Director of Operations - Manufacturing

Director of Operations

Full-Time | Multi-Site Operations | Michigan | New York | $165,000 - $180,000/year

Lead a multi-site operations organization spanning manufacturing, blending, packaging, warehousing, and distribution. This is a hands-on leadership opportunity for an experienced operations executive who can translate business strategy into measurable improvements in safety, productivity, service, cost, profitability, and organizational performance.

• Enterprise-Level Impact: Take ownership of operational performance across multiple facilities and business functions.

• Executive Visibility: Report directly to the President and serve as a key member of the leadership team.

• Multi-Site Leadership: Establish consistent operating practices while adapting to the needs of individual facilities.

• Broad Operational Scope: Oversee manufacturing, blending, packaging, bulk handling, warehousing, distribution, maintenance, inventory execution, and workforce effectiveness.

• Strategic + Hands-On: Balance long-term operational planning with active involvement in day-to-day execution and problem solving.

• Growth & Improvement: Lead initiatives involving continuous improvement, capital investment, automation, equipment reliability, and operational scalability.

• People Leadership: Develop plant and operations leaders while strengthening succession planning, accountability, and organizational capability.

• Develop and execute short- and long-term operating strategies aligned with company objectives.

• Translate business priorities into practical operating plans involving people, equipment, facilities, capacity, and resources.

• Identify opportunities to improve productivity, customer service, asset utilization, profitability, and overall operating performance.

• Advise the President on operational risks, capital requirements, resource needs, and opportunities for improvement.

• Lead organizational and operational changes while maintaining employee engagement and business continuity.

• Direct manufacturing, blending, packaging, bulk handling, warehousing, and distribution activities across multiple facilities.

• Establish common procedures, operating standards, performance expectations, and accountability practices.

• Coordinate staffing, production resources, equipment availability, warehouse activity, and material movement.

• Ensure production and distribution activities support customer requirements and approved operating plans.

• Share successful processes and best practices across facilities while accounting for site-specific requirements.

• Balance safety, quality, service, productivity, and cost in daily operational decisions.

• Build and maintain a proactive safety culture across the operations organization.

• Ensure compliance with applicable OSHA, DOT, environmental, hazardous-material, HAZWOPER, and training requirements
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• Ensure teams follow established procedures, work instructions, quality standards, and regulatory requirements.

• Partner with Quality, Technology & Facilities leadership on corrective actions, audits, investigations, and continuous improvement.

• Support root-cause analysis and corrective-action activities when operational or quality issues occur.

• Ensure employees are properly trained and held accountable for established safety and operating requirements.

• Own performance across key areas including safety, service, productivity, labor utilization, inventory, equipment reliability, waste, cost, and operational profitability
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• Use ERP, production, inventory, maintenance, and financial information to monitor performance and identify opportunities.

• Establish corrective actions when performance falls short of expectations.

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean principles, 6S, standard work, visual management, and structured problem solving
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• Develop and manage operating and capital budgets covering labor, overtime, maintenance, equipment, and other operating expenses.

• Build business cases for capital equipment, automation, facility improvements, and asset replacement.

• Strengthen preventive maintenance and equipment reliability programs.

• Work closely with Supply Chain to align production, inventory, procurement, capacity, and customer commitments.

• Partner with Customer Success on service issues, delivery challenges, escalations, and changing customer requirements.

• Collaborate…