JobsGenerac

Operation Engineering Manager

Generac · Eagle, WI

Posted Jul 22, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Walk me through a time you led a process improvement initiative on a production floor. What was the problem, what did you change, and how did you measure the result?

whether they can drive lean/continuous improvement projects from diagnosis to measurable outcome, not just talk about lean concepts

Tell me about a time you had to influence a senior leader or another department to adopt a solution they weren't initially on board with.

cross-functional influence without formal authority, since the role explicitly requires influencing senior management

Tell me about a time you brought a new piece of capital equipment online, from installation through training to steady production.

experience managing capital projects end to end, a named preferred qualification

How do you decide what to work on when priorities and deadlines keep shifting and you don't have enough resources to do everything?

prioritization under constraint in a fast-paced environment

Give me an example of a KPI or SMART goal you were accountable for that you missed. What happened and what did you do about it?

ownership and honesty under pressure, not just success stories

Tell me about a time you had to get several sites or functions to agree on one common solution instead of each doing their own thing.

ability to drive standardization across sites, called out directly in the posting

How do you develop the engineers or supervisors who report to you, especially ones who are struggling to hit their goals?

people leadership and development skill, since this is a management role over facility resources and employees

Technical

How have you used SAP or a similar ERP system day to day, and have you ever served as a super user for a functional area?

actual hands-on ERP depth versus surface familiarity, since super user responsibility is explicit in the job

Describe your experience managing sheet metal fabrication operations, things like laser or punch blanking, press brake forming, welding, or powder coating.

whether their technical background actually matches this facility's process, not just generic manufacturing exposure

If you found out material and information flow between two departments were out of sync, causing extra cost, what would your first three steps be?

grasp of value stream synchronization and practical troubleshooting sequence

Situational

Say a work center is missing takt time every shift and the root cause isn't obvious. How would you go about figuring out what's actually wrong?

structured problem-solving approach versus jumping to a fix without diagnosis

You've got a facility that runs both high mix, low volume work and high volume, low mix work. How does your approach to scheduling or flow differ between the two?

real understanding of demand-driven strategies versus one-size-fits-all thinking

How do you build a budget or staffing plan for your area, and what do you do when you're told to hit the same output with less headcount?

financial literacy and resource planning under real constraints

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Generac.

We believe power is a promise - a shared commitment to be there for others when it matters most. For more than 65 years, we've turned big ideas into solutions that help protect homes, strengthen businesses and build a more resilient, efficient, sustainable energy future. Ready to Power a Smarter World with us? The Operations Engineering Manager is responsible for providing leadership to ensure ongoing process improvement initiatives that deliver excellence across entire value chain.  This role is responsible for coordinating and leading facility resources and employees to meet or exceed company business objectives.  The Operations Engineering Manager will organize strategic initiatives and utilize enterprise standards.  Essential Duties and Responsibilities: • Drives facility operations priorities to meet or exceed customer expectations, meet goals identified through SMART goal deployment, achieve KPI’s and maximize employee contribution and development. • Ensures ongoing success of process improvement initiatives by implementing policies, procedures and process documentation. • Deploys demand driven principals and strategies that supports operational excellence and long-range plans. (Flexibility, Speed & Responsiveness) • Ensures product, material and information streams flow and are synchronized to produce maximum efficiencies and lowest cost of operation. • Evaluates situations objectively and demonstrates the ability to make decisions that are intended to have a positive impact on work performance or area and the total business. • Organizes and prioritizes work assignment to complete assignments/tasks on time, with quality, and has the ability to anticipate problem areas in advance.  Applies creative problem approaches and ideas to solve problems for area of responsibility. • Accountable for defining resource needs and works within budget and staffing parameters to accomplish objectives for area of responsibility. • Act as SAP Super User within functional area as assigned. Basic Qualifications: • Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Business or Industrial Technology OR equivalent experience in the Operations function within a similar working environment; • 5 years of progressive Engineering management experience in similar work environment. Additional Qualifications: • Demonstrated understanding of financial measurements and goals; • Demonstrated understanding and application of lean manufacturing principles; • Effective verbal and written communication skills; • Strong project leadership skills; • Demonstrated ability to influence senior management, teams and individuals across multiple functions; • Experience collaborating with multiple sites and functions to drive common solutions; • Experience operating in high mix, low volume and high volume, low mix production environments; • Proven track record of successfully managing shifting deadlines and priorities in a fast paced environment; • Demonstrated problem-solving ability, including the ability to identify creative and effective solutions and the ability to ask the right questions, help frame logical conclusions. Preferred Qualifications: • Advanced degree in Supply Chain Management or MBA; • ERP/MRP user (SAP/Oracle); • Previous experience using SAP or equivalent ERP. • Demonstrated experience managing sheet metal fabrication including programming, blanking (laser, punch), press brake forming, welding, and powder coating. • Demonstrated experience with Capital Asset Management and bringing new assets online through installation, training, and production execution. Physical Demands : While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear; and use hands to manipulate objects or controls. The employee is regularly required to stand and walk.  On occasion the incumbent may be required to stoop, bend or reach above the shoulders. The employee must occasionally lift up to 25 - 50 pounds. Specific conditions of this job are typical of frequent and continuous computer-based work requiring periods of sitting, close vision and ability to adjust focus. “We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.”

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