Senior Director of Operations

Senior Director Operations

Our client is seeking a Senior Director Operations to lead one of its largest and most critical manufacturing operations. Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, this executive will be responsible for developing and sustaining best-in-class finishing and packaging operations while driving operational excellence, strategic initiatives, and organizational transformation.

The Senior Director will oversee manufacturing operations, lead a team of managers and senior manager-level employees, providing strategic leadership for an organization of more than 2,000 employees, comprised of both full-time employees and contingent staff, operating in a 24/7 manufacturing environment.

The ideal candidate is a transformational leader with a proven track record of leading large-scale manufacturing operations, developing leadership teams, implementing operational improvements, and successfully navigating organizational change.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all finishing and packaging operations while reinforcing a culture centered on Safety, Security, and Quality.
• Develop and execute the long-term operational strategy to support business growth, including facility expansion, automation initiatives, process optimization, and workforce planning.
• Play a key leadership role in the organization’s multi-year transition to a new manufacturing campus, partnering closely with Engineering and Operations Readiness teams to ensure operational success.
• Drive labor optimization strategies, including staffing models, shift structure, labor utilization, equipment efficiency, and production scheduling to consistently achieve production targets.
• Maintain oversight of manufacturing operations with a strong focus on product security, compliance, and loss prevention.
• Provide full P&L responsibility, managing operating budgets, capital expenditures, labor costs, and productivity improvements.
• Establish performance metrics and operational scorecards while holding leadership teams accountable for results.
• Build leadership capability by coaching, mentoring, and developing managers and senior managers to create a high-performing organization prepared for continued growth and change.
• Ensure operational consistency across all shifts through active leadership presence and engagement on the production floor.
• Foster a collaborative, engaged culture focused on employee development, accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Lead Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives that improve safety, quality, productivity, customer satisfaction, and profitability.
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements, customer standards, and internal policies.
• Champion innovation by evaluating emerging technologies, automation opportunities, and industry best practices.
• Lead or support enterprise ERP implementations or major system upgrades that improve operational effectiveness.

Leadership Profile

The successful candidate will be:

• A transformational leader who successfully drives organizational change while building trust and engagement.
• Passionate about developing people and strengthening leadership capabilities at all levels of the organization.
• Strategic yet hands-on, with the ability to translate vision into execution.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, complex, high-volume manufacturing environment.
• A collaborative leader who builds strong cross-functional partnerships.
• A data-driven decision maker with strong financial and operational acumen.
• A continuous improvement champion with experience implementing Lean manufacturing principles and operational excellence initiatives.
• Emotionally intelligent, adaptable, and capable of leading through change with composure and credibility.
• A “player-coach” who leads by example and maintains a visible presence on the manufacturing floor.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing operations senior leadership experience, including responsibility for large-scale production operations.
• Experience leading high-volume, high-speed manufacturing operations in a 24/7 environment.
• Demonstrated success leading large teams through organizational transformation and operational change.
• Experience overseeing multiple production departments or multi-site manufacturing operations.
• Proven experience with ERP implementation or major ERP upgrades.
• Strong understanding of labor planning, workforce optimization, production scheduling, and capacity management.
• Demonstrated financial acumen, including full P&L ownership, budgeting, and cost control.
• Proven success implementing Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and change management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.

Strategic Priorities

This leader will have immediate responsibility for several high-impact initiatives, including:

• Developing the operational strategy for the next two to three years.
• Supporting the organization’s phased transition to a new manufacturing campus through 2029.
• Driving automation and process improvements to increase efficiency and reduce labor dependency.
• Optimizing staffing strategies while maintaining production performance in a 24/7 manufacturing environment.
• Building leadership bench strength and preparing the organization for significant operational change.
• Ensuring world-class standards in safety, security, quality, and customer satisfaction.

Contact Judy Protz at Sign in to view email with questions regarding this posting. A Word resume is preferred when applying.

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