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate brings at least 5 years of operations leadership experience in a manufacturing setting and has a history of creating systems rather than simply managing daily output. This person should be comfortable leading through others, working in a fast-moving environment, and holding cross-functional teams to clear standards.

They should have built KPI structures, SOPs, and operational routines that continue to work beyond the current role-holder. Strong experience with production scheduling, ERP/MRP tools, and capital planning is important, along with the ability to use these tools to shape decisions rather than only report activity.

Excellent communication skills are needed to turn strategy into clear direction for shop-floor teams, leadership, and the boardroom. A strong understanding of quality systems and continuous improvement methods such as EOS, Lean, and Six Sigma is preferred, especially when applied to true root-cause improvement. Curiosity about technology and how it can create leverage across the business is also important.

Additional Information

Location: Middletown, New York.

Employment type: Full-time, onsite.

Vacancies: Not specified.

Compensation: Not disclosed.