Housing Business Operations Lead

The Company Decora Powder Coatings is a family-run coatings job shop specializing in architectural and industrial powder coating and sublimation. The company operates two facilities on one property in St. Catharines: a new state-of-the-art vertical powder coating line and an established horizontal line. Decora focuses on delivering distinctive, high-performance finishes, developing long-lasting customer relationships, and offering unique services at competitive prices.

Are you a hands-on leader who thrives in a fast-paced, make-to-order job shop environment? Decora Powder Coatings is seeking an agile Operations Manager to oversee the day-to-day powder coating and sublimation operations and drive efficiencies through people, process, and scheduling.

You will establish and lead consistent processes across two busy production lines/facilities and the sublimation process, ensuring every job order moves efficiently from scheduling through to shipment. As well, you will combine creativity with practical execution to handle changing priorities in a high-mix environment where every project is unique.

This role is ideal for a proactive, fast-moving, people-focused leader who is technically and mechanically inclined, with a strong understanding of how systems and equipment drive performance.

Plant Management:
Oversee all phases of plant operations, including primary processing, production, maintenance, inventory management, logistics, and resource allocation to meet production and customer demands.
Use data to guide decisions and production improvements.
Use financial data to understand where to drive continuous improvement efforts for the most significant operational and cost impact to increase production, reduce waste, and raise first-pass yield.
Be engaged with the line to know where to slot rush orders for maximum efficiency by checking line capacity, changeover windows, and material availability.
Communicate production plans and changes to supervisors and floor staff daily, and confirm that each shift understands what is running, when, and why.
Be firm and goal-oriented while motivating, training, and engaging others enthusiastically.
Ensure proper onboarding, technical job training, and cross-training for quality and to maintain flexibility across lines.
Set clear expectations for each role, conduct regular performance reviews and provide coaching that reinforces consistency, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement where everyone understands how their work contributes to overall success; use simple language, visuals, and team leads to bridge language and cultural differences.
Process Control & Quality:
Develop and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to standardize production processes and quality controls across both facilities.
verify film build, coverage, and cure before release.
use trends to adjust racking, paint gun settings, cure profiles, and work methods.
Quality - Oversee final inspection, packaging, and staging so parts are protected, correctly labelled, and shipped on time with accurate documentation.
Align with ISO 9001:2015 practices and customer specifications; lead follow-up reviews and verify corrective actions are closed.
Conduct daily production meetings, coordinate with supervisors and management, and communicate updates, challenges, and results clearly.


Post-secondary education in engineering, manufacturing, or business, or equivalent industry experience.
Lean Six Sigma certification an asset
Minimum of four years of manufacturing and management experience in a fast-paced, job-shop or custom-production environment.
Delivered measurable improvements in cost, quality, or throughput by standardizing processes and removing bottlenecks.
Strong mechanical and technical understanding of equipment and willingness to troubleshoot equipment issues.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Excel.
100-150,000 total compensation (base + performance bonus)
~ Vacation - open to discussion
~ Monday–Friday: Full–time: overtime as required.


Performance Metrics
Increase Quality