Director of Manufacturing​/Operations

Job Title:Director of Manufacturing/Operations

Location: Portland, OR

Employment Type: Direct Hire

Industry:Chemical Manufacturing

Compensation:$180,000 - $210,000/Year

Schedule: 40 Hours/Week

About the Opportunity:

• We're seeking an experienced manufacturing leader to provide strategic and operational leadership across production, warehouse, and material-handling functions. In this role, you'll translate business priorities and customer requirements into clear production plans, staffing strategies, capacity decisions, and measurable operational goals. You'll lead initiatives focused on safety, quality, productivity, throughput, cost, delivery, and continuous improvement while identifying and removing barriers to performance.
  
  You'll also develop manufacturing leaders, strengthen operating systems, and build the organizational and production capabilities needed to support sustainable growth. This is a highly collaborative leadership role partnering with Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, Supply Chain, EHS, Human Resources, and executive leadership.

• Lead manufacturing operations across multiple production areas, processes, and shifts, ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient execution.
• Translate production forecasts and customer requirements into staffing, scheduling, equipment, material, and capacity priorities.
• Establish KPIs, operating rhythms, performance standards, and accountability systems to improve safety, quality, productivity, throughput, cost, and delivery.
• Oversee warehouse and material-handling operations, strengthening inventory accuracy, traceability, material flow, staging, and production readiness.
• Partner with Quality, EHS, Engineering, and Maintenance to address operational risks, quality events, equipment reliability, process capability, and corrective actions.
• Drive continuous improvement using operational data and structured problem-solving to improve throughput, labor utilization, yield, waste, equipment effectiveness, and manufacturing reliability.
• Lead, coach, and develop Managers, Supervisors, and Leads while strengthening accountability, communication, decision-making, training, and workforce readiness.
• Develop workforce and capacity plans aligned with production forecasts, customer demand, equipment requirements, shift structures, and future business needs.
• Partner cross-functionally on operating, workforce, capital, budget, technology, and growth initiatives while clearly communicating performance, risks, constraints, and resource requirements.

• Supportive, team-driven culture that values collaboration, transparency, and accountability.
• Opportunity to grow your career with a global workforce solutions leader serving multiple industries.
• People-first environment that encourages employees to bring their authentic selves to work.
• Strong focus on partnership, innovation, and delivering meaningful results for clients and candidates.

This role offers the chance to join a company that prioritises both people and performance-where your contributions directly impact client success while giving you room to grow and develop professionally.

Acara is a premier recruiting and workforce solutions provider-we help companies compete for talent. With a legacy of experience in various industries worldwide, we partner with clients, listen to their needs, and customize visionary talent solutions that drive desired business outcomes. We leverage decades of experience to deliver contingent staffing, direct placement, executive search, and workforce services worldwide.

• Bachelor's Degree in Operations Management or Manufacturing or Engineering or Supply Chain or Business Administration
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience within manufacturing, production, operations, or a similar industrial environment.
• 5+ years of experience in leading teams in the material handling, warehouse, inventory governance, logistics, etc., area of business.
• 5+ years of experience leading multiple operational functions and multiple layers of leadership.
• 5+ years of experience in managing manufacturing operations involving safety, quality, productivity, scheduling, staffing, capacity, cost, and customer delivery requirements.
• 5+ years of experience in establishing and managing operational KPIs and using performance data to improve results.
• 5+ years of experience in leading manufacturing/production and warehouse or…