Operations Specialist - Leadership Development Program
The Operations Specialist role within Confidential Client's two-year Leadership Development Program offers new graduates a structured rotational experience across manufacturing and supply chain functions. Participants will lead impactful projects in areas such as continuous improvement, manufacturing engineering, operations supervision, materials planning, procurement, and quality engineering, gaining broad cross-functional expertise and leadership skills through mentorship and direct exposure to senior management.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Engineering.
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
Program Overview
Confidential Client is hiring recent graduates into a two-year Operations Leadership Development Program based in Billerica, MA. This rotational program builds operations and supply chain leaders through hands-on assignments, cross-functional exposure, structured learning, and executive mentorship. Candidates will gain measurable ownership of projects that impact production, quality, and supply chain performance across North American manufacturing sites.
Program Structure
- Two-year program with two 12-month rotations.
- Rotations are assigned based on business needs and development goals.
- Rotations will include relocation between North American manufacturing sites during the program.
Rotation Opportunities
Typical rotation roles include:
- OpEx Leader — drive continuous improvement through the Confidential Client Operating System (EOS).
- Manufacturing Engineer — optimize processes, tooling, and production systems.
- Operations Supervisor — lead production teams and manage daily production and safety.
- Materials Planner — demand planning, inventory management, and supply scheduling.
- Procurement Specialist — supplier sourcing, negotiations, and supply chain strategy.
- Quality Engineer — quality systems, root-cause analysis, and process control.
What You’ll Do
- Own and deliver measurable results on operations and supply chain assignments tied to real business objectives.
- Analyze operational data to identify improvement opportunities and enable data-informed decisions.
- Partner cross-functionally with engineering, quality, planning, procurement, and site leadership.
- Apply continuous improvement principles to reduce cost, cycle time, and waste.
- Present rotation outcomes and recommendations to the steering committee, site leaders, and executives.
Development & Mentorship
- Regular 1:1 coaching with program director, program mentor, rotation manager, and HR.
- Annual LDP Summit — leadership panels, guest speakers, peer networking, and project presentations.
- End-of-rotation report-outs to senior leaders and the steering committee.
- Leadership workshops and industry training.
- Structured mid- and end-of-rotation performance reviews.
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Industrial, Mechanical, or Manufacturing Engineering, or Supply Chain Management completed within ~12 months of program start.
- Willingness and ability to relocate between manufacturing sites during the two-year program.
- Demonstrated leadership through academics, internships, work experience, or extracurricular involvement.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
- Internship or co-op experience in manufacturing, operations, or supply chain preferred.
- Exposure to Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies preferred.
- Experience in ISO9001/14001/13485 and/or FDA QSR environments is a plus.
- Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without visa sponsorship.
Benefits
- Benefits begin on day one: Medical, Dental, Vision.
- 401(k).
- Self-managed vacation and holiday pay.
- Paid maternity/paternity leave.
- Tuition reimbursement.
- Short- and long-term disability.
Compensation
- Pay range: $60,000 - $80,000 per year, depending on experience.
- Employment type: Full-time (program participants are full-time employees; contract arrangements may be used for some assignments).
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.
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