Operations Manager at Sparx Hockey in Acton, MA

About Sparx Hockey

Founded in 2013, Sparx Hockey is a privately held corporation located just outside of Boston in Acton, Massachusetts. Sparx Hockey is a developer and manufacturer of skate sharpening equipment and related accessories for ice hockey, figure skating and sled hockey. The Sparx Sharpener, the company’s flagship product, is an affordable, automated product that allows anyone, anywhere, with no prior skate sharpening experience, to easily sharpen hockey and figure skates with pro-level accuracy. More than 100,000 customers around the world are sharpening skates with Sparx, including individuals, families, teams, rink operators and pro shops.

As the Preferred At-Home Skate Sharpener of the NHL, Sparx Hockey works closely with some of the top current and former professional players in the world including Brent Burns, Taylor Heise and Mike Modano to name a few. Sparx Hockey has solidified its position as the No. 1 sharpener in hockey through multi-year partnerships with some of the most premier teams and organizations in the game including the Swedish Ice Hockey Association, Shattuck-St. Mary’s and the Society of Professional Equipment Managers.

In addition to Sparx Hockey’s exceptional products and impressive partnerships, we also pride ourselves on being a fun place to work. Although it’s not an employment prerequisite, many of our employees still play, coach, and are parents of young hockey players. We do more than just build great hockey products; we use them ourselves.

When we’re not working hard or playing hockey, our team can be found having a blast at our annual summer outing and impromptu barbecues that fill in the rest of the Sparx annual event calendar. Sparx Hockey’s global headquarters are located in Acton, MA and are home to R&D, Operations, Marketing, Sales, and Finance teams as well as our production lines and warehouse/distribution center. 

Position Overview

Sparx Hockey is seeking an Operations Manager to execute daily operations across manufacturing, logistics, and inventory management. This individual will work closely with the VP of Operations to align short-term execution with long-term planning. The role requires a hands-on, detail-oriented team-player who can manage production workflows, ensure accurate reporting, and maintain strong vendor and 3PL (third-party logistics) relationships. This person must also collaborate with internal teams across Engineering, Quality, Marketing, and Sales to ensure alignment of operations with broader business goals.

Key Responsibilities

Production / Manufacturing

• Manage daily and weekly production planning for all products manufactured on site
• Ensure all processes are performed in conformance to Sparx standards
• Implement and oversee training/recertification programs for the workforce
• Supervise and manage warehouse employees, including scheduling, training, and day-to-day oversight
• Ownership of key administrative duties associated with production

Inventory Management

• Oversee 3PL inventory management, including transfers, bookings, and reconciliations.
• Conduct weekly cycle counts
• Support year-end physical inventory with the VP of Operations.

Warehouse & Logistics

• Manage warehouse activities associated with movement of goods between facilities.
• Coordinate shipments into and out of corporate headquarters.
• Liaise between Customer Service and 3PLs.
• Perform routine audits for shipping and logistics activities to ensure service quality and cost-effectiveness.

Reporting & Analysis

• Provide internal reporting on productivity, efficiency, and operational KPIs.
• Generate analyses to support VP of Operations in strategic decision-making.

Repair Center

• Support the collection of data from Repair Center activities, develop KPI dashboards and work with the VP of Ops in continuous improvement in Repair Center operations.
• Coordinate inventory requirements to support repair operations.
• Oversee stock transactions on all RMA/product repair activities.

Special Projects

• Support implementation of special projects as needed

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in operations, manufacturing, or supply chain management; small company/startup experience a plus.
• Strong knowledge of ERP systems (NetSuite experience preferred).
• Hands-on experience with inventory control, production scheduling, and logistics oversight.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with spreadsheets (Specifically MS Excel).
• Broad experience across a variety of mechanical assembly processes.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Self-motivated, driven, and able to thrive in a fast-paced environment.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to play a critical role in a small, fast-growing company where your contributions are impactful.
• A hands-on, collaborative environment.
• Competitive compensation and benefits.
• The chance to help bring innovative hockey products to athletes of all levels.