Job Description:
Job Title
Sr. Operations Manager
Collaborate with Innovative 3Mers Around the World
Choosing where to start and grow your career has a major impact on your professional and personal life, so it’s equally important you know that the company that you choose to work at, and its leaders, will support and guide you. With a wide variety of people, global locations, technologies and products, 3M is a place where you can collaborate with other curious, creative 3Mers.
This position provides an opportunity to transition from other private, public, government or military experience to a 3M career.
The Impact You’ll Make in this Role
The person hired for this position will serve as the overall site operations manager for all manufacturing production and warehouse departments at the Aberdeen, SD facility, approximately 420 persons. Responsibilities include but not limited to the following: developing and executing manufacturing strategies, Lean management systems, & operational plans that drive continuous improvement for safety, quality, service, and cost & cash. As such, this person will be a member of the Plant Operating Committee and will collaborate with each member of the plant leadership team to help the plant continuously improve.
As a Sr. Operations Manager you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative people around the world. Here, you will make an impact by:
- EHS stewardship and compliance to ensure operational Environmental, Health, and Safety compliance and accountability. EHS active visible leadership, ownership, and involvement within assigned operations.
- Working cross functionally with plant management, Manufacturing Eng Leadership, Product Divisions, and portfolio/business management to set short- and long-term strategic plans as well as operating plans for departments & drive Customer First initiatives in service, quality, and cost improvements.
- Driving strategic planning and budgeting to drive sustainable improvements in factory cost through application of Lean Six Sigma, entitlement thinking, Quality, Capability, yield improvement, and plant productivity.
- Providing direct supervision & development to Operations Sr. Supervisors, Continuous Improvement/Training Sr Supervisor, warehouse and their organizations, to set objectives, performance and motivation management and training.
- Developing and maintaining annual operating budgets. Identify, develop budget for, prioritize and direct justification and implementation of headcount. Monitor progress, initiate corrective action as required. Clearly communicating to all employees within the operations the expectations, results, and any adjustments to plans to meet goals of the facility.
- Implementing lean manufacturing principles and methodology to drive employee engagement and continuous improvement including tier, standard work, development utilizing the 3M Execution Model. Engaging the community by representing 3M in community affairs as appropriate and foster good public relations in the local community.
- Accelerating value creation for customers through greater global alignment, improved information flow, systematic thinking to increase our overall supply chain efficiency, and strengthening our focus on continuous improvement. Driving system and process improvements though principled leadership behaviors.
- Willingness to be on-call as assigned.
Your Skills and Expertise
To set you up for success in this role from day one, 3M requires (at a minimum) the following qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree or higher (completed and verified prior to start) from an accredited institution
- Eight (8) years of combined management and/or supervisory experience in a manufacturing setting, including private, public, government, or military environments.
Additional qualifications that could help you succeed even further in this role include:
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in an engineering discipline from an accredited institution
- Experience leading and implementing Lean Manufacturing principles and Six Sigma methodology for sustained continuous improvement for attainment of aggressive objectives for EHS, Quality, Service, and Financial Performance
- Demonstrated high emotional intelligence (EQ) – ability to connect, build teams, & rapport across all levels and functions of the broader organization.
- Minimum of five (5) years of management/supervisory experience in a 3M manufacturing environment
- Experience in organizational development & management, customer and community interactions
- Certified Lean Six Sigma position, either BB or MBB
- Demonstrated strong leadership ability
- Demonstrated understanding of Lean leadership principles and behaviors
Work location:
- Work location: Aberdeen, SD on-site
- Travel: May include up to 10%domestic/international
- Relocation: May be authorized
Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status).
Supporting Your Well-being
3M offers many programs to help you live your best life – both physically and financially. To ensure competitive pay and benefits, 3M regularly benchmarks with other companies that are comparable in size and scope.
Chat with Max
For assistance with searching through our current job openings or for more information about all things 3M, visit Max, our virtual recruiting assistant on 3M.com/careers.
Applicable to US Applicants Only:The expected compensation range for this position is $221,591 - $270,834, which includes base pay plus variable incentive pay, if eligible. This range represents a good faith estimate for this position. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant knowledge, training, skills, work location, and/or experience. In addition, this position may be eligible for a range of benefits (e.g., Medical, Dental & Vision, Health Savings Accounts, Health Care & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Disability Benefits, Life Insurance, Voluntary Benefits, Paid Absences and Retirement Benefits, etc.). Additional information is available at: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/.Good Faith Posting Date Range 04/14/2026 To 05/14/2026 Or until filledAll US-based 3M full time employees will need to sign an employee agreement as a condition of employment with 3M. This agreement lays out key terms on using 3M Confidential Information and Trade Secrets. It also has provisions discussing conflicts of interest and how inventions are assigned. Employees that are Job Grade 7 or equivalent and above may also have obligations to not compete against 3M or solicit its employees or customers, both during their employment, and for a period after they leave 3M.Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @3M.Responsibilities of this position include that corporate policies, procedures and security standards are complied with while performing assigned duties.Safety is a core value at 3M. All employees are expected to contribute to a strong Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) culture by following safety policies, identifying hazards, and engaging in continuous improvement.Pay & Benefits Overview: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/3M does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.Please note: your application may not be considered if you do not provide your education and work history, either by: 1) uploading a resume, or 2) entering the information into the application fields directly.
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