Director, Foundry Operations

As a key leadership role within Emerson's Professional Tools business, the General Manager oversees all foundry functions, including manufacturing, sales, customer service, technical services, engineering, finance, and supply chain. The incumbent will drive operational excellence, modernize foundry capabilities, expand profitable third‑party business opportunities, and cultivate a high‑performance culture grounded in safety, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

In This Role, Your Responsibilities Will Be:

Strategic Leadership & Vision

* Establish and execute a multi‑year strategy that aligns Urick's capabilities with customer needs and business growth goals.

* Monitor market trends, capacity needs, and emerging technologies to ensure the foundry can support future demand.

* Make strategic decisions on product mix, in sourcing vs. outsourcing, customer diversification, and capital investments.

* Represent Urick within Emerson, clearly communicating the foundry's capabilities, challenges, and opportunities.

* Promote a strong safety culture focused on accountability, engagement, and proactive risk reduction.

Operational Excellence & Foundry Performance

* Oversee all foundry operations-melting, molding, core making, pouring, finishing, maintenance, and metallurgy-to ensure consistent, high‑quality production.

* Drive Lean and continuous improvement initiatives to increase throughput, reduce scrap, improve labor efficiency, and enhance equipment reliability.

* Ensure disciplined execution of production schedules, materials flow, and capacity planning to meet delivery commitments.

* Lead capital planning to modernize equipment, improve reliability, and support long‑term asset needs.

Business Leadership & Financial Performance

* Oversee full P&L performance, including annual plans, budgets, and monthly forecasts.

* Drive initiatives that improve profitability, cost competitiveness, and asset utilization.

* Grow third‑party sales through targeted strategies aligned with capacity and Urick's technical strengths.

* Approve pricing, quotes, and commercial agreements to ensure sustainable, profitable growth.

Customer & Market Leadership

* Build strong relationships with Ridge Tool and external trade customers to ensure alignment on quality, delivery, cost, and new product needs.

* Lead technical and customer service teams to provide responsive support, casting expertise, and effective issue resolution.

* Strengthen Urick's position as a preferred supplier through reliable performance, technical capability, and customer trust.

People, Culture & Organizational Development

* Build a high‑performance, collaborative culture that attracts and develops strong technical and operational talent.

* Strengthen leadership capability through workforce planning, succession development, coaching, and empowerment.

* Partner with HR to maintain positive employee and union relationships, including participation in negotiations and grievance processes.

* Promote a culture of accountability, innovation, continuous improvement, and shared success across all teams.

Governance & Community Representation

* Ensure compliance with corporate policies, ethical standards, environmental regulations, and safety requirements.

* Represent Urick in community, governmental, and industry forums to strengthen the company's reputation and influence.

Who You Are

A strategic, proactive general manager with strong communication skills who thrives in dynamic, complex industrial environments. You bring extensive operational expertise, sound technical judgment, and a track record of driving performance improvement. You connect effectively with diverse teams, foster collaboration, and lead with confidence and clarity.

For This Role, You Will Need:

* Bachelor's degree in engineering, manufacturing, metallurgy, business, or a related field.

* 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing, preferably within foundry, metal casting, or heavy industrial environments.

* Demonstrated success leading full P&L performance, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning.

* Proven background in Lean, continuous improvement, and operational…