Operations Manager
Posted Jul 23, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026
Likely interview questions for this role
Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.
About your past
Walk me through a time you inherited a plant or line that was missing its SQDCP targets. What did you find, and what did you fix first?
What they are checking: whether they can diagnose and prioritize across competing metrics rather than chasing one number
Tell me about a lean or Six Sigma project you personally led on the floor. What was the before and after, and how did you get buy-in from the people doing the work?
What they are checking: whether their continuous improvement experience is hands-on and adopted by operators, not just a certification on paper
Tell me about a supervisor you developed who wasn't performing when you took over. What did you do differently and how did it turn out?
What they are checking: their ability to coach and build capability in frontline leaders, not just manage output
Describe a safety incident you investigated. What was the root cause process, and what changed afterward so it didn't happen again?
What they are checking: rigor of their incident investigation methodology and follow-through, not just compliance box-checking
Tell me about a time you had to cut costs on your operation without letting quality or delivery slip. What did you cut and what did you protect?
What they are checking: judgment on where cost reduction is safe versus where it creates hidden risk
Describe a new product introduction or capital project you supported. What was your role, and what went wrong that you didn't expect?
What they are checking: experience with cross-functional project execution beyond steady-state operations
You've managed both single-site and, ideally, multi-site or more complex operations. What changes about how you lead when the environment gets more complex?
What they are checking: scalability of their leadership approach and self-awareness about what worked at smaller scale versus larger
What would you do
Say you walk the floor Monday morning and safety, delivery, and cost are all flashing red at the same time. What do you actually do first?
What they are checking: how they triage under real operational pressure and whether safety genuinely comes first for them
A customer order is at risk because of a supply chain delay outside your control. Walk me through how you'd handle that with the customer, your supply chain partner, and your own floor.
What they are checking: cross-functional coordination skill and how they manage competing stakeholder pressure
If you had a supervisor who was well liked on the floor but consistently missed their production targets, how would you handle that conversation and the weeks after it?
What they are checking: whether they hold people accountable without damaging morale or avoiding hard conversations
About the work
How do you build standard work into a process, and how do you get it to actually stick once you walk away?
What they are checking: depth of lean manufacturing knowledge versus surface-level familiarity with the vocabulary
What ERP systems have you worked with, and can you give me an example of a decision you made using data pulled from one?
What they are checking: whether they use data systems to drive real decisions or just report numbers upward
How do you decide which KPIs actually matter for a given line, and how do you present a performance update to senior leadership when the news isn't good?
What they are checking: analytical maturity and comfort being direct with leadership rather than spinning results
Practice this interview out loud.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Regal Rexnord.